How To Nurture Your Skin During The Summer
We all know that feeling: the temperature starts to creep up, people start to sweat, the humidity clogs up pores…hello summer! It’s the time of year when we all want fresh-faced, glowing summer skin, but extreme weather just won’t make it easy for us. Whether you’re battling sun-damaged skin, oily skin, dry and dehydrated skin or just good, old-fashioned “I don’t know what’s going on with my skin!”; summer is a time when your skin needs some extra love.
How can you keep your summer skin looking fantastic despite soaring temperatures, wilting humidity, and constant air conditioning? It’s all about moisture, care, and simplicity.
Up the Moisture Content: There’s a common misconception that a summer skincare regime has no need for super hydrating face products, but in reality, summer is when your skin is begging for moisture. This is something that board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman, feels strongly about. “You shouldn’t stop using facial oil,” Dr. Jaliman stated, “since your face still needs moisture and hydration in the summer, as well as during other seasons.” The trick is to look for a face oil that won’t leave your summer skin feeling greasy. This is why I love The Super Couple face oil because its nutrient-dense chia seed formula is super lightweight. For a refreshing dose of moisture throughout the day I can’t resist an excellent facial mist. The Optimist face hydrating essence is great for a quick hydration boost while you’re on the go. It is super lightweight, but don’t be fooled. It has the muscle of a lightweight moisture serum.
Resurface, Moisture, Repeat: During the summer, our skin may need a little assist in the glow department. Excessive sun exposure and changing temperatures can leave skin looking a bit dull and in need of a good exfoliation and dose of moisture. That is where a great exfoliating mask comes in. Maya Chia’s The Refresh Mint, Resurfacing Moisture Mask, is formulated with four acids – azelaic acid for brightening, lactic acid for a serious glow and to diminish the appearance of pores, salicylic acid for clearing the pores and hyaluronic acid for upping the moisture content – along with pumpkin and pineapple enzymes. It is cooling on contact and lives up to the name – it’s refreshing to use and will give your skin a serious reset. Just don’t forget to use the SPF any time you are exfoliating – especially during the summer months.
Don’t Skimp on SPF: The importance of having a reliable and trustworthy SPF as part of your summer skincare regime just cannot be overstated. While we might be tempted to just look for the highest number, the reality is that not all SPF products are created equal. Director of Dermatologic Surgery and Dermatology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Steven Q. Wang, MD, recommends people “look for the words ‘broad spectrum’ on the label, which means the product has ingredients that can protect you from UVA as well as UVB rays.” It’s also important to opt for “reef safe” products to ensure you will not be causing any harm to our oceans. Personally, I prefer Honua Hawaiian Skincare but Babo Botanicals and Raw Elements also offer a great range of SPF products that are “reef safe”. If you do accidentally overindulge in the sun then follow it up with a cooling treatment to mitigate sun damage and rejuvenate the skin; Refresh Mint mask cools on contact, so it’s an ideal choice for when your summer skin is feeling overheated.
Keep Your Makeup Simple: When it’s hot outside, I just can’t be bothered with a lot of fuss, particularly when I’m on vacation. This is where multi-use products really become a makeup aficionados’ best friend. Multi-use products are (surprise!) designed to replace the need for multiple different beauty products. Instead of carting around a lipstick, a blush and an eye palette you can instead get by quite happily with one convenient product. Au Naturale Anywhere Cream Blush Multistick and HAN Skincare Cosmetics Multistick both offer lightweight and creamy formulas ideal for enhancing your summer glow. And, of course, this natural radiance can be augmented with a good multi-purpose highlighter, such as Maya Chia’s award-winning Highlight of the Day Illuminating serum, for an added touch of summer skin luminosity. It is more than a highlighter – it is skincare meets makeup. Super easy to apply over makeup, under makeup, in your foundation – or my favorite during the summer – to bare skin. Maya Chia also makes a highlight for the body, which is not only effortless to use but also deeply nourishing for your skin with the added benefits of arnica, camellia and chia seed oil.