Summertime skincare (part 1)

Summer is quickly approaching which means it's time to adjust your skin care routine to account for long days of sun, sweat, and salty or chlorinated water. Below you'll find my own opinions, tips, tricks, and advice based upon research I've done for myself over the last few years.

Staying hydrated
Skin can get greasy during the summer, but you don't want to neglect it. You don't want to over do it with a heavy moisturizer that you might use on your dry, winter skin so switch from a cream moisturizer to a gel, serum, or other lightweight formula. You'll want something that will absorb quickly and not leave your skin feeling greasy. Creams are just too rich and suffocating for such warm weather, and they tend to get melty and gross. Stay away from emollients, and because most weightless options don't have SPF you'll want to make sure to put one on separately.

Check out:
L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Renewing Serum $52
Garnier Nutritionist Skin Renew Daily Regenerating Serum $11
Shiseido Pureness Moisturizing Gel-Cream $32
Boots No. 7 Rebalancing Day Gel $13
Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer $24

Rub a dub dub
Make sure to use a good body wash in the shower. Heat and sweat cause bacteria to breed, and cause breakouts. Concentrate especially on the oilier areas of your body. Making sure your soap has salicylic acid in it is a good way to fight those body breakouts. If your skin is dull and ashy, make sure you choose a body wash that has exfoliating properties. Also on the bathing subject, be sure to at least rinse off each time you get out of the water. Between salt, chemicals, and bacteria in water you're just asking for dry, scaly skin. Cleaning this stuff off will keep them from doing any more damage to your skin once you've left the water.

Check out
Boots Botantics Rough Skin Scrub $9
Burt's Bees Radiance Exfoliating Body Wash $8
DDF Glycolic Exfoliating Wash $35
Murad Acne Body Wash $40
Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash $24

Sun protection
I won't get preachy about how bad the sun is for your skin, and how we all should just keep our natural color without tanning. Pale can be perfect, but we all know that golden is gorgeous, too. I don't deny that I sunbathe, but I'd also be lying if I said it didn't scare me at all. I definitely do worry about skin cancer in my future, and premature aging of my skin. So I try to take it easy and not overdo it. I don't and won't do it year round, so as to give myself a little peace of mind. Further, I do several other things to keep my skin as nourished as I can. I also still wear sunblock. You can and will still get bronzed while using one, it'll just happen at a slower, steadier rate which will lessen your chances of developing a sunburn which is really what you want to avoid at all costs. Not only is it unsightly, but having had the sun beating on your skin enough to cause a burn is incredibly unhealthy. Giving yourself a veil of protection is what will keep your skin from becoming your hide.

One mistake many people seem to make when it comes to sunscreen is that they apply it in the morning and forget about it, when the truth is that you have to reapply it throughout the day. Sweat, swimming, and normal summer activities cause sunblock to wear off. The lower the SPF, the more often you'll have to reapply. Further, it seems people often don't apply it for everyday wear, but instead apply it only for days of hours spent directly in the sun, with minimal clothing. The summer sun is harsh, and 10 and 15 minutes of sun exposure here and there add up surprisingly fast. You really should replace your sunscreen each year. Even if you haven't hit the expiration date, the change in temperatures from summer to winter, and then back to summer can leave you with less than stellar protection.

Getting specific

When choosing sun protection, make sure the one you use on your face is made specifically for facial skin. Most basic sunscreens are formulated with your body in mind, and can clog the pores on your face. Moreover, it's a good idea to use an anti-aging eye cream with SPF in it. We've all been told how delicate eye-area skin can be, so taking extra precaution when it comes to protecting it from the suns rays is quite beneficial. And don't forget a lip balm with SPF, as well. Lips can get burnt and chapped - making lipstick go on painfully and with less than stellar results. Yuck! Don't neglect your neck, ears, hands, and feet, either.

Check out
Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion - SPF 30 $42
Neutrogena Sport Face Sunblock Lotion SPF 70+ $10
Jason Natural Cosmetics Earth's Best Organic Sunblock, Chemical Free SPF 30+ $16
Josie Maran Protect Daily Sun Protection Argan Oil Infused SPF 40+ $32
Ocean Potion Suncare Sunblock Lotion, Anti-Aging, Ultra Light SPF 30 $8

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Now that you've finished part 1, go check out part 2.