Vegan Mum's 5 steps to getting ready for summer

I’m really not the planning type and love a bit of spontaneity, so why am I talking about getting ready for Summer? Well, just call it the voice of experience! I’ve learnt that there are some key things to start thinking about in the Spring because if I don’t, I’ll be disappointed with myself when we reach those short, but hopefully warmer months.

Not having done at least some preparation can curb that lovely feeling of being able to do something on a joyous, summery whim: like cracking open a bottle of vegan chilled rosé to drink in the garden on a warm evening, only to find your garden chairs covered in bird droppings and with cushions half-eaten by the mice that over-wintered in your shed.

I’m sure you get the picture. In this article I’m sharing some of the things I do to get ready for summer – not a list of instructions, not a planning guide, and definitely not promoting anxiety-driven diets designed to squeeze you into that XXS bikini! So, if you’re up for a few gentle hints and tips, read on.

Contents

Body & Soul

Coco the white lhasa apso dog emerging from underneath a desk looking very grumpy

Like many others, I experience mood changes over the winter and so benefit from a gradual adjustment to such a different season, emerging gradually into the sunshine! As an introvert, going to more social events, seeing people out and about, and engaging in spontaneous conversation is something I have to work up to – it’s not that I’m unsociable, but I do need to acclimatise!

But for my husband – and other extroverts out there – socialising more is an enjoyable thing and everything just falls back into place, so I won’t dwell on it too much. However, please take a moment to think about the shock it gives us more retiring types! My advice is to take it slowly, forgive yourself if you give something a miss, and factor in recovery time in between to re-charge your social ‘batteries’ as well!

So, what should we thinking about when it comes to the ‘body’ element of getting ready for summer? Here are a few of my personal considerations, all vegan of course:

Face

close up image of a floppy beige-coloured sun hat on the canvas of a dark blue sun lounger. On the brim of the hat are a pair of sunglasses and to the front is the round sky-blue lid of a tub of Arella liquid collagen. Next to the lid is a sachet of the product. This image is to illustrate Vegan Mum's blog about getting ready for summer

Over the winter, my skin really dries out due to things like cold, windy weather (early morning dog walks) and central heating (getting to that nice warm house/office after walking said dog). I can be fairly certain that getting older may have something to do with it too! I used to take my skin, hair and nails for granted but during my menopause – and now post-menopause – I have increasingly felt the need to take better care of them.

So the first thing I do in preparation for summer is re-start my vegan liquid collagen subscription. I use Arella liquid collagen because it’s vegan, tastes great, gives excellent results and is good value for money. You can read my Arella review here if you’d like to find out more about it and there is also an exclusive discount code below.

Apart from the obvious things like staying hydrated and using a decent moisturiser (I use Evolve’s night cream), I do find taking collagen enormously helpful and the improvements I see after a few weeks remind me why I do it. It clears up my dry, rosacea-prone skin (helping it to retain moisture), strengthens my nails and – perhaps in combination with it being summer – my hair seems to thicken out and look healthier too.

Use Arella discount code VEGANMUM20 at checkout

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Hair

The months before summer are also when I’m likely to get a new haircut. It may not be a radical change but it’s nice to shake off the winter with a bit of a re-style. And if you colour your hair, this might also be a good time to think about whether you go for a more summery shade. It’s worth noting though that not all salons use vegan products so always check with them first.

It’s also a time when I invest in some luxurious haircare products. Whilst my winter go-to is often cheap and cheerful like Faith in Nature’s Rosemary shampoo I push the boat out a bit in the summer and buy my all-time favourite – Chāmpo Pitta shampoo & conditioner. The product’s fragrance and its ability to bring a thickened, glossy finish to my hair is unlike any other product I’ve used and I love it. Seriously. Read my Chāmpo review for more detail on this fantastic vegan product.

Use Chāmpo discount code ICHAMPO at checkout

Get 10% off Chāmpo here

Deodorant or anti-perspirant?

a variety of natural vegan deodorants lying in the grass in dappled sunlight

Here’s a choice – do you need an anti-perspirant in the heat of the summer, or are you happy with a deodorant that stops you smelling (hopefully!) but doesn’t prevent you from sweating? I have written much already about the pros and cons of both and you can read some of my musings in my Vegan Deodorant article. To summarise though, here are my favourite products:

Wild vegan deodorant – my everyday choice. Use Wild discount code VEGANMUM to get 20% off
AKT – I use this amazing deodorant when I know it’s going to get sizzling. It works so well
Make Waves – when you really want an anti-perspirant instead, this is a great natural, vegan product

Summer Feet

I must admit to finding feet a bit unsettling. But, I put my foibles to one side because feet are even worse if they have been ignored and encased in socks and boots for the last 6 months, then put on show in your favourite vegan Birkenstocks! Like my personality, my feet have to emerge into the summer more gradually.

