Summer’s Here! Don’t Neglect Your Skin!

We should take good care of our skin all year round, but having a careful skincare regime is especially important in the summer. Between the sun in the sky, the sand at the beach, and the sweat you’ll work up enjoying the weather, your skin endures a lot in the summer. Some of the wear and tear that your face and body experience can have lasting effects. You can counteract the negative side effects of summer weather by caring for your skin between trips to the beach. Not every summer skin issue can be prevented completely, but a careful routine can reduce your stress. Check out these ten summer skin care tips and think about which ones you might include in your regime this year!

1. Keep your skin cool

If you’re the kind of person who worships every hour of sunshine you possibly can, your skin probably experiences a lot of heat. Getting lots of vitamin D definitely has benefits, but being heated all the time can be hard on your skin. Especially on your face, prolonged heat exposure opens your pores and makes them much more likely to get clogged with things like sand and sunscreen. You can close your pores and minimize blockages by taking cool showers instead of hot ones after the beach. Toners are also a great summer tool because they reduce pore size and cool skin that might have residual heat from sun burns. If you’re concerned, some companies make cooling facial sprays for your bag or cooler. Mist it onto your skin if you feel too warm.

2. Use the right type of sun screen

Protecting your skin from UV rays is the most crucial summer skin care step. Giving your skin the absolute best care, however, means knowing which sunscreens are best for which parts of your body. On your face, you should avoid using the thick, oily sunscreen that provides good protection for your back and shoulders. Instead, look for SPF products that are designed more gently for the skin on your face. These products will clog the pores less than your regular sun screen, reducing the chance of breakouts.

4. Don’t forget about your scalp

Worrying about scalp sunburns is a bigger problem for some people than others, but you might regret ignoring your scalp once you experience the pain of a sun burn in your hair parting. The skin on your scalp can be extremely sensitive to UV rays because it isn’t often exposed to them. Sun burning your scalp results in dry, flakey skin similar to dandruff, which can be both unsightly and painful. Take care of your scalp by applying some light spray on sunscreen to the areas that show in the part of your hair, at your temples, or around your face.

5. Use water-based moisturizers

Moisturizing your face is always important, but it’s especially crucial in the summer. To make up for the dryness that heat and UV rays can cause, use water-based products. These re-hydrate your skin more effectively than other oil-based products. Water-based lotions are also a great summer option for your body, but they’re especially effective for your face. The more moisture you give your skin in the heat, the less thirsty it will look and feel.

6. Exfoliate

Ridding your face and body of excess skin improves how your face feels in the summer, particularly when there are sun burns involved. It’s always necessary to be gentle while you exfoliate, but this is especially crucial after lots of UV exposure. As long as you’re careful, exfoliating your face and body sloughs off dead skin particles and helps you avoid looking scaly by the end of the summer. The better your healthy skin underneath can breathe, the quicker your burn will heal. Exfoliating also helps clear things like sand and sunscreen from your pores.

7. Consider makeup that contains SPF

Even in the summer, some occasions call for a little bit of glamor. If you’re at an outdoor event, however, wearing makeup alone won’t protect your skin from the sun. The less protection your skin has, the more likely you are to sweat off whatever makeup you applied. For this reason, some cosmetic companies produce tinted creams, foundations, and powders that have SPF content. These products let you wear makeup outside during the summer without having to choose between risking a sun burn and smearing sunscreen all over your freshly done foundation.

8. Use an antibacterial cleanser

You might find that the number of breakouts you experience increases in the summer. This is probably due to increased sun exposure, sun screen application, and time spent around things like sand at the beach. Consider using a gentle antibacterial cleanser to break down clogs in your pores and keep your skin as clean as possible despite the sweat and sun screen it must endure.

10. Reduce your sun exposure whenever possible

As wonderful as being in the sun can feel, it really does take a toll on our skin. Even with a good summer skincare regime, the sun can do lasting damage to your skin. The only way to protect it entirely from the sun is to reduce your exposure whenever possible. This doesn’t have to mean that you’re stuck indoors all summer, or that you have to wear a balaclava in the heat! Consider purchasing yourself a chic wide brimmed hat, a stylishly large pair of sunglasses, and cool, flowing sarong to drape across your shoulders without getting too warm.

Want to learn more?

Knowing how to take care of your skin is extremely important all year round, but it’s an especially detailed process in the summer time. If you’d like to learn more about good skincare tactics, check out the courses here at QC Makeup Academy!

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