YOUR ESSENTIAL SUMMER BEAUTY SURVIVAL GUIDE

Oily skin? Sunburn? Dry, frizzy hair? Make-up meltdown? These are just some of the problems associated with summer in Marbella. Not anymore… Marbella Rocks Magazine brings you your Essential Summer Beauty Survival Guide to keep you looking fantastic as temperatures rise on the coast.

Skin

Temperatures can easily reach 40 degrees on the Costa Del Sol in August and this intense heat can play havoc with your skin. While Vitamin D you get from the sun’s rays is actually good for you (see below), harmful UV rays damage and dry out your skin. Plus excess sweating can cause spots to break out – just when you don’t need them.

Therefore try to avoid wearing any make-up if you can in the daytime. Your skin is better beach ready with just a sunscreen and if you really need some sort of coverage keep it to a concealer and tinted moisturiser. Benefit Cosmetics does a great version with SPF15 called You Rebel (€30) suited to all skin types containingAloe Vera, Vitamin A and Vitamin E, known for their replenishing properties.

The best thing to keep fresh in the sun and prevent excess sweating is a brumitiser. Evian do a great 150ml travel sized canister so you can keep it in your handbag and mist whenever you want to keep cool and perspiration at bay.

If you’re opting for a made-up look, go for a sheer foundation. Estee Lauder have recently introduced Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Make-Up (€37) a great lightweight foundation that controls oil, resists smudging and won’t melt off through heat and humidity.

To prevent major make-up meltdown, MAC Fix+ (€17) is a fantastic product. This refreshing spray infused with calming properties including cucumber, chamomile and green tea not only deeply nourishes dehydrated skin. It also fixes any previously applied makeup. Just a few sprays later and your make-up will stay put all day long.

Another great summer product to try is blotting sheets like Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets (€2.50). Blot, don’t wipe, away shine and grease without disrupting your make-up.

And The Good News About Summer Sun…

While dermatologists and doctors have demonised the sun for years, it’s not as bad as you have been led to believe. Yes, it does cause skin damage and over exposure can lead to skin cancer. But the good news is, in small doses, sun has actually been scientifically proven to be good for you. In the last few years numerous studies have proven that Vitamin D (most of us get 90-95% of the necessary amount through the sun’s rays) may prevent 16 different types of cancer including prostate, breast, ovarian and colon.

According to further European studies it also prevents diabetes, multiple sclerosis and boosts fertility & testosterone (baby-making is also more common in summer months – be warned!)

Plus we have all read at some point about Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD which is specifically caused by lack of sunlight. People with SAD tend to be more depressed and overweight. Higher levels of serotonin in our bodies not only makes you feel happier, it also surpresses the appetite, so you eat less in warmer weather. Bonus!

But be warned, the recommended level of sun exposure required to ward off illness and ailments is only 30 minutes of exposure 4-5 times a week. And a sunscreen of minimum Factor 15 is also advised.

Eyes

To keep eyes looking fresh and the white’s whiter (also perfect for blurry hangover eyes) use Optrex Eyedew Dazzling Eyedrops (€5). There’s a coloured version to bring out the blue in your eyes too.

Waterproof mascara is another must. One of the best on the markets today is the classic Maybelline New York Great Lash Waterproof Mascara at a non-bank breaking €7, it provides voluminous lashes without clumps and smudging. Perfect for beach and pool days as this bad boy doesn’t shift even when diving in the pool.

And to prevent eyeliner smudging, Mac’s Liquid Eye Liner (€20) is one of the longest wearing eyeliners so will not shift in the summer heat. It’s firm tapered tip also makes application easy and precise, so if feline eyes are your thing, this is a must-have summer beauty product for you.

Lips

It’s worth investing in a lip balm with sunscreen to apply on hot days as your lips age and cracks appear on the lipline due to over exposure in the sun. Nivea’s A Kiss of Protection Sun Protect Lip Care (€2.40) has an SPF of 30 and doesn’t feel cakey on lips like most lip balms with sunscreen do. This product has won the ‘Best of Beauty Award’ several years in a row.

US brand Burt’s Bees (€4.60) is also fantastic for super softening your lips with 100% natural ingredients including sunflower oil and bees wax. The world famous brand now comes in 8 different flavours including the new coconut & pear and blueberry and dark chocolate. Mwah!

Most women are either lippy or lipgloss obsessed. To stop yours going gloopy in the sun always keep in the fridge for at least half an hour before application. This especially applies to lip liners as a smudged lip line is not a good look.

Hair

Preventative

Keratin blow dries are incredibly popular for summer by smoothing and de-frizzing hair. This revolutionary treatment, formerly known as the Brazillian blow dry, naturally removes frizz from the hair without damaging it in any way. The results are amazing and last 2-5 months. As clients repeat the treatment they quickly become aware of the improved quality of their hair.

This treatment is extremely successful with lightened, blonde, highlighted and damaged hair, helping promote beauty, softness, flexibility, health and shine. Available at Woods Salon in Marbella and Bliss Hair & Beauty in Estepona.

Treat

Kerastase hair masks are among the best on the market. It replenishes, smooths, repairs and protects the hair while preventing split ends. Quite a pricey product (€35-€40) so to make yours last longer apply the mask half way down your head to the ends. It’s not always necessary to condition the new hair growth at the roots.

For a cheaper alternative, try Revlon’s Uniq One Spray at only €9.95 from Revlon stockists and Marbella shopping mecca La Canada. It detangles and repairs dry, damaged hair and controls frizz. Also as a leave-in product it can work its magic all day long. Moroccan Oil (€32 for 100ml) is also an amazing product for coarse, unruly or damaged hair, leaving hair feeling smooth and silky. It can double-up as a serum and is better than most on the market today. Use sparingly though to look gorgeous not greasy.

Sun, chlorine and salt water can really dull coloured hair. To keep yours looking vibrant this summer apply a restorative mask once a week like Oribe Masque for Beautiful Colour (€90). And for a try-at-home remedy do a cool water rinse after shampoo and conditioning and apply apple cider vinegar to keep colour at its best and also adding shine.

Protect

About 30 minutes before going in the sun apply a spray with a UV heat protector. The sun dries out hair and UV damages so sprays work by coating individual hair shafts with a protective coating. Be sure to distribute spray evenly through hair with a brush or wide toothed comb.

Scalps are also sensitive and prone to burning so always remember to apply your sun protection spray to your parting as well.

For instant boho glam tie a headscarf around your hair. This way you don’t have to mess around with a hairdryer and you have the added bonus of having your hair protected from damaging UV rays.

Blondes, if your planning on swimming it’s always best to apply a conditioner or leave-in conditioner to showered hair before going in the pool. Chemical reactions of bleached hair with copper ions or chlorine in swimming pool water may put a green tinge into your blonde hair. By showering and applying conditioners before swimming you protect the hair shafts so none of the harmful chemicals can penetrate.

Too Late…. Your hair has a nasty green tinge! No problem, buy an acidic ketchup from your local supermarket. A Mercadona own brand is better than Heinz, leave on your hair for 15 minutes to strip the chemicals out. Can’t face ketchup then opt for a dissolvable paracetomol.

Eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables in the summer. The vitamins A and B help keep your hair strong and healthy.

And finally a great tip from one of the world’s most gorgeous women, Blake Lively! The former Gossip Girl star swears by sea water to get her beach ready waves. She simply scrunches salt water in her hair and twirls into a loose messy bun on the top of her head. When it has air dryed she unwraps and has beautiful flowing waves. Plus at no damage to her hair. Heat appliances and hours of styling in the hot Californian weather is unnecessary, Blake reveals.