Summer Products I Can't Live Without

Our skin's needs change as the seasons change, and summer has always been particularly challenging for me. More skin is exposed more often, sun exposure is greater (and more likely to happen), sweat and oil run rampant...you know what I'm talking about.

As I go about my summer days, living the life of a busy mom AND as a woman who still wants to look good, I realized that there are several products that make my quest-for-summer-beauty a lot easier — and they multi-task, just like me!

MY SUMMER MUST-HAVES

1. A Combination Body Wash and Shave Gel
No, ladies, shaving with soap is NOT a good idea, and regular old body wash does NOT do "just as good a job". The body wash I use contains special ingredients that help soften the skin for shaving, as well as aloe leaf extract to soothe the skin post-shave. It's so quick and easy to use: I just put a nickel-sized amount in my hand, lather up my whole body, shave whatever needs shaving, and rinse it off! The scent is super-clean, too.

2. A Kiss-Proof Lip Moisturizer with Color
What I love about this is I can have it on my lips for hours and the color is still there! My lips still feel supple after all that time, too. The best part for me (as a mom with kissable children) is that I can have that long-lasting color and still kiss without worry. Anything you put on your lips will come off if you kiss someone/-thing immediately after applying, of course, but most tinted lip products will stain someone else's skin as long as the color is still visible on your lips. In my personal experience, my lip balm doesn't leave color on my kids when it's been on my lips for a while...but my lips are still soft! On top of that, it even contains sunscreen. Double yay!

3. Anti-Oil Products
Prevention and maintenance are arduous but necessary in our fight against summer oil outbreaks. For prevention, I use skin care (cleanser, moisturizer, foundation) that is customized for my skin type. Occasionally, I'll also use a liquid mattifier that helps prevent shine for occurring as easily. When shine does rear its ugly head, don't be tempted to smother it with powder! Oil + powder = mud (insert brownie mix analogy here). Blot away your surface oil with handy linen tissues first, then refresh your skin with some oil-absorbing powder. The blotting papers I use now are larger than the kind I used to get at the drug store (so I can use each sheet twice), there are more per pack, and they're cheaper! Can't beat that.

4. Anti-Stink for Your Body
How many times have you wished Febreeze could be used safely on your skin (or your husband's/teenager's)? You seriously need to try my favorite little spritzy bottle of happiness. It has odor-absorbing ingredients that neutralize odors, not just cover them up with heavy fragrance. I've used it on shoe insoles, sweaty clothes, my hair/clothes/purse after visiting a smoker, my cat litter box, my sat-too-long-in-the-gym-bag swimsuit...seriously, this stuff works. And you're left with a light botanical scent, not a heavy perfumy smell. Who doesn't need a refreshing little pick-me-up before heading out?

5. Yuck-Free Sunscreen
UVA & UVB protection is a no-brainer for summer, but don't you hate feeling like you have to take a shower when you come back inside, just to get that nasty-gross sunscreen "ick" off your body? I didn't realize that a sunscreen could feel nice and still be effective, but this one does! It's SPF 30 and adequately protects mama redhead (and her little redheads, too) when we play outside. It just feels GREAT, especially compared to the bazillion other brands I've tried over the years. This is the only one I don't feel guilty putting on my child.

One of the best things about using these products is that doing so supports both the American economy (manufactured, packaged, and shipped in the U.S.) AND a small local business (mine). :) Let's hear it for free enterprise!

For more information on these products (or to purchase them) visit the Beauty Link at the top right-hand column of this blog. You can use the "search" feature on that website to find the products mentioned here, or feel free to contact me personally with questions!