Summer. We look forward to it all year, with its outdoor adventures and long, lazy days in the sun, its feel of saltwater drying on our skin, and its sun-bleached highlights in our hair.
But all that time outside can be tough on our bodies. Skin can get dry and damaged, and heat, sweat, and sunblock can cause breakouts and rashes. And it’s not just our skin that takes a beating in the summer. Hair has a rough time too. Sun, chlorinated water, smoky fires on the beach; all of these can damage hair, leaving it brittle and discolored.
Fear not; in case you haven’t heard, hemp is no ordinary plant. It is extraordinary and has many unique qualities that make it more than up to the challenge of keeping you looking amazing this summer. Here are a few of the ways that hemp and CBD can help you before, during, and after your time outside.
Protect Yourself Before You Go Out
Your skin and hair are constantly under attack from all kinds of things in your environment including UV rays, the sun, smoke, and air pollutants. All of these things can lead to damage and premature aging. However, you can use hemp products to start protecting yourself from these aggressors before you even step outside.
Many skin care specialists believe that CBD is a powerful way to help protect your skin from damage, and to help undo some of the damage that has already been done to it. This is because CBD is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are naturally-occurring compounds that are found in many different foods, and also in the hemp plant. One way that antioxidants protect you from environmental harms is by neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that come from many different things in the environment including pollutants, smoke, pesticides, and sunlight. They bond to the cells in our skin, which can cause damage and aging to occur in these cells. Antioxidants like CBD are believed to help protect your skin from these free radicals, reducing damage and the signs of aging. Beauty Releaf Multi-Tasker (1) is one full-spectrum CBD product that uses that antioxidant power to hydrate, fight wrinkles, and protect your skin from pollutants.
Hydrate, Chill, and Keep Reapplying the Sunscreen
Once you’re outside, don’t forget your sunscreen. (You should actually apply it 30 minutes before you head out.) Sunscreen is one of the best ways protect your skin in the summer (and at every time of the year). According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, however it is also one of the most preventable. You can reduce your risk of skin cancer by wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Body Guard SPF 30 from CBD + Nature (2) provides UVA and UVB protection, plus it includes CBD in order to help protect your skin from free radicals and aging as well.
In addition to the sunscreen, don’t forget to hydrate. Ginger Peach effervescent summer drink with CBD (3) can help you with that. Did you know that drinking or eating CBD may also help you feel more relaxed? Lots of people report that it significantly reduces feelings of anxiety, or just helps them feel more chill. If you don’t like sparkling water, you could try getting your CBD in the form Favour CBD Gum (4).
Taking CBD is not only believed to help you feel more relaxed, but many researchers think that it helps your entire body run more smoothly. When you put CBD in your body, it interacts with something called the endocannabinoid system. You might not have heard of this system, but everybody has one, and it’s vitally important to your health. The endocannabinoid system is believed to play a key role in keeping everything in your body balanced and running well, and CBD is thought to help that system run better.
Summer Breakouts
One type of imbalance that can be common during summer is with your skin. Sun, heat, sweat, sunblock, salt, and chlorine can all irritate your skin. Acne, in particular, often gets worse in the summer. However, there is evidence that CBD can help reduce breakouts. Your skin produces an oil called sebum that helps lubricate the skin. However, when there is too much sebum, or the sebum is sticky and clogs your pores, you can get breakouts. Some research has shown that CBD can help regulate this process. For example, in a 2014 study researchers observed that CBD had so much potential to help with acne that they called it “a potent ‘universal’ anti-acne agent.”
Soothe Sun-Damaged Skin
Unfortunately, even when you try your best to cover up, and to apply and reapply sunscreen, sunburns happen. That redness you see when you get a sunburn is your skin’s inflammatory response to the damage that has been caused by the sun. Fortunately, numerous researchers have found evidence that CBD has an anti-inflammatory effect. If you do get a sunburn, the Skin Cancer Foundation advises that after cooling it down with a cold compress or a short cool shower or bath, you moisturize with a gentle lotion, and use an anti-inflammatory. Cannuka After Sun Care (5) contains CBD and Manuka honey (also believed to be soothing for burns) in a formula designed to both moisturize and reduce inflammation.
Even if you don’t have a sunburn, your skin (and your hair!) could probably use a little TLC at the end of a summer day. A day outside can be tough on your body, and CBD’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can help. Some of the many different options out there include CBD Restorative Lip Balm by Shea (6), Fog and Tree Hair Mask Treatment (7), and Paradise Club After Sun Mask Melt (8).
Enjoy Your Summer in Comfort and Style
Finally, don’t forget that hemp is not just for eating, drinking or rubbing on your skin. You can wear it too! Check out the Natasha Tonic 2 piece bikini (9), or the Hemp Eyewear Hamburg (10). Hemp is strong, comfortable, and cool to wear, and you can find many different hemp accessories and a wide variety of different hemp clothing.