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Once the summer season rolls in, people tend to be spending more time outdoors, or traveling during this common vacation period. The summer months create a huge change in environment that can be harsh on the skin. Here are some skincare tips for the summer.
Use SPF and Keep A Bottle With You On The Go
During the summer, the UV index can easily be in the highest levels – even if it is overcast. This means you can have pretty bad skin damage after just 10-15 minutes of sun exposure without protection. UV damage causes collagen loss, inflammation, and worsens hyperpigmentation on skin.
Make sure to use SPF 30 and above, and apply an adequate amount. At least a quarter teaspoon for the whole face, and about a shot glass amount for the rest of the body spread evenly. Don’t forget your ears, back of the neck, and shoulders!
For the best protection, reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours, and even if you are inside a car the UV rays can still do its damage when the light hits your skin. That’s why it’s best to keep sunscreen with you to reapply, or in case you end up going out unplanned and can’t find shade from the sun.
Keep Moisturized, Air Conditioner Can Dry Out Skin
Dry skin and summer doesn’t seem to go together right? However, dry skin can be common when you spend most of your time indoors due to air conditioning. Air conditioned buildings are very dry inside since air conditioners remove humidity from the room. Make sure to keep using moisturizer during the summer depending on how much hydration your skin needs. Over drying skin may cause an increase in oil production due to the skin barrier getting damaged and dried out, so just because skin is oily, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need moisturizer.
Use The Right Moisturizer
Apply a water based moisturizer for oily and dehydrated skin types and use one that has a lighter or more watery texture versus a thicker moisturizer if it feels too heavy for you. Heavier occlusive moisturizers may need to be rotated out so a more lightweight moisturizer comes in. You could also pair down your routine as layering too many products together may cause skin to feel sticky or get clogged more easily especially if you are sweating a lot. Of course, listen to your skin! If a lighter moisturizer doesn’t cut it, layer on a thicker moisturizer.
Depuffing Eyes
Summer often means too much sun, too little sleep, and dehydration. These all add up to puffy under-eyes. You can use a cold spoon that’s been in the fridge to help define eyes fast. The cold constricts blood vessels and the pressure helps drain lymphatic fluid from the eye area. You can also keep your eye creams or moisturizers in the fridge and tap them around the eye area to for the same effect plus the added skincare benefits.
Relief For Sunburn
The best thing to do is to prevent sunburns, which is why the SPF mentioned above is important, however we can’t be perfect and sunburns may happen even when we do try our best to protect ourselves from the sun. Sunburns are extremely damaging to the skin, not to mention terribly painful.
For the best instant relief, create a cold compress by dousing a washcloth in witch hazel and popping it in the fridge and applying it onto skin. The witch hazel has long-lasting anti-inflammatory benefits. A study showed that a 10% lotion with witch hazel was effective in reducing redness from sunburn. (1)
Also, aloe may help burns heal slightly faster also. (2) Apply some cool aloe directly on the sunburn to help it heal and relieve some of the pain too. Make sure it doesn’t contain alcohol which could dry the skin. Don’t use any exfoliating products or products with active ingredients while your sunburn heals.
Managing Bug Bites
With swimming outdoors and camping come itchy insect bites. To decrease discomfort, use ice cubes to break the itch and scratch cycle. Applying cortisone cream to reduce the redness and inflammation. If you want to go the natural route, apply some basil to the bug bites. A compound called eugenol in basil can relieve itchy skin. The fighter gel can also help relieve the itching from bug bites due to the peppermint in it.
Exfoliate The Body
Extra sweat in the summer can lead to more body acne breakouts for some people. In which case, exfoliation for the body is a great way to reduce and prevent future body acne! You can use a chemical exfoliant containing glycolic acid or other AHA’s, or do a physical exfoliant, or even both! Exfoliate about twice a week to keep skin smooth during the summer!
Summer Skincare Product Recommendations
Fighter Gel: A cooling water based gel that fights inflammation and breakouts with key ingredients centalla, green tea, aloe, and dimethlysulfone.
Vitamin C Creme: A light antioxidant packed moisturizer infused with 20% of Vitamin C.
Sources:
Anti-inflammatory efficacy of topical preparations with 10% hamamelis distillate in a UV erythema test https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867970/
The efficacy of aloe vera used for burn wound healing: a systematic review https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK74820/