The past couple of weeks of glorious sunshine meant it was time to unpack summer clothing and adjust my self-care routine. I love warmer months, as my muscles and nerves are more receptive to heat than cold. However, one thing I try to be consistent with is full skin protection against the harsh sun rays. Staying hydrated and taking steps to retain moisture, and nourishing my body are daily habits that I enjoy. Doing self-care helps to uplift my mood, simply because looking good helps me to feel good.
Would I consider my self-care routine, minimalist?
No, not in all aspects.
Less is more, in terms of makeup, but not necessarily the same with skincare.
Having a good skincare regime is important, as I prefer a natural glow and try to leave camouflage to clothing only. So I maintain a rigid, but doable skincare routine, as economically as possible.
Women who look like me, need to take extra steps to absorb vitamin D, so my doctor recommends that I spend 10 to 30 minutes daily, outdoors in the sunshine.
Cracks and flaky skin can make us look like prunes when our bodies lack moisture. So it is imperative to maximize our intake of fluid, preferably water, to stay hydrated.
I do a full-body routine of moisturising, which starts from my hair root to ends, to between my toes, and end at the bottom of my feet.
Nourishing from the inside out is important
I do pass a lot of fluid, so I drink many glasses of water throughout the day to help to replenish the liquids in my body. Drinking several glasses of water does not only help to keep me hydrated, but it doubles up in helping to flush and detox toxins from my body.
Adding a slice of lemon or some freshly squeezed lemon is refreshing.
I try to stay away from sweets or have them in moderation, but nourishing the body with fruit and nuts helps.
I love fruit and veggies and try to have a basic and balanced diet which includes some citrus. Oranges do the trick and are easy to acquire all year round.
Recycling and DIY products and procedures are advantageous for saving money and doing self-care in the comfort of the home.
So, I dry my coffee pods in the sun and empty the ground coffee to make my body scrub.
There's nothing nicer than caressing my body when it's moist and smooth, and a great way for me to achieve smoothness is by applying body scrubs which help to remove dead skin from my body.
They say black don't fucking crack, but I think it's a big misconception that women who look like me do not need to protect their skin from the sun.
Sunscreen and protection are vital for my skin, and hair which tends to be on the porous side.
This oil works like a miracle for strengthening and nourishing my hair, and it helps to eliminate dry flaky scalp.
It is never too early to start caring for ourselves, and it's also better late than none at all.
We are not getting any younger, and the force of gravity is strong; So, my advice to women, particularly us in the silver age, is to not despair, but think of our bodies as a car engine, that runs and performs better when it's properly lubricated with oil.
Let's stay hydrated, regardless of the season.
All images were taken by me