Tips for summer skin care: Top essentials

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Let’s talk about skin! This is hands down one of my favorite topics when it comes to wellness. And, you know that having beautiful, glowing skin not only boosts your confidence, but also shows how healthy you are. Skin care is essential all year round, but we should put more emphasis on it now during these warmer days. By the way, cheers to the sunny days! I always love spending time outdoors, especially at the beach, getting that vitamin D. I’m sure you enjoy it too! But, just bear in mind that with proper care your skin can still glow. And, you don’t have to be dehydrated or suffer from sunburns. So, today I’m excited to share my essential tips for summer skin care.

Why you need to pay close attention to your skin during sunny days

The answer to this question is probably obvious, but you’ll be surprised at how often it is to forget certain skin care habits. You know, there are more activities outdoors, family gatherings, meeting with friends, the excitement of being at a pool or the beach, you name it. But, we should bear in mind that during sunny days our skin needs two priorities: Hydration and Protection. With these tips for summer skin care, you’ll be able to achieve these goals.

Besides being a nutritionist, I’m also an aesthetician. As someone who was born and raised in my beautiful Costa Rica, I’ve had to learn how to upgrade my own skin care routine. It’s been a journey of seeing what works and what doesn’t. By the way, my country has warm humid weather for the most part of the year. Apart from that, my skin type is oily, so using too many products on my skin wasn’t the deal. During my teenage years, I struggled a lot with severe acne, and thank goodness I learned from that experience and my skin is different now. I share more about my skin journey story in my previous post here.

So, let’s dive into the essential tips for summer skin care.

Skin care essentials #1: Review your cosmetics and skin care products

Doing a deep cleaning also involves the products we use. We really should be doing this all the time, but it’s very tempting to hold on to those creams and make up because we spent money on them. The truth is, most skin care products don’t last too long, and we should always be checking for expiration dates.It’s also a good practice to get rid of old products we no longer use. The reason is simple: ingredients on these cosmetics lose their effectiveness after a period of time. Also, products that are too old can build up bacteria, causing irritation on your skin.

In other words, during the warm months, you want to keep things simple. Don’t gather too many old products, because trust me, you’ll use less anyway. Also, make sure that you are checking on your makeup bags. Old mascaras and eyeliners tend to leak, causing the bag to get dirty. So, you want to change the bags periodically so you won’t have unnecessary skin reactions. Check out more of this advice on my previous blog post below.

Tips for summer skin care #2: Know your skin type

Knowing your skin type is essential to treat it with proper care. If you have oily skin, your product base should be designed for that type. Same thing goes for dry or sensitive skin. You don’t want to use products that will not work for you. It’s totally senseless, it’s a waste of money and you’ll do your skin more harm than good.

In my previous about Beauty hacks for glowing skin, I outlined some other steps to follow according to your skin type.

Essential skin care #3: Ditch the heavy makeup products

Get into the minimalist trend for this summer! The sunny days are all about keeping your skin healthy while dealing with humid conditions. During this time,our skin sweats a lot, so using thick and heavy makeup will only clog your pores. This will make your skin prone to more frequent breakouts.

You want to use as little makeup as possible during warm weather, therefore, keep things simple. The goal here is to let your skin breathe and avoid clogging it with too many products. The perfect makeup for summer is a more natural look. I’m a naturalista by nature, so trust me, I prefer wearing my skin as is naturally, with less makeup.

One good recommendation is to use mineral powder foundations. These types of foundations balance the extra amount of oil production during the warm months and leave your skin healthier. Another good practice is to change your makeup removers. Now is a good time to switch to a lighter makeup remover, like the ones made with micellar water. These are more gentle on your skin and do the job well.

Tips for summer skin care #4: Use a lightweight moisturizer

Moisturizers are used for one reason: to keep your skin with a good oily balance. However, during the warmer days, our skin tends to produce more oil. So, switch to a lighter moisturizer. If your skin is very oily, like mine, you may want to skip it altogether during the day. You may say, but wait, am I not supposed to use moisturizer everyday? Well, the answer is, it depends. For me,using heavy moisturizer creams while I’m out usually clogs my pores, leaves my skin looking too shiny and it’s just,overall uncomfortable. Because of this, I switch to moisturizing during the night time, before I go to bed.

One of my favorite moisturizers I’m using for oily skin is Indie Lee, from the Detox Market. I soo love it because it’s light on my skin, it’s a clean beauty product (which means that it has non-toxic, natural ingredients), and leaves my skin glowing without the extra shine. Check out more about this and other clean beauty products here. You’ll get a 10% discount on all purchases.

Again, this all depends on your skin, but for more oily skins, leaving the moisturizer for the night time routine usually works best. So, overall, go for moisturizers that have lighter ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Check out more on that topic here.

