When the summer season arrives, you probably want to spend more time focusing on your beauty. Instead of using more makeup, you tend to want to wear lighter makeup and have the sun-kissed look.

To achieve this, you need to improve your complexion, which can be done by using an exfoliator.

There are many amazing exfoliating products in drug stores, but they don’t always use ingredients you recognize or that you want on your skin.

Another option is to make your very own exfoliator, allowing you to have full control over what is used and get some additional benefits from these ingredients at the same time.

Benefits of Exfoliating Your Skin

Why should you exfoliate your skin? Easy, it removes the dead skin cells on your skin. If you just use regular foam cleanser every day, it will clean your skin, but these skin cells remain on the surface. You need to gently scrub them away with an exfoliating product.

The dead skin cells eventually clog your pores, leading to complexion issues and acne. Exfoliating your skin naturally can also help it to glow, appear healthier, and improve the blood circulation.

Why You Should Use Natural Ingredients

The reason you should consider making some of the natural exfoliators listed in this report is because they contain no additives, dyes, fragrances, or toxins. You want your skin to be naturally healthy, without anything added that can cause irritation or breakouts.

1 – Honey Sugar Exfoliating Scrub

This first exfoliating scrub is a simple one that will only take you a few minutes to make. It includes some ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. You can make a small amount just for one use, or make a little more to add to a container and use whenever you need some good exfoliating.

Why Honey and Sugar

The main benefits of this exfoliating scrub have to do with the honey and sugar that you use. The reason honey is so beneficial in the scrub is because it has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This allows it to reduce bacteria in your skin while also lightening your skin tone.

It also uses white sugar, which is going to provide the coarseness you need to exfoliate your skin naturally. This can also brighten your skin, which is often desired during the summer.

Ingredients

For this honey sugar scrub, you will need the following ingredients:

White sugar
Raw honey
Carrier oil (your choice)
Essential oil (your choice)

You should use the same amount of honey, sugar, and the carrier oil, so you can choose the amounts based on how much of the scrub you want to make. With the carrier oil and essential oil, use your own preferred types. Some good carrier oils are olive oil and jojoba oil, while essential oils can be lavender, rose, peppermint, or any others you have on hand.

How to Make this Scrub

All of these exfoliating scrubs are very easy to make! It is just a matter of combining the ingredients. Grab a bowl that will fit the amount of ingredients you are using and start by pouring in the sugar, then adding in your honey. Pour in the oil and essential oil drops, and mix well. The honey is a bit thick, so it might take quite a bit of mixing until all the sugar is coated evenly. Make sure you keep mixing until there are no more clumps.

Store this and all exfoliating scrubs in an airtight container. When you are ready to use it, get a small amount from the container and rub on your skin. You want to scrub your skin and you can leave it on for a few minutes if you like. Rinse with cool or warm water.

2 – Rose and Lavender Sugar Scrub

The next type of exfoliating product that is good for your skin is this rose and lavender sugar scrub. It is a pretty sugar scrub that looks just as good as it smells! Plus of course it provides some excellent exfoliating power for your skin.

Why Rose and Lavender

Both rose and lavender are wonderful ingredients to use for a sugar scrub. The lavender is soothing and relaxing, helping you to sleep if you use this scrub at night. It also smells fresh and feminine, without being an overpowering scent. You will then use some rose essential oils in the sugar scrub, which also has a soft and light scent, plus some added benefits for your skin.

Ingredients

For the rose and lavender sugar scrub, the following ingredients are required:

Lavender essential oil
Rose essential oil
Carrier oil
Coconut oil
White sugar

You can use any carrier oil you like, but sweet almond oil and jojoba oil are best for this combination. The coconut oil will add moisture to your skin, which is why it is also added. You can also add some rose petals as well.

How to Make this Scrub

For this exfoliating scrub, start with the sugar again, then add in your carrier oil and essential oils. This should mix very easily since there are no thick ingredients. Once you have done that, add in some rose petals if you decide to use them.

