5 Natural Fixes for Summertime Skin Woes
We love the summertime as much as the next person, but there are some parts to summer that can be a drag — especially on your skin. Luckily, there are ways around these woes. Outsmart warm-weather hassles with inexpensive drugstore remedies today and feel your best all season long. Keep scrolling for Woman’s World tips and picks for the best natural fixes for everything from bug bites to body odor.
1. Speed the Healing of Bug Bites with Calendula Cream
Dabbing this marigold flower extract on bug bites once hourly can stop the itch and cut your healing time by 75%, Brazilian studies show. That’s because calendula brims with healing plant compounds (triterpenes and saponins) that reduce inflammation, improve blood flow to damaged skin and increase the immune system’s production of tissue-healing proteins, explains biochemist Monica Butnariu, Ph.D.
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2. Erase Embarrassing Calluses with Castor Oil
A winter in heavy socks and boots can leave feet with thick, unsightly calluses, but castor oil gets you sandal-ready in a jiffy!
To do: Before bed, dampen cotton balls with castor oil, place on rough spots and cover with self-adhering bandages; in the morning, wash, gently buff with a pumice stone and moisturize. Scientists at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville say castor oil’s ricinoleic acid softens tough skin, reduces swelling and strengthens and heals epidermal tissues, smoothing even stubborn calluses in five days.
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3. Calm Pesky Rashes with Magnesium
Skin irritation from snug clothing, damp bathing suits and extra shaving and waxing can cause an explosion of red, inflamed pimples along your legs and bikini line. To banish the bumps fast, gently eliminate pore-blocking skin oils by using a washcloth to dab a thin layer of milk of magnesia on rashy areas, then fan dry. Milk of magnesia contains 400 mg. of rapidly absorbed magnesium per teaspoon— and in German studies, this essential mineral helped cool skin inflammation, plus it has been shown to speed the repair of damaged tissues to cut healing time in half.
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4. Banish Body Odor with Baking Soda
Summer heat and humidity have 57% of us battling embarrassing body odor. The good news: Studies suggest baking soda can keep you smelling sweet from head to toe! Biologist Yu Wang, Ph.D., explains odor-causing yeast and bacteria grow rapidly on warm, damp skin, but baking soda halts that growth for up to 24 hours. To get the benefits: Combine 1 Tbs. of baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. In the shower, gently scrub underarms, skin creases and feet with the mixture for one minute, then rinse well.
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5. Smooth Unsightly Varicose Veins with Witch Hazel
Dabbing witch hazel on mild varicose veins twice daily can reduce their appearance—plus ease vein-related pain—in as little as seven days, British researchers report. Thanks goes to the powerful anti-inflammatory and astringent compounds in witch hazel (tannins and procyanidins), which work together to shrink puffy veins plus minimize the darkness that appears when blood pools in veins and capillaries. And if your varicose veins itch, applying chilled witch hazel brings immediate relief.
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This story originally appeared in our print magazine. We write about products we think our readers will like. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the supplier.See more of our best product recommendations.
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