When summer sets in, it's helpful to remember not to forget about the impact it has on your skin! Rising temperatures and changing humidity can cause your skin to produce more sebum, resulting in skin appearing more oily and pores seeming more congested. Here are our top tips and tricks to help your skin look and feel its best during summer ☀️
1. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!
If you take away only one of our tips for this summer, make sure it’s this one!
You should always apply sunscreen all year round, but especially in the summer when UV rays intensify, and you're more likely to spend more time outdoors soaking in that glorious sunshine.
Take your sunscreen everywhere and don’t. Forget. To. Reapply! Especially areas that are more exposed to the sun, such as your face, lips, hands and feet.
If you do get burnt, wrap up, stay out of the sun and take proper care of your skin while it recovers.
2. Protect your skin from the sun
You should always wear sunscreen but there are other ways you can shield your skin from damaging UV rays e.g. by wearing sun-protective clothing, hats and sunglasses.
Don’t spend all day in the sun either! Take breaks and avoid the afternoon sun when the UV rays are the highest.
3. Opt for light-weight moisturisers
Warmer weather doesn’t mean you can skip on your moisturiser! The higher temperatures mean that water evaporates at a higher rate from the skin, which could result in dehydration.To combat this, you may want to consider switching to a light-weight moisturiser that absorbs easily to leave your skin looking and feeling less greasy.
We recommend Quench, our light-weight, non-greasy moisturiser for all skin types that powerfully boosts skin’s hydration without feeling heavy.
4. Cleanse your skin
Warmer weather means our skin is going to perspire more and this can worsen problematic skin. You should be washing your skin twice daily to ensure that you are removing excess oil and dirt to prevent your pores from clogging. Try Bliss Bar, our 100% soap-free and unscented face cleanser and makeup remover for all skin types to gently cleanse, without stripping even the most sensitive skin.
Warmer weather means we tend to perspire more, which could be problematic for acne-prone skin as the bacteria that feed off the sweat can increase in numbers. Cleansing is key, and we recommend washing your face twice a day (morning and night) with a mild cleanser to help keep skin and pores clear. Try Deep Green, our deep clean solid face cleanser, to gently remove excess oil and grime without stripping even the most sensitive skin. Incorporate exfoliation into your routine.
5. Exfoliating can help your skin to feel and look healthier.
It's important to exfoliate all year round because your skin regularly sheds dead skin cells, and gently removing this layer of dead skin will help reduce flaking and ensure you get the most out of your skincare products exfoliating also helps reduce congestion of sebum and dead skin cells within pores, which in turn can help minimise their appearance and prevent breakouts.
(Consider this your friendly affirmation that large pores are not any less beautiful than smaller ones! Keeping them clear can minimise their appearance, but pore size is largely genetic, so large or small, they are what they are.)
In the warmer months, when skin feels congested, it may be tempting to exfoliate often, but be careful not to over-exfoliate, and be sure to hydrate your skin after exfoliating. Try Gingersnap, a gentle facial scrub for all skin types.
6. Add a boost of nutrients
Consider adding a serum packed full of nutrients to help give your skin a boost of hydration. Our Saving Face Serum is the perfect oil-based serum full of ingredients with high concentrations of antioxidants and fatty acids to nourish and promote firm, replenished skin. You can also pamper yourself with our DIY Brightening, Summer Face Mask. It’s designed to brighten and smooth your skin during the summer months. It’s also a fantastic way to use up over-ripe strawberries!
7. Choose lighter makeup formulations if possible
Many varieties of makeup that offer heavier or fuller coverage tends to achieve this with silicones or other similar occlusives that sit on the skin to create a flawless, airbrushed finish. This also means that the sebum and sweat that your skin produces can get trapped beneath the layer and accumulate within pores, where they combine with bacteria.
Where possible, use light-weight, silicone-free foundations, skin tints or tinted moisturisers to help your skin breathe easier when it's warm out. Mineral or powder foundations are also a popular choice in the hot summer months.
We understand that this isn't always possible, however, so if you do want to wear full-coverage makeup, make sure to remove it thoroughly before going to bed so your skin at least has a chance to breathe overnight. The double-cleansing method is great for this where Bliss is used to break down the makeup prior to removing all residual grime with a gentle cleanser like Deep Green. Read more: Which face cleanser is for you?
Hot Summer weather can sometimes be problematic for skin so pay close attention. If you are trying new products to your routine, make sure to patch test before using the products all over.
Treat your skin with care this summer and don’t forget your SPF!
Sources :
- American Academy of Dermatology - 12 summer skin problems you can prevent
- Cleveland Clinic - Acne