3 – Coffee Body Exfoliating Scrub

This next exfoliating scrub is a fun one, since it uses coffee. Yes, coffee! Coffee has been hitting the news recently because people aren’t just drinking it, but using freshly-ground coffee beans for beauty and health purposes. You can use this coffee in the morning or any other time of the day. It is also an amazing gift to give to others.

Why Coffee for a Scrub

You might be asking yourself why the coffee grounds are used for a body scrub. The reason is this: finely-ground coffee is the perfect consistency for an exfoliator. It is completely natural, always available, and easy to use. Plus, coffee has some other health benefits too. It is really wonderful for helping with dry skin, can nourish your skin, and is super convenient.

Ingredients

Three simple ingredients are used for the coffee body scrub, including:

Finely-ground coffee
Sugar
Coconut oil

At this point, you have a few decisions to make. You can use brown sugar or white sugar, though for coffee scrubs, brown sugar is usually preferred. You can also choose to replace the coconut oil with another type of oil if you want. It is best to use coffee grounds you made fresh, not instant.

How to Make this Scrub

To start making this scrub, you first need to prepare the coffee grounds. It is best to grind them yourself, but at the very least, use ground coffee and not instant. Brew a pot of coffee in a regular coffee pot, so don’t use a Keurig machine for this.

Once it is brewed, remove the coffee grounds from the pot and let them sit out to cool. When they are completely cool, you can pour them into a container, adding in your sugar and oil. Mix well, then put the lid on.

As with all these scrubs, it should be in an airtight container with a lid, and left in room temperature.

4 – Healthy Green Tea Scrub

How about trying out an exfoliating scrub that uses green tea? You probably know how beneficial green tea is for you, but not just for drinking. It happens to be excellent for your skin.

Why Use Green Tea

Green tea is one of the very healthiest teas you can drink, but it is also wonderful on your skin. Green tea is naturally anti-aging, so it can help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, as well as provide antioxidants naturally. Green tea can help reduce the signs of age spots and sun damage when using this scrub on your face.

Ingredients

For the healthy green tea body scrub, you want to use the following ingredients:

White sugar
Matcha green tea powder
Green tea bag
Essential oils
Carrier oil

Like many of these scrubs, you are going to add in oils to the scrub. It adds more scent and some added benefits. For the green tea scrub, use a light scented essential oil, like chamomile or lavender. You don’t want it to be too strong.

The matcha green tea adds even more health benefits, and the green tea bag or loose leaf tea just adds overall toe the power of this scrub.

How to Make this Scrub

As with the coffee skin scrub, you want to first brew your tea, since the tea bag is going to add to the scrub. Once the tea is done, remove the bag and let it cool. Open it up and add it to a bowl with the matcha powder, sugar, carrier oil, and essential oils. Mix it well and add it to an airtight container.

5 – Vanilla, Rose, and Lavender Scrub

This final skin care exfoliating scrub it a nice, feminine scrub that is perfect for the entire body. It is really great to use in a relaxing bath with chamomile and lavender oils or bath salts. Not only will you get the benefits from the scrub, but the bath water at the same time.

Why Vanilla, Rose, and Lavender?

These are some of the best ingredients for a scrub. They are easy to find, provide relaxation and stress-relief, and are wonderful for your skin. The vanilla is added mostly for scent, while the rose and lavender are oils that provide moisture for your skin and can also relieve any irritation you have.

Like all these scrub recipes, you can of course add in any other ingredients you want.

Ingredients

Here is a list of the required ingredients for the lavender, rose, and vanilla exfoliating body scrub:

Lavender essential oil
Rose essential oil
Vanilla extract
Sugar

How to Make this Scrub

Combine all of these ingredients in a bowl, mixing them well. Transfer it to an airtight container and use as you would any other body scrub.

Final Thoughts

Now you have an arsenal of body scrubs that you can use all summer that will prepare your skin for the challenges of the fall and winter seasons. Use them now and on into the cooler weather to ensure healthy looking and feeling skin for when we may not so aware of how our body is doing since it is not as visible, and therefore, obvious as it is in warm weather.

If you have dogs, you probably love them just like family, and want to treat them as such. This means that when the weather becomes extreme, whether extremely hot or cold, you want to be sure your dogs are as healthy and comfortable as possible.

