How To Keep Your Skin Looking Great Through The Summer!

It is HOT here in Ohio! When it's this hot, we're in the sun a lot and sweating like crazy, how do we keep our skin looking great? Here are my tips!

#1 Keep it simple

During the summer months because we are in the sun so much I do not often recommend peels or corrective treatments for the skin, but try to keep it more about maintenance. Let's prevent sunburns, discolorations and clogged pores! These steps are:

Wear SPF

All day, everyday. Period. I layer a SPF moisturizer (Coola Cucumber Matte, or my Jane Iredale Dream Tint SPF 15) under my SPF 20 Pure Pressed Powder Foundation. If you want to read more details on my SPF thoughts, read this blog post. For touch up SPF (You are only covered for about an hour because sweat and oil on the face breaks down your coverage!) I use my Coola Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray. I have seen a BIG improvement in my skin adding SPF everyday throughout the year. Even those small exposures prevent your skin from healing evenly if you experience post breakout hyper pigmentation if you can be breakout prone like me.

Scrub Away!

For glowing skin, you've gotta keep those healthy new cells on the surface of your skin! I use my Cranberry Scrub pretty much every morning after I cleanse my skin. Who does't want baby soft skin too?!

Hydrate

Yes, even in the summer with oily skin you need hydration. But a different kind. You won't want your thick moisturizer, but a gel with hyaluronic acid will keep your skin from becoming dehydrated. (oily skin can still be very dehydrated, and cause more oil production.) I love my Oxo Gel if I am prone to breakouts at times, or my Hydrant Gel!

Detoxify

We have more oil, we're sweating and our pores can become extra clogged because of this. (And not keeping up with a proper skin care regimen!) In the summer I love a good clay masque a few times a week. This detoxifies the skin and keeps my skin looking fresh. My favorite is Purifying Masque which contains zeolites from volcanic ash which exfoliates and detoxifies, along with licorice for calming redness and some good clays for clearer pores! I love a good 2-in-one product to save time.

#2 Wear less makeup

I know for some of us this is a VERY scary thought. In the summer I try to have more days with SPF, maybe a little tinted moisturizer, some blush and mascara to let my skin breathe. And if I am taking care of my skin well, my natural glow will help me get through the day feeling good about how my skin looks.

#3 Blotting Sheets

For me, these things are life savers! Sometimes adding more powder to mattify your skin throughout the day can just create a big mess. Use a good blotting sheet like Jane Iredale's with rice powder to absorb oil and keep your skin looking reach, without adding more makeup.

#4 Preventative Serums

For sun lovers, a good Vitamin C serum is an absolute must to prevent discolorations and free radical damage (what causes aging). With proper sun care, I am not opposed to a little glycolic or Vitamin A serum as well a few times a week. (You can read more about that in the SPF blog post I listed at the top of this blog!)

Ultimately, be smart! A tan is pretty, but causes a lot of damage (and often money then) in the future that just isn't worth it. Wear SPF on vacation the first day so you don't have to stay inside by day 3, find a self tanner you love and stay hydrated!

To happy, healthy skin,

Kayla Marie