Clean Beauty Summer Essentials

Summer brings with it soo many lovely things - lots of sunshine, flowers full force in the garden and outdoor fun.  It also brings with it sweat dripping into every area on our bodies, greasy skin, sunburns and bug bites.  SO, here are my must-haves so you can focus on all the goodness summer brings:

Deodorant

Hot weather = stinky folks.  "Clean" deodorants are tough and VERY individual.  Baking soda helps many of them work well but gives me a rash. Each & Every (link will give you $5 off) is a brand my husband and I have used for two years now and it works best for us.  The sticks swipe on clear (not white and chunky) and they have tons of scent options (using only essential oils).  My favorite is Lavender & Lemon and Daniel's favorite is Cedar & Vanilla (both of which use sustainable sugar cane packaging).

Face Mist

From waiting for the subway in a hotbox under the ground to schvitzing in the humid Texas heat, a facial mist can be a saving grace.  They're great as a makeup setting spray to keep your foundation in place through the day and also as a purse-spray to cool you off when you overheat.  

Suggestions - 

• Lumion Oxygen Miracle Mist - good for breakout-prone skin

• Erin's Faces Rosewater Tonic - ideal for all skin types

Sunscreen

I'm a broken record over here but 90% of aging (fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, elasticity) is due to sun damage. UV intensity tends to be strongest in summer months and we tend to be outside more. We have a whole post on sunscreen FAQs but the short story is, sunscreen is your friend.  

Suggestions - 

• Erin's Faces Peptide SPF 30 for Face

• Erin's Faces Mineral SPF 32 for Body

• Erin's Faces Sunstick SPF 15 Watermelon Lip Balm

Hydrating Facial Mask

If you do get a sunburn, or just feel overheated in general, a cooling face mask can really hit the spot.  You want to avoid words like "refining", "clarifying", "retexturizing" and focus instead on "nourishing", "hydrating", and/or "cooling".

Try these - 

• Orgaid Organic Sheet Mask - Greek Yogurt & Nourishing

• Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask

Mosquito Repellent

Mosquitoes and ticks come out in full-force in the summer and itchy bites, or worse, can ensue.  Deet has a whole host of parameters that we don't tend to follow but are suggested by the EPA.  It's one of the reasons I created our Deet-Free Mosquito & Tick Repellent as I needed something that would work but also wouldn't have any of the concerns that came with Deet.  

Anti-Chaffing

And if you're on a hike out in the woods fending off mosquitoes or just living life in your sundress, thigh chaffing is a real thing.  It hurts, it keeps you from wearing your fave summer clothes and it's for the birds.  Shorts underneath are great but can make you hot.  There are a couple of sticks I've found that actually work - 

Try these:

• Megababe Thigh Rescue

• Body Glide Original Anti-Chafe Balm

Hair Mask

Chlorine from the pool and/or salt from the ocean can dry your hair out like crazy.  Getting your hair wet in the shower before you go swimming helps a lot, as does a swim cap, but a great hair mask goes a long way.  

Try these:

• Innersense Hydrating Hair Mask

• Erin's Faces Argan Oil