How to look after your skin in summer with CBD: tips for radiant, healthy skin

Summer is a time of year that can really age the skin if we're not careful. Read on for the best skincare routine (especially in summer) and how CBD skincare will help you keep your skin healthy and radiant all year round.

Why looking after your skin in summer matters

We love the longer days, the starry skies, days at the beach, sunsets with friends, cherries and all the good things summer brings. But on the other hand, summer brings together several factors that can prematurely age the skin: hours outdoors in strong sun, changes to your schedule and routines, too little sleep, chlorine, salt water, showering more often, sweat, heat, dehydration – and even air conditioning!

If we don't look after our skin, these conditions encourage skin dehydration, dark spots, fine lines, flaky skin, dryness and tightness, and even sunburn, leaving us looking less youthful than we'd like. Adopt a daily skincare routine to keep your skin well hydrated, protected and healthy for many years to come.

How to look after your skin in summer

Keeping your skin hydrated in summer

Hydration is essential for the skin's natural health and beauty. You should know that a whole series of chemical reactions take place in the skin that help keep it hydrated, nourished and well protected. For these processes to happen, there needs to be water in the skin tissue.

Without moisture in the skin, the enzymes responsible for protecting it can't do their job, and the skin's barrier function is impaired. On top of that, constant external aggressors (sun, sweat, soaps, salt, chlorine…) end up making things worse. Together, these factors mean we need to give our skin extra hydration in summer to prevent dryness, tightness, flaking and the early appearance of signs of skin ageing such as fine lines and dark spots.

Hyaluronic acid: hydrates, softens, soothes and plumps the skin

Skincare experts have been researching ways to give the skin long-lasting hydration for decades. Among the most effective ingredients is hyaluronic acid (1-3), which can retain moisture for hours, improving the skin's hydration, softness and suppleness. It also has soothing and plumping properties, giving a healthier appearance and helping to prevent wrinkles from forming.

CBD: regenerates, protects and soothes the skin

Another ingredient with exceptional properties for the skin is CBD, or cannabidiol (4-6). It offers several benefits, the first being that it's one of the few cosmetic ingredients that act on the skin's endocannabinoid system. It helps balance the skin barrier, and has antioxidant, sebum-regulating (for both dry and acne-prone skin), anti-inflammatory and soothing properties (ideal for after sun).

See: What is CBD and what is it used for?

CBD products to hydrate your skin in summer

At Cannactiva we've formulated the Serum with Hyaluronic Acid, CBD, Vitamin C and Panthenol, which delivers a high concentration of active ingredients to look after your skin this summer. Apply the serum twice a day for more intensive care.

Use the serum before the CBD Moisturising Face Cream for best results, and don't forget to moisturise your body too with a CBD Repairing Body Lotion, then round off your perfect self-care routine with Tantra Body Oil.

Make the most of the exclusive deals in our CBD shop by buying the CBD bundles on sale.

Hydrate from the inside

The best thing is to turn good habits into routine. If you fancy it, here are some very hydrating, antioxidant-rich foods you can add to your day-to-day diet to look after your skin:

1. Fresh fruit, and the more colourful, the better. The colours are antioxidants. Summer is full of these foods: apricots, cherries, watermelon, melon, peaches…
2. Water, and cold herbal teas count too, including iced tea or iced coffee.
3. Beta-carotene, a very powerful antioxidant for the skin. You'll find it mainly in carrots and spinach.
4. Anthocyanins, another very potent type of antioxidant found in blueberries. You can find them in the frozen section and make yourself some homemade sorbets.
5. Lycopene, another powerful antioxidant, this time found in a fairly universal ingredient: tomato sauce. Shop-bought works perfectly well, and cooking doesn't destroy it – it actually increases its bioavailability.

Night-time routine with CBD in summer

In summer, night-time skincare is key for applying products that support skin repair and regeneration. We suggest using the CBD Serum with Hyaluronic Acid and the CBD Moisturising Face Cream. You can complement your night-time routine with a few drops of CBD oil to help you sleep better.

Use sulphate-free soaps

Everything you gain by moisturising your skin with creams, you lose by using conventional soaps. Especially in summer, when we may shower several times a day. Sulphates are the main ingredient in a huge number of “personal care” products. They're the well-known “sodium lauryl sulfate” (SLS) and “sodium laureth sulfate” (SLES), which you've almost certainly seen on a shampoo or shower gel.

Their job is to create lots of lather, strong enough to wash away all dirt effectively, including the skin barrier's protection, disrupting the skin's pH and causing irritation and dryness.

One of the most noticeable differences when you use solid soap is that, when you rinse, it feels less slippery – almost rough. That's because the lather it produces is much gentler and kinder to the skin. Once you've dried off, you'll notice your skin feels incredibly soft and hydrated. If you have dry skin, that's all the more reason to switch to solid soap.

What's more, this option is much more eco-friendly and longer-lasting. If you're interested, we tell you more about the benefits of solid soap.

Protect yourself from the sun

We've left it till last, but the first step to looking after your skin in summer is protecting yourself from the sun. At Cannactiva we suggest our reversible bucket hat and a cool, summery cannabis-inspired outfit: a hemp-print shirt and matching boxers.

Enjoying the summer sun is great, honestly, but if you're going hiking high in the mountains or spending the afternoon playing beach volleyball, you definitely need to wear sun protection if you don't want to end up sunburnt. If you're going to be outdoors all day, pack a hyaluronic acid serum in your rucksack and apply it 2 or 3 times a day, or whenever your skin feels tight.

The best type of sunscreen: mineral

We recommend using mineral, eco-friendly sunscreen: the classic white sun creams we've always known. The active ingredients in mineral sunscreens are white powders (hence the colour of the cream), either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. When these minerals are applied to the skin, they aren't absorbed; instead, they form a physical film that protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays. It's not like a moisturiser, which leaves the skin clear once applied: with sun cream, your skin should look a little white. The whiter your skin looks after applying this sun cream, the more protected it is.

This type of sunscreen isn't absorbed, unlike the ingredients in chemical sunscreens. Because they don't absorb into the skin, these sunscreens are less irritating and a better choice for people with sensitive skin.

They're also effective immediately after application, whereas chemical sunscreens often need time to absorb before they start working.

Another advantage is that they're better for the environment, as some chemical sunscreens have been shown to harm marine life and corals.

In short…

We hope you've found this post about something as important as our skin interesting, and that it's helped you remember or learn some useful facts. Now that you know your skin always needs to be hydrated, how to protect it, the factors that can damage it and the best type of sun protection, you're better prepared for summer.

At Cannactiva we're committed to providing products that support your wellbeing. Add our CBD skincare to your daily skincare routine and you'll see your skin looking healthy and radiant. Have a wonderful summer!