summer skin care essentials to beat the heat

SUMMER SKIN CARE

Summer means endlessly sipping on cooling drinks, relaxing on beach vacations and changing up your wardrobe to bring out the flowy silhouettes and floral prints. But summer is also the time you need to pay attention to your skin and change up your skin care routine. Each season has a different impact on your skin, no matter what your type is, so it’s important to identify the concerns you may be facing and upgrade your regime to ensure healthy skin.

Here, we take you through a few summer skin care essentials that will keep you glowing through the warmer months.

BEST SUMMER CLEANSER

Cleansing is no doubt crucial all year round, but especially so in summer, when the sweat and excess sebum traps dirt, oil, grime and pollution in your skin, clogging your pores, resulting in breakouts, hives, flare ups and acne. If you haven’t yet, summer is a good time to start double cleansing. The first cleanser, such as the Dermalogica Precleanse, is an oil-based balm that removes all the dirt and grime trapped in your skin. Follow this up with your usual cleanser (if you’re struggling to find one that works for you, check out this post) -- the Special Cleansing Gel works well as it’s gentle on your skin, while deep cleaning it for health and smoothness. 

BEST SUMMER EXFOLIATOR

One more product that helps remove build-up, which is common during summer, exfoliators are key if you want to avoid acne and breakouts. Exfoliating regularly gets rid of the dead cells on your skin, along with the excess sebum produced, dirt, pollution and external factors that could cause your pores to get clogged and break out in acne or redness. The Daily Microfoliant is a gentle exfoliant that you can use every day, without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. A word to the wise though -- if you have extra sensitive or sensitised skin, use the exfoliator only twice a week. 

CALMING MIST OR TONER FOR SUMMER

The heat, humidity and dust during summers can cause irritations on your skin. Add to that you’re constantly sweating, which could potentially be clogging your pores. Overall, your skin isn’t happy. Carrying a calming mist or toner with you at all times is a good bet -- it’s akin to carrying a water bottle for your skin. The mist will help cool you down and soothe any irritations or flare ups caused by the heat. The Dermalogica Ultracalming Mist Toner helps calm redness and sensitivity, protects against environmental assaults and prevents potential future aggravations. Its complex of oats, botanical actives and aloe helps soothe the skin while retaining its moisture. 

MOISTURISERS FOR SUMMER

Just like you need to drink more water during the summer months, since you’re sweating out some of your water weight, your skin needs extra hydration too. It’s easy to forget this since we’re constantly feeling greasy and icky, but even oily skin can be dehydrated, so remember to choose the best moisturiser for your skin type. Opt for a lightweight moisturiser that will nourish your skin without leaving any oily residue. Water gel-based ones like the Calm Water Gel Moisturiser locks in moisture while protecting your skin from environmental factors. You can also opt for a two-in-one moisturiser and sunscreen, like the Prisma Protect SPF30, if you’d rather avoid putting too much on your skin. If your skin is overly sensitive and you’re prone to more breakouts during summer, try the Barrier Repair Moisturiser which provides intense yet lightweight moisture along strengthening your skin’s natural barrier surface against dirt, sweat and pollution. 

IMPORTANCE OF SUNSCREEN 

Never going to tire of talking about the importance of wearing sunscreen, no matter which time of the year it is, whether you're indoors or outdoors. Sunscreens are multitasking beauty products that protect your skin from the sun’s harsh UVA and UVB rays, provide a barrier against dirt, grime and pollution, and moisturises your skin such that it doesn’t get dehydrated while you’re sweating from every pore.

While it’s well known that the higher the SPF, the better (such as SPF30 or SOF50), there are different types of sunscreen that are suitable for different kinds of skin types, such as oily or dry, and occasions. Find out what the difference between chemical and physical sunscreen is, and then hop on over to pick up the Prisma Protect SPF30 sunscreen. This unique moisturiser-cum-sunscreen is equipped with intelligent drone technology, which enhances the skin’s natural luminosity, contains sage that soothes the skin and gives you an even tone, and is replete with moisture magnets that strengthen the skin’s barrier function to help combat environmental irritants, while providing all-day hydration. 

You can also try the new Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense sunscreen. Invisible, weightless defense that blends easily on skin, featuring only non-nano Zinc Oxide. Say goodbye to thick, white residue with this physical SPF formula that provides added blue light protection and helps soothe away the effects of environmental aggressors. Bio-active Mushroom Complex helps soothe skin, and reduce UV-induced redness and dryness. Antioxidant Green Tea helps defend skin against free radical damage. Ideal for all skin types, including sensitive.