With half of the year behind us, the next few months will hopefully be filled with sun, sea and superb times for many of us, and as many of us go to a laser hair removal clinic or change our look ready to relax in the sun, there are also some changes we need to make to our routine.
Naturally, we need to add a proper SPF sunscreen to our routine and swap out thick creams for slightly less heavy lotions, but there are also some products that you should not wear if you are going to be out in the sun all day, although some can be part of your nightly loadout.
Retinols
Over the past few years, vitamin A has been the go-to ingredient to reduce the look of wrinkles and open pores, burrowing deep beneath the outer layers of the skin and neutralising free radicals in the process.
This helps make skin more plump but as anyone who has sensitive skin knows, it can sometimes irritate your skin and exposure to the sun makes it much worse.
Because of this, it is best to avoid using them during the summer if you plan to go out. However, if you must use them, wait until nighttime when the temperature has cooled down a little bit.
Exfoliants And Peels
For many people, exfoliation is an essential part of their skincare routine, as removing dead skin cells promotes a healthy turnover of skin cells and helps keep skin looking smooth and beautiful.
However, over-exfoliation during hot summer days can be counterproductive for two reasons.
The first one is that A layer of dead skin helps to protect your skin from the sun in its own way, but also that exfoliation can for many reasons lead to more irritated, sensitive and dry skin.
The reason for this is that during the summer, your skin produces more oil to protect your skin and avoid it drying out. Exfoliation can exacerbate this issue if you are not careful.
Limit exfoliation to once a week, use a more gentle product, keep moisturised and try to only exfoliate at night.
Skin Waxes Or Razors
When it comes to hair removal, the best options are to plan in advance, and whilst it can be tempting to buy a wax strip and remove some body hair at the last minute, but that is asking for potentially day-ruining skin irritation by a combination of the sun, sand and sunscreen.
Ideally, avoid waxes and razors entirely, and if you are going to opt for laser removal, try to wait about ten days before you go out into the sun.
Heavy Makeup
People underestimate the power of a tinted sunscreen or moisturiser for creating a base look rather than relying on extensive heavy makeup.
Given that you need to wear sunscreen anyway to protect your skin, simplifying your routine is about choosing what you need and how to carry out your desired look in a way that will survive the harsh glare of the midsummer sun.
