ISSIMO’s Guide to Keeping your Skin Cool in the Summer
Baby it’s hot outside. So hot, in fact, that we’re spending most of our day poolside, a refillable water bottle in hand, to ensure we stay hydrated as the temperature rises.
Something else that’s important to keep hydrated in this weather? Your skin. Heat can take a toll on the body, and while SPF is of course vital whenever you hit the beach, it’s not the only thing you need to ensure a BeautISSIMO glow and protection during these extra sunny times.
To help you stay as cool as an Italian cucumber, we’ve rounded up a few products we swear by – and a couple of skincare tips from our mamme and nonne for good measure. They’ve got some pretty great skin, so here’s to trusting their advice!
Ideal for: After-sun care
How to Use: Spray some on your face and body and let absorb. Alternatively, apply as a toner to leave skin strong, shiny, and healthier.
Ischia Spaeh Nitrodi Thermal Water
Hailing from one of our favourite islands – home to our beloved Mezzatorre – Ischia Spaeh Nitrodi Thermal Water is great if your skin needs a little TLC after a day in the sun. Its ingredients help restore optimal physiological levels, and, thanks to their antioxidant properties, have a softening and soothing effect.
Besides your post-beach care, the water is also recommended to treat dermatological issues like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and itching, so you can stay assured it’s really super gentle. The fact that Ischia is the oldest destination spa in the world is also another guarantee that any beauty product coming from it has been tried and tested for a long, long time.
Ideal for: Revitalising your super tanned legs
How to Use: After showering, slather it over your legs, and the rest of your body too. Feel pampered.
I Numeri Primi Grape Body Lotion N.13
You’ve spent the day at the beach, caught a sunset aperitivo, then met some friends for dinner under the stars. You’re radiant – literally – but your legs feel a little tired. The solution? A lightweight but effective moisturiser that can make them feel fresh and good as new to hop on a boat trip the following morning (it’s hard being on vacation!). Meet I Numeri Primi Grape Body Lotion N.13, a smooth, soft and velvety body cream that’s going to turn your skin from sleepy to sensational. Enriched with Argan oil and suitable for all skin types, it is excellent for fighting free radicals and improving the elasticity of the skin – meaning more dips in the ocean and more running around from beach clubs to alfresco restaurants.
Take Cold Showers
You probably already are – no one wants a hot shower right now! – but, according to our mums, taking cold showers isn’t just a great way to stay cool. Directing an icy jet of water on the body can in fact help with toning up your skin and getting your second wind, so that you can muster the energy to go dancing even after a whole day of sea adventures. Do it often enough, and you might even pick it up as a habit to bring into winter (maybe).
Ideal for: Helping you make those cold showers more bearable – and smelling divine
How to Use: Pour a few drops into your bathtub, dim the lights, and put your favourite tunes on.
Parco 1923 Purifying Body Wash Scarpetta di Venere
Some things should never be rushed. Reading a book from your hotel balcony, for example. Going for a slow, early morning swim when everyone else is still asleep. Or taking a bath to nourish your skin and practice some much-deserved self-care.
For the latter, it doesn’t get better than this moisture-rich, gentle foam with blueberry and rosehip extracts, packed with natural antioxidants to fight free radicals. Excellent to repair your body from head to toe, it smells amazing, too.
Make a honey mask
Are your lips a little chapped from being in the sun all day? Our nonna can help. Some Italian grandmothers will tell you to prepare a little honey mask consisting of, well, honey, diluted with a little water. Apply the concoction on your lips for some 15 minutes, and it’ll guarantee an emollient and repairing effect, they say. Sounds about right and most likely quite delicious, so why not, right?
Ideal for: Taming your beachy waves
How to Use: Comb your hair gently to detangle it and leave it looking smooth and shiny.
Larusmiani Crete Comb
If your hair tends to get knotted or matted on the beach, you might need something to help you sort out your entanglement without stripping away half of your locks. This Larusmiani Crete Comb is just the thing for that, not to mention a perfect travel accessory thanks to its pocketable size. Made of natural ox horn, you can use it on wet hair without fear of breakage, and continue looking fab against the natural elements – sand, sun, wind, you name it.
Ideal for: Smooth, flake-free skin
How to Use: Massage on wet skin for a few minutes with gentle, circular movements. Rinse off. Repeat once a week.
Terre dei Papi Sabulae Scrub for Face and Body
Exfoliating is key to ward off dryness and ensure a glowing complexion – all the more so on a beach holiday, when external agents like sandy grains, sun and salt water can bog down your skin. For highly effective results, we swear by this Terra dei Papi scrub. Blending natural ingredients like almond shells with glycolic, lactic, and malic acids to further up the exfoliating benefits, it is softening and gentle enough not to cause irritation or breakouts, and works wonders on dry patches and sun spots.
Don’t forget your feet
Feet get a little abused in the summer – they swim, they dance, they go bare, or slip from sandals to heels without taking any break. To show them some love, follow this classic Italian remedy: a warm water foot bath with bicarbonate soda. You read that right. Bicarbonate, our mothers will tell you, has emollient, deodorant and antifungal properties, and can spruce up your extremities in no time (and at very little cost). Add a sprig of rosemary or tea tree oil for an aromatic twist.