So, if you don’t have one already, invest in a decent foot file. There are hundreds of very scary-looking electrical products that look more like instruments of torture to me, but I use a straightforward Bezox file, available on Amazon. Top that with some decent toenail clippers, my favourite vegan foot cream from L’Occitane and a few precious minutes every week and your feet are going to thank you for it – I know mine do! You could even go for a pedicure but please don’t go somewhere where they use those poor little fish, and make sure they use only vegan products.

Other body & soul summer essentials

Suncream – I use Green People’s ocean-friendly, broad spectrum SPF30 sun cream
Face moisturiser – Daily Defence SPF 30 face moisturiser from Studio 10
Insect repellent – I use Incognito but Green People have a combined sun cream and insect repellent too
Anti-histamine – I believe Allevia tablets are vegan (they are lactose-free) but I’m awaiting confirmation
Sting relief – I believe Savlon Bites & Stings is vegan but I’m awaiting their confirmation
Book list – relax and have a read in your hammock!

Bookshop.org is an online organisation that supports local bookshops and has a huge range of books, so even though they are occasionally a little more expensive than the likes of Amazon and Waterstones, this is where I buy most of my books.

Support bookshops – buy from Bookshop.org

Get active

Coco, the white lhasa apso dog, lying on a beige furry blanket on a sofa. She is lifting her head and looking into the camera with her big brown eyes

Yep, it’s time to get off that sofa!

Putting on my smug hat for a moment, I am a regular gym-goer, even through the winter. But as the days get longer and warmer, I like to get outside to exercise too. It works wonders for my mood and getting out regularly in the daylight helps to reset my circadian rhythms, meaning I actually sleep better. And who knows, I might even start getting some vitamin D that isn’t from a supplement!

It seems to help my metabolism go up a gear too so I find it easier to shed those extra pounds that resulted from eating too much pie and mash, drinking too much wine in front of the telly, and finding 101 excuses to stay in the warm under a blanket.

At this point I want to make it clear that I do not support the extreme ‘beach-ready’ regimes that some embark on to get ready for summer, preferring to go about things in a more gentle fashion! That’s not saying they are necessarily wrong, just not for me. I will probably never be a size 8 again (and that’s not my objective) but I can make sure I maintain a balanced weight and feel toned and healthy.

Rightly or wrongly, I find this makes me feel better about myself, particularly in the summer when I’m pulling on that pair of shorts! So, dig out those walking shoes, renew your gym membership, get on that bike or just get active in whatever way suits you most and I hope it works as well for you as it does for me.

Food: your fuel for summer

3 large mushrooms on a wooden chopping board with a small mushroom cleaning brush next to them. In the background is a white and yellow tea tray, a potted fern and a small blue and white bowl.

I try very hard to eat seasonally and follow a wholefood vegan diet but find that convenience foods can creep in during the winter months. Let’s face it, there is something very comforting about pastry, pies, pasta and pizzas (any conspiracy theories out there about why they all start with the letter ‘p’)?

So I phase those out gradually and with so many lovely UK grown fruit and vegetables appearing in the summer months, there’s really no excuse. We tend to eat more grains like freekeh, pearled spelt and quinoa, often containing vegetables all cooked in one roasting dish. And if you want a cookbook recommendation for that, my absolute favourite is Rukmini Iyer’s Green Roasting Tin available on Amazon. I’d highly recommend it.

Don’t forget to keep up your protein intake if you are getting more active, although you need about 0.7gms of protein / kg of your bodyweight so no need to go overboard! I ensure that my main meals contain a complete protein – beans, lentils and grains, nuts, tofu and tempeh. One-pot grain dishes are easy to add protein into by throwing in a tin of rinsed beans or lentils. Or you could try my particular favourite and roast grated tempeh or firm tofu in a little oil and seasoning for a few minutes until it browns and scatter over the grains, soup, or anything else!

To help you eat more seasonally, you could consider a veg box scheme and many regions of the UK have a local supplier. I use Riverford Organic and their fruit & veg boxes really help me to reach that 30 fruit and veg a week target that seems to have replaced the previous 5-a-day guidance. Their recipe site is also enormously helpful.

