Beauty in the great outdoors: summer days are meant to be experienced firsthand. Whether you spend your time in the sun swimming, hiking or gardening, we have tips to keep your skin and hair healthy

Natural Health, July-August, 2004 by Megan O'Connell

There's no better time to get outside than summer. You can enjoy fresh breezes on a heart-healthy hike, take a refreshing warm-water dip or gather up spectacular blooms from your garden.

These and other outdoor activities enrich your life and reduce stress. According to a recent poll conducted for the Outdoor Industry Foundation, almost 80 percent of Americans find that being outdoors in a natural setting allows them to escape the pressures of everyday life and keeps them feeling young.

The only drawback is the toll those hours take on your hair and skin. But that's no excuse to hide indoors. Here are simple, summer-ready steps that will help keep your hair and skin soft, hydrated and looking great.

heal your green thumbs

Do you spend your days digging in the dirt? Protect your hands from the resulting calluses, dry skin and other signs of aging.

PREVENT PHOTOAGING

Rough skin, wrinkles and pigmented spots are all effects of photoaging, or prolonged sun damage. "We almost never apply sunscreen on our hands, yet whenever we're outside they are always exposed to ultraviolet rays," notes Flor A. Mayoral, M.D., a dermatologist in South Miami, Fla. Everyone, especially gardeners who steer clear of gloves to feel the earth against their skin, should apply sunscreen to their hands every day. Choose a hand cream with an SPF of at least 15. A few of our favorites: Boscia Daily Hand Revival Therapy SPF 15 ($12; sephora.com), with mulberry to help lighten age spots; Neutrogena Visibly Younger Hand Cream SPF 20 ($10; at drugstores), clinically proven to soften skin in only a few weeks; and Clarins Age Control Hand Lotion SPF 15 ($25; clarins.com), with UV light filters and vegetable-based glycerine to moisturize.

SOFTEN ROUGH SPOTS

If you use garden tools, you're probably applying extra pressure to certain parts of your hands. Over time, the skin becomes thick, forming calluses. To soften these areas, look for hand creams with humectants (which lock in moisture at the skin's surface) or plant-acid exfoliators (which slough off dry, dead skin cells). Three we love: Fresh Sugar Blossom Hand Treatment ($36; fresh.com), with hibiscus flower acids to gently remove dry-skin buildup; Cetaphil Therapeutic Hand Cream ($12.50; at drugstores), with superhydrating shea butter; and Origins Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment ($18.50; origins.com), with trehalose, a sugar-derived ingredient that helps skin retain moisture.

seal out water damage

Swimming is fun, easy on the joints and wonderful for your overall health--but it can wreak havoc on your skin and hair. Protect yourself from the detriments of sun, surf and chlorine.

STAY HEALTHY AT THE BEACH

Hair becomes extremely dry after swimming in the ocean because salt absorbs moisture, leaving once-soft locks feeling rough. The sun exposure also dries out strands. Your best bet is to thoroughly rinse hair before and after swimming and to shield it with leave-in products that offer solar protection. Two editor's favorites: Phyto Plage Protective Beach Spray ($20; 800-557-4986), with ultraviolet filters and botanicals like olive extract, calendula and rosemary to moisturize; and PureOlogy ColourMax UV Colour Defense ($16; pureology.com), a detangler with concentrated sunflower seed extract that guards hair against sun damage.

SAFEGUARD YOUR COLOR

Chlorinated pool water is high in copper, which can alter the hue of both salon-colored and virgin hair. According to colorist Nikki Goldberg of New York City's Julien Farel salon, brunettes will fade quicker when exposed to copper, while blondes (natural and not) tend to see a tinge of green caused by copper mixing with yellow pigment. To protect your tresses, rinse hair with fresh water immediately before taking a dip (it saturates the strands so they absorb less chlorinated water), and wash hair immediately after swimming to remove chemical residue. Two deep-cleaning shampoos to try: Terax Original Latte shampoo ($12; sephora.com), which removes copper, chlorine and salt and contains milk albumin, a protein that hydrates and nourishes hair; and J.F. Lazartigue After Swimming Shampoo ($20; jflazartigue.com), a gentle wash that contains moisturizing algae extract and cleans without stripping hair of its natural and necessary oils.

REHYDRATE SUMMER SKIN

"Our skin is not meant to stay wet for very long periods," says Mayoral. "While we're in the pool or the ocean, skin cells become overhydrated; and when we get out, the cells lose that water immediately, leaving skin dehydrated." To combat this moisture loss, Mayoral suggests showering post-swim and then applying a moisturizer while skin is still damp. A few to try: Olay Moisturinse in Shower Body Lotion ($7; at drugstores), which is applied while you're rinsing off, allowing for maximum moisture retention; and Desert Essence Moisture Balancing Body Lotion ($6.25; desertessence.com), with jojoba oil and rosemary extract to offer quick-absorbing rehydration.

skin-saving tricks on the trail