Get Ready for Summer: Update your Skincare

When the weather heats up you gladly pack up your baggy sweaters and put them up in the closet where you can’t see them and switch them for tank tops and cute little shorts and dresses. You trade your boots for your, not so comfy, sandals and your comforting duvet for soft linen. What you also need to change up when the weather starts heating up is your skin and body care.

Face

What’s the most important thing you need to switch up with the change of the sesason? You guessed it, your moisturiser. Forget the thick consistency, super moisturising creams. Your skin still needs hydration in the warm weather, whether it’s oily or not, however you need to opt for a lighter formula that will moisturise deeply and will keep you matte for more hours. I love the Avene Mattifying Fluide which is super light, almost like water consistency, but at the same time gives the moisture that my oily acne-prone skin needs. Also, this is the season that you need a toner more than ever. That is because our pores tend to open up even more when it’s hot and you need a product to work on that. The Michael Todd Blue Green Algae toner is very good for that. Also, another product I love which works as a toner for me is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir which tightens up the pores and has antibacterial properties. I also enjoy The Body Shop Energising Face Spritz with Vitamin C, which I keep in the fridge and take out whenever I feel too hot, spray on my face and it cools me down immediately; let alone it smells like oranges! If you have the same skin type as me, you might want to incorporate in your routine a product that will help with your open pores and the shine. The best skincare product that I’ve found for that is the Dr. Brandt Pores no More Pore Thing, which is a memory gel. It comes in a pot and looks like jelly. You scoop just the tiniest amount and apply it on your T-zone and you can see an instant mattifying effect as well as a velvet-to-the-touch complexion.

You don’t need that heavy night cream anymore. You can definitely get away with using your day cream at night or even just a serum would be enough. The reason we need such creams in the winter is because the air is very dry and it dries up our skin as well. However, when the weather gets that hot and humid you don’t need them anymore. My favourite cream to use at night for this season is the Nuxe Aroma PerfectionSoin Anti-imperfections, which works very well in treating my breakouts and generally the imperfections of my skin. The serum I used to use and really like but had to give up after my skin completely broke out (totally hormonal, not related to the product) is the Vichy Aqualia Thermal serum, which moisturises your skin deeply.

If you don’t use a face scrub this is the season that you need to start! You should use it once or twice a week to scrub away dead cells mixed with sweat and sebum and unclog your pores. I've talked about it in detail here and it's the Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub. Also, invest in a good pore unclogging face mask and do it once or even twice a week, it just takes 10 minutes. The one I’m eyeing is the Glamglow SuperMud Clearing System (daahhh!) but until Sephora does their 35% discount I’m sticking to the amazing Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque which unclogs the pores, takes away shine and really helps to dry out my pimples.

As we’ve discussed in the previous post, you need to pick a higher SPF and wear it daily, not only when you hit the beach. So try something from 30 to 50+ to be fully protected from the harmful UVA and UVB rays. Click here to see a full list of recommendations for this summer (body sunscreens and after suns included!).

Body

What we’ve talked about in the ‘face’ section applies for your body as well. You might feel that the nourishing body butter that you’ve been using so far doesn’t get absorbed by your skin that easily and you feel sticky. That is why you need to switch to lotions and keep the creams for fall! There are millions of options at the drugstore for you but you know my soft spot for Bath and Body Works body lotions! My favourite summer scent is the Aruba one, which smells of lime and coconut. I feel like I’m cheating on them but I’ll say it; I’ve found a new favourite lotion for this summer and it’s the Victoria’s Secret Coconut Passion with coconut and vanilla. I love the whole range, I got them in a set, and it is amazing that I can get them in Greece as well! I haven’t found this particular scent in any online shop yet but I’m sure it’ll pop up somewhere!

Scrubbing your body is key for warmer months as well. This way you get rid of dead skin cells and you prolong your tan. My favourite scrubs are from The Body Shop and, especially for summer, the coconut one! Also, don’t forget to scrub your feet every time you shower. The most awful sight is a woman with cracked heels wearing sandals. So remember to take your pumide stone and take care of them every day. When you’re out of the shower, and while your feet are still soaked, use a foot file to remove dead skin, moisturise with a foot cream and you’re done!  

These are my tips on how to update your skin and body care! What are your number one seasonal changes?

P.S. Don't forget to check my June favourites where I'm having a mint green themed giveaway! 

Georgina x x x