Skin care essentials #5: Do a daily cleansing routine

Cleansing your skin is essential everyday. Especially during the hot days! You want to get rid of all the sweat, excess oil and the product buildup. I usually use a product kit for oily skin: that includes the facial cleanser, the toner and the moisturizer. It’s easier to get the full kit based on your skin type because it has all of the steps outlined for you. But you can also choose your products individually. Cleanser should be applied everyday, especially if you use makeup. Look for plant based options.These are less harsh to the skin, are lighter and friendly with the environment.

Essential skin care #6: Use a facial toner daily

Toners are a must during the sunny days. Facial toners help to freshen up the skin, give it better tone and avoid it from dehydrating. Besides that, facial toners also help to keep your skin glowing and prevent it from early wrinkles or eye bags. Applying just a little bit everyday after your cleanser just does the magic and helps to unify pores. This step also helps to avoid unnecessary product buildup.

Tips for summer skin care #7: Embrace using a facial mist

Just as using a facial toner, a facial mist is helpful to keep our skin sturdy and fresh. This is a good alternative to a toner or you can use it as an extra step. Apart from that, you’ll notice how refreshing it is when it’s hot and humid. Facial mists help to avoid having trapped bacteria. All you need to do is spray on your face and you’re good to go!

Be on top of the game! Tip #8: Use a good SPF sunscreen

Using a good SPF sunscreen is so essential these days.Think about it: the days are hotter and longer, so the UV rays have more effect on us. I am a strong believer in using sunscreen protection. Yes, even if your skin is dark, you should still use SPF. During the sunny days, UV rays are stronger. So, no matter the time of day, use an SPF of at least 30. If you have sensitive or dry skin, the best thing is to level up your SPF to 50 or more. This applies especially when you’re spending more time outdoors.

Remember that exposing yourself to the sun without proper protection causes not only more sunburns, but also dark spots and wrinkles. Too much sun exposure without the right care also dehydrates your skin. I recommend you check with your dermatologist for suggestions on the right SPF protection you should use. This is also a great time to rock more hats and caps. Apart from looking chic you’ll protect yourself from too much sun exposure.

Tips for summer skin care #9: Exfoliate gently

Just as cleansing, you should be exfoliating your skin regularly. Using a facial scrub helps to do a deeper cleanse, unclog your pores and remove dead skin cells. I usually do this step after the cleanser. There are also facial scrubs according to your skin type. Exfoliating your skin can actually increase your skin’s sensitivity to sun, therefore, you want to do it with care. And again, how frequent you scrub your skin depends on your skin type.

If your skin is very oily and you sweat a lot, exfoliating regularly is not a bad idea. Especially since you want to get rid of excess buildup. But, if you have very sensitive skin, you should only do gentle scrubs 1-2 a week. My advice is that you look for a facial scrub based on your skin type and made of natural ingredients.

Tip #10: Use deep cleansing masks and occasional professional facials

Consider doing a deep cleansing at home or visit a professional. A deep cleaning facial usually involves a hydrating face mask and some other steps to tone your pores. Besides indulging and feeling great, a deep cleaning facial will rejuvenate your skin. There are many benefits to visiting an aesthetician to do a deep cleaning facial:

Rehydrated skin
Removal of oil, clogged pores, blackheads, and whiteheads
Smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles
Clearing up breakouts

Skin care tip #11: Eat lots of skin superfoods

This one right here is my favorite! As I said before, a glowing skin starts from within. The way you eat says a lot about how your skin will look. You need to focus on getting enough fresh whole foods, especially fruits and veggies in season. Also, focus on eating to boost your skin collagen naturally. It is a fact that healthy nutrition shows glowing, youthful looking skin.

Pro tip #11: Embrace the sauna

Planning a visit to a sauna? Why not? Or you could also create a sauna at home. It’s simple, treating your skin to steam opens up your pores so it can be easier to cleanse it. Sauna has anti aging benefits, it also helps to balance oil and hydration in your skin. Treating your skin to a gentle sauna is good to rejuvenate your skin and keep it glowing. But, if you have sensitive skin, this may not be a good fit for you. It can make your skin feel uncomfortable. So, always check with a specialist first.

Tip #12: Always drink lots of water!

Hydrating your skin starts from within. As a matter of fact, your whole body needs water. These warm days are the times in which you don’t want to step out without your bottle of water. Also, make sure you’re getting enough liquids from foods. Drink water everyday at all times.Your skin will also thank you.

Some final words,

Here is a summary of the best tips for summer skin care. All you need to do is keep a simple routine that will give you both hydration and protection. Now, step out into your greatness, glow these sunny days, take care and have fun! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Share this with someone you care for.

Until then!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.