Sweaty humidity, brittle AC air, painful sunburns and everything in between. Summertime can do a real number on your skin, especially if you’re still running your winter skincare routine.
But wait, do we really need a summer season skincare routine? You better believe it. Heat and sun combine to do a double whammy on your skin in summer. Heat increases the skin’s sebaceous glands, causing higher oil production and pores to expand, allowing them to get clogged with bacteria, oil and dirt. Being exposed to more sun also increases your chances of sunburn, which in addition to inflammation, can cause heightened sensitivity, redness and break outs.
So what are some big switch ups you should be doing for your skin for summer? Let’s go through them…
1. SWITCH UP YOUR CLEANING ROUTINE
Starting with your face wash. If you’ve been using a nourishing face wash to combat winter skin dryness, summertime is your time to go more robust. Exfoliators plus a Cleanser, both formulated for your skin type, is a great way to combat the increased sebaceous gland production. They’ll also help your skin breathe better by sloughing off that dead skin, and keep those pores of yours clean.
EXFOLIATORS
Philosophy, Pore Extractor Face Mask $18
Put away the heavy winter mask and reach for this lighter, but equally powerful pore extractor mask from Philosophy. Not only does its pedigree include multiple awards, it also just works. With salicylic acid and natural exfoliants, this mask can be used on the T-zone area of combination skin or all-over for those with oily complexions. Because it is a full strength exfoliation product, it’s not recommended for sensitive skin types.
Tarte, Knockout Daily Exfoliating Cleanser $24
For those that need and crave an exfoliator that can be used several times a week, the Knockout by Tarte should fit the bill for you nicely. Using a combination of lactic, glycolic and salicylic acids this gel feels gentle and not gritty. But make no mistake, your skin will feel smoother as the dead cells are sloughed off. The Peppermint and Eucalyptus will give your skin a refreshing wake up.
Clarins, Fresh Scrub Refreshing Cream Scrub $26
This cream scrub from Clarins works with all skin types, and gently exfoliates using all-natural microbeads (made of wood cellulose). Paraben, SLS and Mineral Oil free. And for those with dry skin? There’s plenty of non-pore clogging hydration courtesy of natural extracts from the Leaf of Life plant.
CLEANSERS
Sulina Shop, Peppermint Tea Tree w/Activated Charcoal Soap $14
Yes ladies, there is such a thing as a good bar of facial soap. This soap from Sulina Shop uses the natural power of charcoal to draw out dirt and impurities that tend to plague oily skin in summertime. The tea tree and peppermint oils help reduce redness and soothe those blemishes that come with acne prone skin.
Clarins, Gentle Foam Cleaner with Cottonseed $26
Just a pea-sized squeeze of this cleanser will generate enough foaming froth to effectively clean your face and prep it for your morning routine. No wonder it has so many 5 star reviews from women with all types of skin types.
Lancer, The Method Cleanser for Sensitive-Dehydrated Skin $55
If you have sensitive and/or dry skin, you know how hard it can be to find a cleaning product that properly removes impurities without stripping or drying you out. Enter Dr. Lancer, a dermatologist with over three decades of active practice. His skincare line has achieved near-cult status with fans from Kim Kardashian to Ryan Seacrest. His cleanser for sensitive and dry skin relies on oat extract and licorice phytocompounds to remove debris while keeping redness and irritation to a bare minimum.
2. DITCH THE HEAVY MAKEUP ROUTINE
With summer heat causing pores to open and kicking skin oil glands into high production, your face needs a lot of breathing space. If you’re going heavy on the make up, that’s going to really add to your trouble because all that extra oil is going to trap bacteria and dirt, leading to some big time breakouts. But that doesn’t mean you have to go naked. Tinted moisturizers, BB creams, oil-free primers, and tinted lip balms (instead of greasy lipstick) are all great ways to go.
TINTED MOISTURIZERS, PRIMERS & CREAMS
Lancer, Sheer Fluid Sun Shield $60
On the hunt for a light, but powerful makeup primer that also has anti-aging properties? This sheer, SPF 30 formula does double duty as both. It packs a punch of Gamay Grape stem cells to reduce UV damage while zinc oxide protects you from harmful rays.
