Check out this awesome, homemade & skin friendly tip sent in from Michelle Pino, who works at Skana spa in upstate New York.

The hot days of summer can take a toll on skin. For many years we have heard about the harmful effects of the sun. While it is not possible to avoid the sun entirely if you want to enjoy all the fun things that summer brings, there are a few things that can help to protect your skin. Of course, natural products are highly preferable. Many manufactured skin care products contain harsh chemicals that can irritate or even harm your skin.

What can I do to protect my skin?

The benefits of sunscreen cannot be emphasized enough. Even on cloudy days, ultra-violet rays from the sun are present. As a matter of fact, 40% of the UV rays are present. Ultra-violet radiation includes UVA and UVB. Both can cause skin to look much older and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. UVB rays are what cause sunburn and UVA rays are responsible for premature aging.

Using sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect your skin. There are many available and the SPF or Sun Protection Factor varies. Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. This filters about 93% of UVB rays. Purchasing a sunscreen with a SPF of 30 filters 97% and sunscreen with a SPF of 50 filters 98% of UVB rays.

Revitalize skin after sun exposure –

After a day at the beach, your skin may feel dry and of course, you will want to wash away the sand and salt. Here is an all-natural face mask recipe, developed by the spa experts of New York resort, Turning Stone.  This can be used to rejuvenate your skin and help it to feel soft and glowing.

Ingredients:

½ cup oatmeal

1 cup natural yogurt

1 tbsp. honey

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. Apply to skin and leave for about 10 to 15 minutes. Gently remove from the skin with a warm washcloth.

 As you can see this recipe is made from all natural ingredients and contains no harsh chemicals. It is simple to make in a just a couple of minutes and likely you already have the ingredients in your kitchen. It leaves skin feeling fresh and revitalized and summer is not the only time you can enjoy the benefits of this mask. If you live in a cold climate, it can be used to exhilarate the skin and give you a healthy glow in the winter as well.

source for 40% of UV rays present on cloudy days, statistics for SPF numbers