For most of us summer time means fun times! Spending more time outdoors, enjoying the longer days and shorter nights, makes us forget that our skin often doesn’t feel the same way!

The sun and the heat can take their toll and it’s on us to try to help our skin out. Gone are the days when we were young sprogs where we spent hours and hours in the sun and ended up with the worst sunburn ever. Now, even when going to the shops, hanging up the washing, sitting under the awning, there are some very important tips to help keep wrinkles at bay, minimize UV damage and aging spots – especially with the UV being that much stronger.

Here are some guidelines from Granny Mouse Country House & Spa’s Manageress that will definitely keep you safer from the elements while enjoying the long summer days.

• Sunscreen – wear it every day all year round, and be sure it’s a minimum of SPF 30. Don’t forget your hands, feet, ears and lips. Reapply every couple of hours is also a must and more so if you are hanging out by the pool and swimming. Even though it’s our first tip on this list, make sure sunscreen is the last step in your skincare routine.
• Lighten your skincare routine – the heat and humidity of summer means you can swop out a heavier cleanser in favour of a gentle, foaming option.
• Wear protective clothing – start with a hat, because those harmful rays reach your scalp and your ears when you leave your head unprotected. And remember, caps are not nearly as effective as hats with broad brims, because as they leave your ears exposed. Don’t forget Besides looking good, you’ll ward off those little wrinklesat the corners of your eyes. They come from too much time in the sun. You’ll protect the whites of your eyes from damage and block that eyeball-searing ultraviolet (UV) light. So grab those shades before you head for the beach, or the park, or anywhere outside — whether it’s bright or cloudy.
• Keep moisturizing – Unlike winter, when your skin is needing a little more moisture, in summer a lightweight moisturiser is enough. Don’t remove moisturiser from your summer skincare routine, no matter what your skin type, as this could make your skin problems worse by making your oil glands work overtime. Invest in a soothing or calming gel based formula that gets easily absorbed into the skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feel behind.
• Stay hydrated – our body can get dehydrated pretty quickly in summer, so it is important to drink a lot of fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated. Apart from drinking water, make sure you also eat water-rich based foods during this season. Eating antioxidant-rich foods like tomatoes, lemons, bell peppers, turmeric, green tea, garlic etc, can keep several summer skin infections at bay and make your skin look healthy and radiant.
• Go lighter on the makeup – This summer ditch your heavy foundations and powder-based products and swop them with tinted moisturisers and lip balms in your everyday makeup routine.
• Exfoliate – Anything in excess can leave you with a negative consequence which is a fact. And while exfoliating is a skincare step that we have been repeatedly told to keep in check, summertime warrants for a gradual increase in the number of days we exfoliate per week. Specifically, if you have oily skin.

Monitor these tips to enjoy your summer with no skin woes or worries and make it awesome for your skin. Should you need more advice, visit the Granny Mouse Country House & Spa team to see which treatments would be best suited for you at https://grannymouse.co.za/our-spa/

Summer is the peak growing season for your lawn, which means that it needs some extra attention during this time. Aside from mowing your lawn, you will need to ensure that your lawn gets the right amount of water. You will also need to attend to your lawn’s soil fertility and weed control. By using some simple strategies, you can have a beautiful lawn all summer long!

Tips and tricks to make you the envy of your neighbourhood is always “keep it simple”, says Sean Granger, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa’s General Manager.

Try mowing your lawn at least once a week to keep it “well groomed”. Keep the lawn height at a minimum of 6.5cm – 7.6cm – you can even measure the length of your grass with a ruler to check that you have it at the right height.

It is super important to avoid cutting the grass too short, especially when the weather is very hot. During hot summer days, the lawn has to work extra hard to regrow the shoots so be cognizant of that fact. When mowing, leave the grass cuttings to fertilize your lawn. It’s a great way to ensure that the grass is getting sufficient nutrients to stay healthy and happy.

Remember, try to use rainwater rather than water from the tap. Lawns use up a lot of water, so store in a collection barrel or JoJo tank and use that to water your lawn and your plants. Don’t water after rain, but rather when it has been dry. During dry weather spells, water when it starts to turn yellow and do so in the early morning or evening or early because if it’s hot then it will just evaporate and be a pointless exercise and waste of water.

If you have a weather app, check it regularly to see what the forecast will be and work around that, checking the temperature of the day as well as when rainfall is expected.

Another great idea is to wash your car on your lawn. By doing this, you’ll be able to save water plus you’ll be able to water your lawn and keep it healthy during the hot summer months. If you do hose your car down after the wash, you’ll also be able to splash some water on any surrounding plants.

To keep your lawn healthy use slow releasing fertilizer. Follow the instructions carefully and use one that is easy to apply; sprinkling is the best and least amount of effort.

If you notice weeds sprouting in your grass, get into the garden and dig them up. It’s a far better and safer option than weed killer, as this not only affects the nature in your garden but is also not a good idea if you have children and pets.

Looking after and maintaining a beautiful lawn is a rewarding experience and pastime. The results speak for themselves and are there for all to see.

A grass surface is also one of the safest surfaces for you and your family to enjoy. There are other benefits to having a beautiful lawn – it is believed that standing barefoot on grass is a multi-sensory experience. “It triggers, within us, deeply rooted associations with the smell and sound of nature and the vision of dense greenery”, concluded Granger!