NARS, Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 $45
If your skin leans towards oily, it can be a challenge to find a good way to moisturize without breaking out. Say hello to your new best friend. This tinted moisturizer has 12 shades to choose from and gives great coverage (especially in covering the occasional blemish). It won’t clog pores and has an SPF 30 sunscreen built in to boot.
Tarte, Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 $36
With over a thousand 5 star reviews, this tinted BB moisturizer packs a lot of punch in a lightweight formula. Vitamins A, C and E help nourish your skin. Amazonian clay mixes with mineral pigments to hold the tinted coloring for a good long while.
Honest Beauty, CC Tinted Moisturizer w/Vitamin C $21.99
Talk about all the feels, this 6-in-1 multi-tasker primes, protects, moisturizes and gives dewy coverage. The SPF 30 formula uses non-chemical sunscreen to protect from UVA, UVB and Blue Light (light from the blue spectrum can weaken skin’s recovery time against products and environmental stressors). Oh and it also lasts 12 hours…mic drop…
LIP BALMS & OILS
Clarins, Lip Comfort Oil $26
Made with pure plant oils, this non-sticky lip oil from Clarins comes in 10 different lightly tinted shades from honey to blackberry. Organic Jojoba and Hazelnut oil plus natural flavoring (depending on the shade you choose). If you’re addicted to your thick shiny gloss, try this one on for summer instead.
Tarte, Sugar Rush Best Bud Lip Butter Balm $12
Perfect tint of color meets jojoba oil and shea butter. This balm has just a touch of lactic acid for some mild exfoliation. Extra covet points for the seriously adorbs package and angel food cake scent.
Philosophy, Kiss Me Tonight Lip Balm $21
We’ve all been there…after dealing with the summer heat of the day, you relish your cool nights with the AC. That is, until you wake up with dry, chapped lips. If this is you, grab a jar of this amazing nighttime treatment from Philosophy and give a good slather before you turn in for the night. Not only will it protect and hydrate your pout overnight, you’ll wake up feeling ready to give the world a big old kiss. Don’t have AC but dealing with summer sun over indulgence? This works wonders on those sun-scorched lips too.
Sulina Shop, Peppermint & Sweet Orange Nourishing Lip Balm $8
Swap out your petrolatum and paraben filled Chapstick for an all natural version. Shea butter, Neem seed oil, Olive & Coconut and other essential oils are whipped together in Sulina Shop’s nourishing lip balms. Our fav choice is the Peppermint & Sweet Orange, but there are also Lavender and Frankincense as well.
3. YOU CAN’T HAVE TOO MUCH SUN PROTECTION
The Organic Pharmacy, Cellular Protection Sun Cream SPF 50 $69
Up until recently, it’s been a tough call finding a full-spectrum sunscreen that’s organic and doesn’t contain Oxybenzone. Not familiar? This endocrine disruptor that’s been a mainstay in most sunscreens for years has recently come into the news for all the wrong reasons. First, it’s been shown to be an irritant when it’s absorbed into the human body, and linked to many allergies. Second, it’s highly toxic to our marine ecosystem…so much so that the ingredient has been banned in Hawaii and parts of the Caribbean. Okay that’s the bad news. The good news is the sunscreen industry is starting to take note and many companies are actively reducing this ingredient YOY in their products. Jump ahead of the curve and go straight for the Zero. This SPF 50 smooths right into skin and is made for your face and body. Zinc oxide and Titanium dioxide protect against UVA and UVB rays while aloe, rosehips, shea butter and calendula hydrate your skin.
Clarins, UV Plus Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 $43
Perfect for all skin types, but especially good for those with sensitive skin…this light weight, SPF 50 fluid from Clarins is perfect for applying to face and neck immediately after moisturizing.
Sun Bum, Baby Bum Mineral Spray SPF 50 $16.99
We’ve got several editors on staff that are ride-or-die misters. Especially when it’s hypoallergenic, paraben, sulfate & silicone free, non-greasy, absorbs quickly and gives us SPF 50 UVA/UVB protection. Oh and it’s also mineral-based with no chemical created sunscreen elements. Yeah, we can see why it gets major kudos from moms and dermatologists.
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