Fashion lovers know exactly what items to combine to look stylish at the beach or on that well-deserved holiday. But what do you do during a heatwave? When the thermometer is up to the max, light, summery outfits just don’t cut it anymore. That’s why we’ve compiled 10 tips for cooling down this summer, enabling you to survive any heatwave.

During proper heatwaves try to avoid being directly in the sun and stay in the shade. When you’re out in the sun don’t forget to use an appropriate sun cream for your skin type – UV rays are no joke! Even with a thin t-shirt on or if you’re sitting under a parasol, you can still get sunburnt. Most sunshades only block about 40-50% of UV radiation.

Don’t forget to drink enough. When it’s unusually warm, you should be drinking even more. Drinking 2 litres a day prevents your body dehydrating.

But it doesn’t have to be water. Watermelons, ice lollies and homemade lemonade also do the trick. Thirst is the first sign that you’re dehydrated and need some fluids. Ideally, always try to have a small bottle of water on you and stay away from coffee and alcohol, as these dehydrate you even more.

If the heat gets to be a bit much you can fill a bucket with cold water or ice cubes and bathe your feet in it. Lots of important blood vessels go through your feet and cooling them down will refresh the rest of your body too. A cold shower or putting a wet towel over your shoulders can also work miracles, cooling you down within seconds.

When asleep, we usually have a lower body temperature. That’s why we don’t sleep as well during hot nights.

For a better night’s rest, try removing your sheets and duvet. If you don’t want to go completely without bedding, try using cotton sheets. Before going to bed, put them in the freezer.

The warmer it gets, the less you should have on, right? Not exactly. If you’re outside lots during the day, you should cover your shoulders and arms with light, thin clothes. With a stylish hat or baseball cap you can also prevent sunstroke.

It’s not by chance that we like to wear bright colours in summer. Dark colours absorb more light and retain warmth, making you sweat more.

Lighter colours, on the other hand, have a cooling effect. This is because they reflect the sun’s rays. Light colours such as pastel colours also look good against tanned skin.

To cool down quickly try putting your wrists under cold water or wrapping ice packs or compresses around them. Your body temperature will go down noticeably and the effect will last for about an hour. Be careful not to put the ice compresses directly into contact with your skin – wrap it in a tea towel instead. You can also make your hair wet but that doesn’t usually have quite the same effect as soaking your wrists in cold water.

During extreme heat you should re-think your beauty habits. Use a primer with a high sun protection factor (SPF) to avoid smudging your make-up and to protect your skin. If you sweat a lot, try using water-resistant mascara.

You can remove it again in the evening with a bit of baby oil. On particularly hot days don’t put on too much makeup. When it’s hot, sweat and dirt go into your pores causing spots. Spent too much time in the sun? Use an after sun product with aloe vera in it to cool and smooth your skin.

This might sound unusual but spicy food actually stimulates the heat receptors in your mouth, making you sweat and cooling down your body. It’s also advisable to eat several smaller meals throughout the day instead of fewer large meals. When you eat a lot, your body has to work harder to digest, making you considerably warmer.

You should turn off any electronic appliances at night. Gadgets and other equipment can even give off heat when they’re not turned on. Don’t leave the light on unnecessarily and turn your computer off. Every little helps!