Summer is a trying time for your skin. The heat can be unforgiving, especially to your skin. Pollution and other environmental contaminants take away your skin’s natural radiance, leaving it oily, dull, and blemished.
Read on to understand how summer changes the quality of your skin and what you can do to hold on to that radiant and healthy skin.
How Does Summer Affect Your Skin?
Increase in temperatures during the summer months, combined with humidity and heat, can increase the activity of the sebaceous glands making the skin appear oiler.
The intensity of the sun’s rays also causes tanning by producing more melanin pigments. While everyone is aware that more melanin means darker skin, few relate sunburned skin with aging and cancer.
The heat can also cause more pores to open, which can get clogged with dirt and oil, trapping bacteria, causing acne, pimples, and blemishes on the face.
1. Facial Cleansing is a Key.
As you move from winter to summer, you should remember that your facewash has to change.
While in winters, a nourishing face wash does the trick, in summers, you would require a face wash that can draw out the excess oil from your skin.
If you have dry skin, consider using a non-foaming cleanser. This would be ideal for combination skin as well.
Washing your face every morning and night is the most basic step of a skin care routine.
According to research, facial cleansing brushes are the best way to deeply clean your skin.
Here's Why? - Because, it offers deeper and more thorough cleanse than just using your fingers or a washcloth. The bristles penetrate further into the surface of the skin than your fingers or a washcloth can do, getting rid of everything that’s been left behind. Your skin renews itself every 28 days. Exfoliation with a cleansing brush expedites this process.
2. Include Antioxidants in Your Facial Skin Care Routine
Invest in a good antioxidant serum during the summer. Not only does an antioxidant serum hydrate your skin, but it can also protect your skin from environmental damage.
It helps to boost collagen production, and will remove harmful free radicals to prevent skin damage.
You also can include antioxidants in your skin care regimen by adding them to your diet. Stock up on citrus fruits, green and leafy vegetables, green tea, nuts, and whole grains to have younger looking skin.
3. Keep Your Skin Hydrated
Remember that summer is the time when your skin requires moisture as well as hydration. Invest in a good hydrating mask which you use a couple of times a week.
Wash your face first and apply the mask as directed at night to repair, rehydrate, and soothe your skin. A mask can treat specific skin conditions like dryness, acne, oil, etc.
Pick the appropriate mask and spend those 10 extra minutes on wiping away the stress, fatigue, and blemishes from your skin.
4. Exfoliate Regularly for Smoother Skin
Exfoliation is the key to brighter and smoother skin. It removed dulling skin debris and piled up dead cells. This debris prevents the skin from breathing and can congest the skin.
Exfoliate with a natural home remedy, like coffee grounds mixed with oil and sea salt. Remember that exfoliation is required for your entire body and not just your face.
Do not over-exfoliate because your skin will get bruised and you may end up getting rashes. People with sensitive skin should opt for mild exfoliators like the silicone facial brush devices, which are soft to any skin type and act as gently exfoliate if used daily.
5. Wear Sunscreen
Sunscreen should be your best friend during summers and all year round. Choose one that has a broad ultraviolet spectrum (between 30-50 SPF and covers UVA and UVB rays).
Reapply every three hours if you are spending all day in the sun. Make sure to cover your face, hands, feet, shoulders, and neck as well.
6. Cut Down on Makeup
Summer means that you should ease up on the makeup. Wear minimal facial makeup to allow the skin to breathe better.
Humidity and heat suppress the skin’s ability to breathe and stress it out. Avoid anything heavy on the face. Use a tinted moisturizer and tinted lip balm.
7. Use a Refreshing Toner
Using a good toner can help you close open pores. This is essential in summer to prevent oil accumulation in the pores.
The t-zone of the face has the largest concentration of sebaceous glands. Pay attention to this zone while toning your face. Use a cucumber or aloe vera based toner which is light and refreshing.
8. Change Your Moisturizer
Do not be under the misunderstanding that your skin requires no moisture in the summer. Skin care in summer calls for a lighter and non-greasy product that suits the weather.
9. Drink Plenty of Water
Water is the most important ingredient in healthy skin tissue. It keeps your skin supple, soft, and radiant.
Remember to carry water anywhere you go and drink a minimum of 2-3 liters in a day. Water is also very crucial to flush the toxins out from the skin through sweat and urine.
10. Remember to Take Care of Your Feet
Most of our focus is on taking care of our face because it is what everyone sees first. Exfoliate the skin on your feet regularly. Use a moisturizer and sunscreen on your feet if you plan on wearing open footwear.
11. Take Special Care of the Eye Region
While you choose moisturizers and toners for your face, remember that the skin around your eyes is much thinner and more delicate as compared to the rest of your face.
Pick a good under eye gel that has hyaluronic acid, cucumber, or even honey. These ingredients keep the skin around the eyes hydrated and prevent wrinkle formation.
12. Remember the Value of Natural Remedies
Exclusive skin care products in the market work well for a lot of people. But it is good to remember that your own kitchen might be a storehouse for the best facial cleansers, toners, and moisturizers.
Common kitchen ingredients make for the best home remedies in summer. You will find that oatmeal, coffee grounds, grated cucumber, plain yoghurt, and sea salt can be used as skin care products in the summer.