How Should You Change Your Skincare Routine in the Summer?

The sun is hot, the days are long, the fun seems never-ending. What’s not to love about the summer months? It’s all good! If you want to keep it that way, be sure to change up your skincare routine in the summer to fit the season. You don’t want bad choices today to ruin your fun in the sun tomorrow or—even worse—cause lasting harm that could affect you your whole life.

Here are some simple ways to change things up this summer:

Hydrate More to Prevent Dry Skin

Water is one of the most essential nutrients your body needs to survive. It’s important for your brain, kidneys, joints, muscles, lungs, digestive system, and the largest human organ of all: your skin!

Especially during the summer months, drink plenty of water to keep hydrated from the inside out. Up the oft-recommended eight glasses a day to 10-12. Or even more. The more you sweat, the more you’ll need to replace the water you lose. Want to add flavor to your water routine? Infuse it with fresh lemon, lime, cucumber, or pineapple. It’s cold and refreshing and way better for you than any factory-sweetened water for which you’ll pay big bucks at the local convenience store.

Protect Your Skin

You should use sunblock year-round, but in the summer it’s critical. The UVB rays that tend to be weaker in the winter turn up full force in the summer. If you want to avoid burns—and you do—then you’ll want to lather up. Use a waterproof, broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30-50. And don’t forget your lips—find an SPF balm that works for you and reapply often.

Even better than sunscreen, though, is avoiding the sun altogether during peak hours. Especially if you’re fair-skinned, you won’t want to be out when the sun’s rays are its strongest. But if you are, don a hat, wear sunglasses, and cover up with light cotton fabric.

Moisturize Carefully

That sticky and oily feel that makes you think you’re well-moisturized all summer long isn’t the same as applying a good quality moisturizer. On the other hand, you definitely don’t want to slather on your winter cream. Your sunscreen probably includes a moisturizer—it should—so back off heavy duty creams for a while. Instead, prep your skin with topical antioxidants, like Vitamin C and Vitamin E, before you apply sunscreen. And for after-sun care, consider a lotion-formula moisturizer with soothing aloe.

Go Makeup Free

For a night out on the town, you may still want to brighten up your eyes with a touch of color and some waterproof mascara. But ditch the heavy foundation from your makeup routine. If you want to even out your skin tone, use a toner and maybe a light powder foundation. Or opt for au naturale, and let your  lightly sun-kissed cheeks glow from day to night.

Add an Anti-Pigment Serum

If you already have freckles or sunspots, they may appear darker during the summer. Or, as you’re exposed to the sun, you may see new ones develop on your skin. To reduce this hyperpigmentation, choose an anti-pigment serum that contains Thiamidol or hyaluronic acid. Just remember, if any of those spots change in appearance, such as size, shape, or color, check in with your doctor or a dermatologist. Some of the earliest signs of skin cancer show up in what were once harmless spots.

Treat Problems Promptly

Of course, you’ll want to treat sunburn as soon as it happens, but there other skin irritations that are more likely to occur in the summer. Polymorphic light eruption is a rash caused by the sun that affects people who are sensitive to it. Once you’ve had a single outbreak you may be susceptible to more in the future. The good news is that it generally goes away on its own. But you may want to check in with your doctor where he might recommend a corticosteroid cream. Miliaria or “heat rash” is another rash that occurs in the summer when your sweat ducts clog. Usually treated with hydrocortisone cream, the condition is easy to prevent: just stay cool and wear loose-fitting, cotton clothes in the summer.

Do you keep up with beauty tips and makeup tricks? So do we! We just can’t get enough of it all. If you’d like a career that keeps you in it every day, consider becoming an Esthetician. Salon Success Academy offers our Esthetician Program at our Corona, Redlands, Upland, and West Covina campus locations. Fill out the form to learn more now.