An Easy Summer Skincare Routine For All Your Skin Woes
An Easy Summer Skincare Routine For All Your Skin Woes
By Anupriya Jamuar
Having healthy, well-balanced skin is like having the best of both worlds. Your skin, for most part, is unproblematic. However, the summer heat does not spare anyone. From dullness and oiliness to pigmentation and sunburns, the list of summer skin concerns is quite long, but nothing that a simple and effective skincare routine can’t t fix.
You don’t need to go overboard either, a four-step skincare routine will suffice. This includes a cleanser, toner, your serums or moisturiser and a sunblock. Put aside your thick, creamy cleansers and heavy moisturisers for the drying winters. This season, we advise you to use lightweight products that won’t clog your pores because with long, sweaty hours your pores can get clogged easily.
Step one: lighten up with a cleanser
It’s time to shed those layers, both with your winter coats and your heavy skincare products. Switch to a water or gel-based skincare products. Use a mild cleanser to clean your face. You can also double cleanse at night by first using a cleansing oil, like micellar water to take off your makeup followed by a cleanser.
Step two: cool down with a toner
After you are done cleansing, use a hydrating toner. Hydrating toners are good for cooling down your skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid and Centella asiatica for that plump-looking skin.
Step three: team up with serums and moisturisers
Next, apply your serums and moisturiser. Refrain from using any unnecessary serums and stick to a simple routine. Prioritise serums like niacinamide in the morning and your actives in the night. For your moisturiser, instead of a heavy emollient, use a gel-based moisturiser. Gel-based formulations get absorbed into your skin quickly and have a cooling effect, which reduces the chances of irritation.
Step four: sunblock for protection
Having SPF in your moisturiser isn’t enough, use a mineral-based sunscreen of SPF 30 PA+++ for maximum protection. Mineral-based formulas also do not leave a white residue on your skin. Reapply at least twice or thrice throughout the day, depending on your sun exposure, and try to stay out of the sweltering sun as much as you can.
Quick summer skin hacks
Here are some tips you can follow for radiant skin in summer:
- Exfoliate at least once a week to remove any dead skin cells that make your skin look dull. This will keep your pores clean and reduce the appearance of summer breakouts. Look for ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, mandelic acid, or lactic acid in your cleansers and serums.
- Use face masks. A common mistake people make in the summer is the lack of hydration. This might seem unnecessary with all the sweat and humidity but your skin requires hydration. You can use a soothing face mask once a week for this. Look for masks with ingredients like Kaolin clay, sea algae or hyaluronic acid.