One of the extreme weather conditions to be aware of is heat in the summer. This is especially important if you live in a hot climate like a desert area, but no matter where you live, you should be aware of the health complications that dogs can experience when they aren’t kept cool and don’t have access to fresh, cool water.

The following sections will go over some things to be aware of with your dogs in the summer heat, and provide helpful tips for keeping them healthy and happy all summer long.

Health Concerns for Dogs in Extreme Heat

The first thing you need to know is what exactly your dog might be facing in the hot, summer heat. This of course will depend on your climate and how often your dog is out in the heat, but there are several health concerns to be aware of.

Foot Pad Burns

The first health concern for dogs who are outside in the summer is burning their foot pads. You may not consider this to be an issue, but your dog’s paws are sensitive to the hot ground and asphalt just like you. A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t stand on the ground outside barefoot without it burning, your dog shouldn’t either.

When it is a hot day, stand outside with no shoes on first to test the ground, then determine if it is okay to walk your dog on that surface. Carrying them to the grass might be necessary.

Sunburned Skin

Another surprising health concern for dogs in the summer is sunburn. Yes, their skin can burn just like yours can. If your dog has dark, thick fur, it works as clothing to protect their skin from burning. However, if you have a dog that is shaved or has a light coat with skin exposed, it could burn if they are out in the sun for too long.

In this case, put baby sunscreen on your dog’s coat when they are going to be outside on hot days for an extended period of time, and make sure they get an adequate amount of shade.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is another concern for dogs in the summertime. You want your dogs to have enough cool areas and fresh water to prevent heat stroke. If you know you have a dog that is less tolerant of the sun, try to keep them inside in the air conditioning as much as possible.

Provide Adequate Shade

As you might guess, providing your dog with enough shade during the summer is one of the best things you can do. It might not be realistic for your dog to be indoors at all times, such as when you are at work or when you are letting your dog out to get some fresh air and play.

Finding Enough Shade

In these situations, make sure your dog has enough shade and cool areas outdoors. If you have cool grass with big trees, that is perfect. On the patio, create more shade either by getting tall potted trees or with a canopy set up.

Make sure your dog is not chained up outside in an area where they are stuck in the blazing hot sun without being able to find a cooler spot. They should never be restricted in an area where they are just trapped in the sun, burning their skin and possibly causing heat stroke.

A good rule of thumb for the heat outside – if it feels hot to you, it feels hot to your dog. Are you sweating within minutes of standing outside? If so, your dog is probably feeling that heat as well, so it is up to you to help them find a cool spot.

The Importance of Fresh, Clean Water

The next thing you need to provide your dog in the summer to keep it healthy is fresh, clean water. If the water is kept on the patio where it gets hot, then the water will get hot very quickly and your dog won’t touch it.

Tips for Providing Fresh, Clean Water

• Put the dog’s water bowl on a cool spot on the patio, perhaps in the shade or under an umbrella.
• Have more than one bowl of water if your pet will be alone for a while, making sure each bowl is in a shaded area.
• Put ice cubes in the water when you set the bowl out, which will help keep the water cooler for longer.
• Change the water often so it is always clean and fresh for your dog.
• If you are concerned about the water getting hot, place it on a cooling pad instead of directly on the hot ground or concrete patio.

These tips are very easy to accomplish and will ensure your dog has enough fresh water. Water is absolutely essential for your dog in the hot summer season. They need it to cool off and it will help prevent heat stroke.

Traveling in the Summer

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are traveling during the summer with your dog, they need extra precautions with their water.

Not only should you never leave your dog in the hot car and bring them outside whenever you go outside, but you should bring bottled water kept in an ice chest so that it is always cool. Bring bowls with you to help your dog drink water as often as possible.

Ways to Keep Your Dog Cool

There are even more ways you can keep your dog cool and happy during the summer. These methods are not only good for health reasons, but for your dog’s happiness and vitality.

If you have ever been outside in 100-degree weather, you know that it can cause mood swings, reduce your energy, and just make you feel lousy. Your dog might experience the same thing, depending on their breed and how much they enjoy the heat.

