Just like the season of baseball, summer throws a lot of curve balls at our skin. The weather tends to be more dry and hot and sun exposure is even more relevant with those longer days.

“While you prepare for travel, beach days, and holiday weekends, it's also important to work on transitioning your skincare routine. Clearly, SPF is vital during the warmer months, though it's not the only thing you need to complete your hydrating, protective, glow-inducing arsenal.” from Birdie.com

This month, we’re going to dive deep into the a few of our favorite summer skin care essentials: Vitamin C Sunscreen and Water.

Vitamin C

It’s not all about oranges or citrus fruits - The benefits of incorporating Vitamin C into your skin care routine cover everything from anti-aging to boosting the skin’s ability to heal itself, helping to make those brown spots and sun damage.

What is Vitamin C? Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can contribute electrons in order to neutralize free radicals created in skin after oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is usually sun damage. So while vitamin C can't protect skin like an SPF can, it can minimize the damage you can't see. Vitamin C is one of the factors in stabilizing and creating collagen molecules, meaning that it's one of the most reliable anti-aging ingredients on the market. Because vitamin C can aid in skin's ability to heal itself, it should be your go-to when looking to reduce red and brown spots. Add to that its anti-inflammatory properties (we’re talking to those of you with acne and spotty skin), and even-toned skin is in your very near future.

Recommended Vitamin C EGB Products - see skin personalities to best determine your skin personality.

If you have mature skin personality, try Vitamin C15 Wrinkle Repair Serum: A potent daily serum formulated to firm, brighten and protect the skin while helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A powerful blend of 15% L-Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E and Oat Beta Glucan helps correct skin tone and stimulate collagen production. Hyaluronic Acid adds essential moisture and helps calm irritation.

If you have a hormone reactive or adaptive personality, try Natropathica Vitamin C Revitalizing Lotion: Nourishing and lightweight, Naturopathica's Vitamin C Revitalizing Lotion easily brightens and revitalizes skin. Enriched with essential oils and superoxide dismutase, this antioxidant moisturizer boosts elasticity, soothes dryness and protects against environmental aggressors.

If you have a stress reactive skin personality, try Epicurean CXc Vitamin C Complex: A scientifically advanced blend of vitamin C antioxidant complexes designed to neutralize free radicals and their damaging effects. Applied daily, this moisturizing formula helps to dramatically reduce the visible signs of aging and improve your complexion's overall radiance.

Sunscreen

We believe in sunscreen everyday! Even if you’re mostly in the office, wear a lightweight sunscreen. We all love the summer sun, but unfortunately our skin doesn't.

Good for all skin personalities all the time, Naturopathica Lavender Moisturizer SPF 17. This is a great nourishing moisturizer with micronized Zinc Oxide to help guard the skin from UVA/UVB damage. Turmeric Root helps prevent sun spots while fragrant Lavender calms irritation and soothes the senses.

Good for someone out and about, play all day in the sun, sunscreen for my face, is Naturopathica Daily UV Defense SPF 50 or Juice Beauty Sport SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen if you plan to really play hard and plan to sweat.

Water

Let’s talk about water, as it needs to be a crucial part of any whole body (inside and out) routine. Water is your body's principal component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to work at its best. The fact is that skin is an organ, and just like any other part of the body. your skin is made up of cells. And skin cells, like any other cell in the body, are made up of water. Without water, the organs will certainly not function properly or at their best. If your skin is not getting the sufficient amount of water, the lack of hydration will present itself by turning your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling. If your lips are chapped and dry, you probably need more water. from uwhealth.org .

How much water should I drink? There are lots of calculators, equations and different theories out there on the right amount of water to drink per day, but the team at EGB recommends 8 ounces of water, 8 times per day. This is the same as 2 liters or 1/2 a gallon. Find a routine that works for you - water upon waking up is a good way to start the day, maybe add a 16 ounce (pint) glass next to your bathroom sink and drink it while you perform your skin care routine. Keep a water bottle at your desk, commit to your co-workers that you’ll refill it 3x before you leave for the day. Make a commitment to drink all the water they give you at a restaurant before asking for another glass of wine. Whatever routine works for you, try to get in at least 64 ounces of water per day.