Beauty

Summer Skincare Tips

Summer is here and I wanted to share my summer skincare tips with you. I have fair, sensitive skin and change my routine between summer and fall. In summer we need to be extra careful to protect ourselves from the sun – even on cloudy days, the UV index can be quite high – and be wary of skin that gets damaged by the heat and the sun. I wanted to share my tips which I think can be applied to any skin type this summer and share some of my favourite products to give you some suggestions.

Start with a suitable Face Wash

You might be used to using one brand of face wash all year around, but it’s really worth considering having a summer face wash that’s different. In summer it’s good to draw out excess oil from the skin, whereas in winter you want something more nourishing that adds moisture. I recommend a non-foaming cleanser for those who have dry skin, but if you have a naturally oily or combination skin, washing with water in the morning can actually be the best and simplest way to have healthy skin. I don’t have a product to share here as I use water every morning.

Keep your entire body hydrated

I like to keep my skin hydrated and well moisturized by using a shower cream. Coconut is a product I use a lot when it comes to skincare, with it’s light and natural fragrance. Recently I started using Palmolive Naturals Coconut Shower Milk. Some shower creams can leave you feeling quite dry afterwards – but this one is incredibly moisturizing. My skin feels super soft and fresh and it smells great too. It feels really luxurious, yet costs under £1 in Tesco.

Protect your skin from the sun

It’s absolutely critical to protect yourself from the sun. This means finding the right sunscreen for you. I recommend a minimum 50SPF sunscreen that also offers UV protection. Not all do, so it’s worth checking on the bottle to see if it mentions it. You will see sunscreens now being advertised as broad spectrum, and the bottle will mention UVA rays. The measure for protection against UVA is PFA. It’s a lot to keep up with, but with advances being made in skin protection and more knowledge of skin damage, it’s definitely worth looking at what products you use and if they’re the best for you.

I currently use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF100 Dry Touch Lotion as I have very fair and sensitive skin, burning extremely easily. This is also available in lower SPF.

Wear lighter makeup and consider makeup with an SPF Factor

For your face, if you’re wearing makeup then a foundation with as high an SPF as possible will help, but you can also make sure that you stay in the shade and wear a wide-brimmed summer sun hat to keep the suns rays off your skin. You can have really strong protection and beautiful makeup, but bear in mind that wearing minimal makeup allows the skin to breathe better which will keep it better condition all summer.

When I do wear foundation, I use Loreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation (in 1N, Ivory). It’s only SPF17, so I make sure that I wear a hat if I’m outside and wearing this foundation rather than my SPF100 sunscreen. On days when I know I’m going to be in a lot of sun, I don’t use foundation at all, opting for the sunscreen. Whatever your makeup needs, it’s always good to evaluate what’s available on the market.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

No, I’m not talking about moisturizer now. I’m talking about drinking water! I know you’re probably fed up of being told to drink more water, but it helps keep skin supple, soft and radiant. In the summer we can dehydrate extremely quickly and it will absolutely show in your skin if you’re not drinking enough water on a daily basis. The more water you drink the more toxins you also flush out – which is not just in urine, but in sweat too. So grab a big glass of water, even if you’re not thirsty.

Take special care of your hands

We have thin skin on our hands which can wrinkle and get damaged very easily. I carry around a light hand cream which is also broad spectrum SPF30! How often do you think to put sunscreen on your hands throughout the day? Yet how many times do we wash our hands? Quite a lot – especially at the moment with the current pandemic. Having a good quality hand cream with an SPF rating really helps keep your hands in good condition.

I use Eucerin Daily Hydration Moisturizer and Sunscreen SPF30 Hand Creme.

Be careful about shaving

In the summer we tend to shave more often as we want silky smooth legs and stubble free underarms, not to mention the bikini line. But it’s really important to be careful about razor burn and damaging your skin from shaving, using chemical hair remover and even waxing can do quite a bit of damage.

I use Australian Bodycare Intim Balm, which is a tea tree oil balm designed to prevent ingrown hairs, razor bumps and razor burns, and it’s suitable for use all over.

I hope that these summer skincare tips have helped you and given you some ideas for products that might suit your needs. Whether you’re new to having a set skincare routine or an old hand with loads of experience, I’d love to hear whether these were useful, and if you have any tips to add yourself, please add them to the comments and I’ll include them in this post for others to benefit!