Here are some other ways to keep your dog cool during the summer:

Make Frozen Treats

Who doesn’t love treats? Your dog already loves these fun little snacks, but they are even better when frozen. It’s like an iced treat for your dog that is fun, delicious, and keeps them cool on hot days. Here are some options for frozen treats that are good for dogs:

• Chicken broth iced pops – The first frozen dog treat is to fill an ice cube tray with chicken broth. You can also add other ingredients your dog likes, such as banana pieces or even broken up pieces of their favorite treats or dog bones. Once it freezes, pop them out as needed for your dog.
• Frozen fruit pieces – A simpler option is to cut up pieces of your dogs favorite fruit and popping them in the freezer. Just make sure they are big enough for your dog to munch on without trying to swallow it hole and choke on it. Bananas and strawberries are great for this one.
• Peanut butter ice cubes – You can also fill up ice cube trays with some peanut butter, mashed banana, and a little liquid, then wait for it to freeze.

Use Ice Cubes in their Food Bowls

As mentioned previously, putting ice cubes in your dog’s water bowl is amazing and easy to do. It will keep the water cold for a longer period of time, and a lot of dogs have fun with ice cubes. They might want to pull them out and lick them or munch on the ice, which helps keep your dog cool while having a little fun over the summer.

Have Fans Near Your Dogs

Don’t have air conditioning? No worries! Just put a fan on inside your home near where your dog likes to nap or play. As long as it isn’t too hot inside, it won’t’ blow hot air around, but instead allows your dog to stay a bit cooler.

Put Out Kid Pools

Lastly, you can find a shady spot in your backyard and put a little kiddy pool there. For dogs who want to cool off and love to play in the water, this is the best idea. Fill it up just a little bit with cold water from the hose and let your dogs jump in and out as much as they want during the summer.

Tips for Walking Your Dog in the Summer

The next thing you might be wondering about is how and when to walk your dog. After all, you can’t keep them indoors in the nice air conditioning all day. Your dog needs to go potty, and needs regular exercise and fresh air.

Here are some tips for walking your dog, even during the hottest, triple-digit summer.

Walk Your Dog Early or Late in the Day

The first way to walk your dog in the summer is to do so during the coolest parts of the day. This often means taking them early in the morning and late in the evening. Avoid the hottest time of the day, which is usually between 1pm and 4pm, depending on where you live.

This might mean getting up a little earlier to take your dog out, but it is good for them to get exercise when they won’t be struggling from the 90 or 100-degree weather.

Be Careful with Hot Surfaces

You should never let your dog walk on hot surfaces without testing the ground first. Surfaces like concrete and asphalt get very hot when the sun shines down on it, much hotter than you might think.

If you can’t stand on it more than a few seconds without feeling like your feet are burning, imagine your dogs walking on it on their bare foot pads.

You can either pick up your dog and carry them to grass, or get them little booties for their feet to protect their paws on the hot ground.

Take Them to the Park

If you live somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of cool grass for your dog to walk on and potty, it might be a good idea to bring them to a local park or dog park instead. This allows them to get exercise and run around on the grass, without burning their little paws.

Protecting Your Dog from Disease

Now that you know ways to keep your dog cool and protect them from sunburn and burned foot pads, you need to look at other health concerns dogs might experience in the summer.

A common one is dealing with parasites and insects. These tend to come out during the hotter months of the year, which means you have to be extra cautious for them so they don’t make your dog ill.

Insects like mosquitoes, spiders, ticks, and fleas all run rampant in the summer. If you your dogs walking in tall brush, ticks might be a big problem, so be sure you have proper tick repellent on your dog.

Many flea medicines also protect from ticks. Become familiar with checking your dogs for signs of ticks so you can remove them quickly.

Have a really good flea control medicine applied as needed to keep them from getting a flea infestation. This will also keep you from dealing with fleas inside your home.

Signs that Your Dog is Experiencing Heat Stroke

Lastly, you want to know the signs of heat stroke so that you can bring your dog to the vet if they show any signs. Here are some signs that your dog is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

• Difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Heavy panting
• Seizures
• Extreme fatigue

If your dog exhibits any of these signs, bring them to your vet right away to get proper fluids and treatment for heat stroke.