Summer is nearly here and oh my, are we excited! Lying before us are months of warm afternoons, fruit lollies, delicious fresh juices, and long weekends in the great outdoors.
No matter how you like to spend your summer, there is no denying that it involves time in the sun. As much as a summer comes with a beautiful tan, it also requires a great amount of summer skincare.
Now, because we are your amies we like to provide solutions before you bump into the problem! So sit back and sip one of your first watermelon juices of the season whilst we walk you through a simple (but effective) list of summer skincare tips.
Summer Skincare Tips
Hydration is Everything
Yes, I am about to sound like your parent for the next 20 seconds, but the importance of hydration can never be emphasized enough. Skincare begins on the inside and with all the sun and heat exposure in the summer, your summer skincare begins with hydration.
Do not fall for all the vitamin waters or bottled “clean” juices – all you need is good old water. If you do not enjoy the taste of plain water, try adding some flavor with cucumber, lemon or watermelon/strawberries.
If you are a tea fanatic you can spend your summer sipping these delicious tea flavors from Lipton, Taylors of Harrogate and Twinings.
Pro Tip: To avoid tummy bloating, drink everything at room temperature or warmer, but never ice cold.
Sunscreen It Up
Sunscreen is the best way to ensure you get to spend time in the sun without worrying about the nasty side-effects.
To protect your largest organ, look for a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and labelled “broad spectrum” which means that it offers protection from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA causes skin aging and UVB causes skin burns (and both cause skin cancer).
Depending on your skin type, you can pick between chemical sunscreens which are made to be absorbed by the skin and mineral sunscreens which are designed to sit on top of the skin like a thin protective film.
The best thing to do is to try some samples before settling on one that works best for you! Here are some dermatologist recommended brands to get you started: Neutrogena, CeraVe and La Roche Posay.
Pro Tip: Carry around a bottle of sunscreen in your bag to re-apply throughout the day (ideally every two hours). Simply applying it in the morning isn’t good enough! Also, if you plan to spend time in the pool, make sure to use a waterproof formula.
Avoid Certain Skincare Products
Did you know some ingredients in skincare products cause sun sensitivity?
As summer nears, you will want to check the products in your skincare routine to make sure they don’t cause sun sensitivity. This can make you more prone to sun damage (and in turn, skin cancer).
While you can still use these products in the summer as long as you pair them with a generous amount of SPF, it’s safest to avoid them when you plan to spend extensive time in the sun. It’s too easy to have a fun day by the pool and forget to reapply your sunscreen.
These are the most common types of skincare products that cause sun sensitivity:
- Retinol
- AHAs (such as glycolic acid and lactic acid)
- Hydroquinone
If you don’t choose to take these out of your skincare routine, remember the sunscreen!
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
We know that summer weather does not necessarily lend itself to extensive moisturization, but it is extremely important to keep the skin hydrated in all seasons.
If you want to keep your skin buttery soft, grab some light, water-based moisturizer that does not feel like a blanket on your skin and do not compromise on this essential step of summer skincare.
Water-based moisturizers seep deep into the skin rather than oil-based moisturizers that lock the moisture in by creating a film on the top layer of the skin.
Pick from the extensive offerings of Neutrogena, Olay, and Boscia (a cactus based favorite of Sophie Turner)!
The Joys of Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead cells from the surface of your skin using a scrub, chemical or tool and it is especially key to maintaining healthy skin in the summer.
Our skin regenerates itself all the time, but sometimes it is unable to shed all the dead cells itself. That is where exfoliation comes in – it helps to clear our pores, promoting bright, healthy skin and even increases the effectiveness of topical applicants like moisturizers and sunscreens.
Incorporate exfoliation into your weekly routine by exfoliating your face and body 2–3 times a week. To minimize the risk of damaging your skin, exfoliate using gentle face and body scrubs at home and never use a body scrub for the face as they are much harsher than face scrubs.
Try this sumptuous body scrub from The Body Shop, this water based face exfoliating scrub from Clinique or this vitamin E infused scrub from Elf.
Chill with Face Mist
Misting with rose water is an old Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian tradition. Guests at summer weddings are spritzed with rose mist and grandmothers across the region have gone on for years about how all one needs for good skin is rose water.
Thankfully, this fantastic tradition has traversed continents and has been bottled up in various forms for us to take advantage of. Face mists help keep the skin soft all day and a quick spritz provides much needed relief from the heat.
Try the beauty elixir by Caudelie, rose based soothing mist by Garnier or reap the benefits of both rose and rosehip in this face mist by Rosen. Enjoy the instant sense of well-being you feel with these and you can thank us later!
RELATED: 10 Best Summer Perfumes to Stock Up On
Protect your Pout
Regular fluid intake usually takes care of keeping your lips hydrated, but occasionally, we all need a little extra help.
Whether you prefer a nude lip or a bold lip for your summer look, the most important part is that your lips should look healthy.
Hydrate and exfoliate your lips regularly to keep them looking naturally luscious, healthy and glossy.
Try this conditioning lip scrub by Burt’s Bees, rosehip seed lip cream by Aesop, or if you are in the mood to splurge, this leave-on lip scrub by Dior that also moisturizes your lips.
Eat Lighter Foods
We have all heard that we are what we eat – in the summer, what we eat reflects on our skin. Our bodies naturally adapt to the heat and demand lighter, fresher foods instead of heavy alternatives.
This is because we do not need to burn energy to stay warm in the summertime, unless you are spending your summers in the UK bien sur. The best thing to do is to listen to what your body wants and go with the mood.
This does not mean that you live on salads all summer, but rather that you adjust your nutritional requirements to your body’s cravings.
Try these 15 sumptuous vegan summer recipes by One Green Planet to feel light as a feather all summer, list of foods for healthy summer skin by The Food Network, and a little input from the medical peeps on WebMD about healthy summer foods.
Visit an Esthetician
Estheticians are experts in helping people achieve healthy, glowing skin without invasive or cosmetic treatments. They use a combination of facials, fruit peels, and other skillful techniques to help you achieve the best version of your skin.
The biggest barrier to visiting a specialist is the cost, but you do not have to go every month, in fact most good estheticians will discourage that themselves.
You can stick to two simple visits: one in the spring and one in the fall. The spring visit will help you look your best in the summer, and the fall visit will deal with any sun damage and product build up from the summer months.
You can work with your esthetician to identify products that will help keep your skin healthy for the rest of the year.
The best way to identify a good esthetician is that they will focus on your skin’s needs, will never oversell products or treatments, and will work with your budget and goals rather than impose their own standards.
Bottom Line
And there you have it, 9 simple summer skincare tips on how to achieve buttery soft and glowing skin in the summer. No need for expensive creams, lotions, treatments and a sun hat big enough to go around your body twice.
With these splendid tips you can enjoy a summer in the sun and come out the other side with a sun-kissed glow instead of a skin-damaging burn.
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