Want a bit of inspiration on how to include more tempeh in your diet? Take a look at my tempeh ‘bacon’ recipe.

Clothes & shoes

a pair of old pale green vegan Birkenstock sandals lying abandoned on some gravel in the sunlight

I’m pretty frugal when it comes to clothes and shoes and so my budget for this is pretty small. Consequently, when I do want to buy something new it’s really irritating to find there’s no stock left in my size because I’ve left my summer clothes shopping spree until… well, the summer. Other people are clearly way more organised.

I’ve also found this with second-hand market places like Vinted too. So, whilst planning isn’t in my nature, years of having to wear a swimming costume that’s lost its elastic, or gluing my old vegan Birkenstocks back together have taught me to shop early. And whilst you’re about it, go through your wardrobe and make yourself a bit of extra cash selling your unwanted summer clothes on a second-hand site too, or help someone else by donating them to your local charity shop.

But because I try to wear only vegan clothes and shoes, choices become even more limited. Birkenstock sandals have a popular vegan range, although you do pay more for the brand name and they sell out quickly. Will’s vegan store has a similar range and is significantly cheaper. Plus, use that link and you’ll get 10% discount too.

Head and shoulders image of Vegan Mum - late middle aged woman with glasses and chin length brown hair. I am wearing a blue t-shirt with an image of a dog's and pig's head facing each other on the front. Underneath are the words 'the only difference is our perception'.

I also occasionally like to wear clothes that make a statement reflecting my values around veganism and equality – particularly during the summer when clothing isn’t covered up by my winter coat. Vegan Outfitters offer a great range of casual clothing – including some great t-shirts for summer – if this appeals to you as well.

Home & garden

a packet of microgreens seeds in front of a green seed tray with seedlings growing in it

How many times have I sat in my garden, enviously eyeing up my neighbour’s hanging baskets overflowing with homegrown cherry tomatoes, seeds lovingly sown at a time when I couldn’t even imagine the sun ever shining again? Well, enough times to try to start growing my own!

Now, I know that I’m lucky to have a garden to do that in, but you can still grow things to eat that make it feel more fresh and summery, even on a windowsill. Microgreen seeds are relatively cheap, easy to grow in a seed tray with a bit of compost, taste fresh and they’re nutritious too. Do a bit of research into what you can grow – there is so much helpful advice online and strangely, growing things helps improve my sense of wellbeing.

Coco the white lhasa apso dog sitting on a stone windowsill looking out of the window onto a patio and some garden furniture

So, here comes the only ‘to-do’ list in this article!

Clean the windows and let the light in! It really makes a difference
Open them and circulate some different (if not fresher!) air
Buy some compost and sow and grow things (see my Best Vegan Compost guide for info)
Get your garden furniture summer-ready
Buy a fan if you need one (they always sell out when it’s hot!)
Got a BBQ? Give it a clean now so it’s ready when you want to use it
Carefully clean and disinfect bird-feeding equipment because they’ll be feeding their young
Invest in some fly curtains so you can avoid more desperate (and less vegan-friendly) measures once the flies get in

My final thoughts on getting ready for summer

a pair of feet in swim shoes in the foreground. In the middle ground it is stony and beyond that is a sandy beach and the edge of the sea. Two swimmers are just visible.

It never seems to last very long, but the summer months can be very important and many of us find that our mood lifts during this time. That’s why I like to think ahead a little bit so that I can make the most of it when it arrives. And of course there are many other things to plan for that I haven’t mentioned here – giving the dog a much-needed haircut, long school holidays, keeping the children/grandchildren amused, maybe a holiday if we’re lucky (if anyone can actually afford school holiday prices!)

Getting time off work is important too. I certainly like to avoid being the only one left at my desk in the evenings, listening to the sounds of other people enjoying themselves, so planning your workload to enable you to take at least some leave is a valuable consideration.

Lots to think about then but whilst I talk a good talk, there are often many of these things I don’t get round to doing – I’m normally found scrubbing the garden furniture in the height of summer instead of sitting on it and relaxing, or working into the long evenings to hit a deadline that I should have planned for! And in all honesty, I’ll probably moan a lot as well when it gets too hot.

But I’ve found writing this article quite cathartic and if I manage to do even a few of these things, it might just let a few extra rays of sunshine in. I hope it does the same for you!