Summer’s long, warm days encourage us to spend time doing activities specific to the season and as a result, we often curtail some of our regular routines, like skincare. You’re probably wearing less make-up than normal, which may mean you spend less time cleansing and treating your skin each day. In an attempt to maximise your outdoor fun, here are some summer skincare practices I like to employ to keep my skin looking good throughout the season.
With daily sunscreen application, it’s wise to ensure you’re exfoliating your skin to avoid build-up of sunscreen in your pores. You can dry brush or exfoliate a couple times per week. This is particularly helpful when you’re on a beach holiday. Just be careful not to overdo it. It is not a daily pursuit! Whenever you scrub off the top layer of dead skin cells, you’re exposing brand new skin, which needs to be treated gently and slathered with appropriate sun protection.
After a day in the sun, even when you’ve been careful not to burn, skin can feel tight and dehydrated. This is the perfect time to pop on a moisturising mask, which will be even more welcome if you keep it chilling in the fridge before use. Whether it’s a sheet mask or a calming mask or even some natural yogurt, relaxing with this applied for 15 minutes will deliver a moisture surge to your face.
Flip flops and beach walking are always a disaster on my heels and toes in terms of dryness, making my pedicure look less than fresh. To combat this, I apply a bit of coconut oil to my feet and slip on some socks while it absorbs. This is great to do in tandem with an afternoon mask or just before bed to soak in overnight.
And when you’re preparing for bed, be sure to choose a light cream for your face. Summer offers more humidity in the air, which means your evening moisturiser doesn’t need to be as intense as what you use in the winter. The easiest option may be to use your morning moisturiser at night as well, even if it contains SPF. Although, this is another reason why keeping SPF separate from moisturiser is a good idea.
Do you have any summer beauty tips?