Does your skin struggle in the summer? The warmer weather, we all love it, but we don’t love the sweaty, sticky congested skin it brings – and don’t get us started on the sleepless nights. As things heat up, a whole slew of new skincare challenges emerge that leave you asking questions like “It’s a zillion degrees outside and my skin feels oily, so do I really have to use a moisturizer?” (Spoiler alert – yes!)

Switching out your usual skincare products for more summer-friendly alternatives can help, so it’s time to ditch your heavy-duty moisturizer and get familiar with products that deliver lightweight hydration and help to rebalance excess oil at the surface – mattisfaction guaranteed! So, we’re here to help you face up to the challenges of summer skincare head-on (pun intended) and set your skin up for success during the long, hot, sun-filled days.

Start off clean 

As the mercury rises and humidity increases, the skin tends to produce more sebum, leading to oilier skin and potentially enlarged and clogged pores, as well as more frequent (and unwanted) blemishes and breakouts. Help to banish breakouts by thoroughly removing excess oil and residue SPF from the skin’s surface with a purifying cleanser like Clearcalm Clarifying Clay Cleanser. Enriched with Kaolin Clay, the non-drying formula helps to draw out impurities, oil and general gunk without stressing your skin out, so your complexion stays mattified, balanced and hydrated throughout the day. Top tip! Leave this creamy cleanser on for 10 minutes to turn it into a blemish-busting mask. 

Exfoliate thoroughly 

Dead skin cells are a dead weight when it comes to radiant, smoother and more even-looking skin, so incorporating a skin-resurfacing toner like Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic into your evening routine will help to eliminate them. Powered by Lactic Acid (AHA), Willow Bark Extract (BHA) and Azelaic Acid, this gentle, yet mighty exfoliator eliminates dead skin cells, helps to tighten the appearance of pores and keeps your complexion clear, plus it brightens and evens skin tone – in just one step. Because AHA’s may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, remember to complete this step in the evening only, and always use an SPF the following day (and every single day - without fail). 

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate 

When your skin becomes dehydrated it will create an oil-water imbalance that causes your skin to panic and produce excess sebum to prevent any further water loss. Contrary to what you may think, using a facial oil will actually help to reduce excess sebum at the surface because they replenish your skin’s moisture barrier, which brings back balance to over-oily summer skin (well oil be!) With a lightweight and non-greasy (yet super nourishing) formula that’s perfect for the warmer weather, Evercalm ™ Barrier Support Elixir helps to repair and strengthen the skin barrier from excess damage that might be caused by sea water, UV rays or pollution. Plus, it has a powerful antioxidant action that will help to protect your skin against damaging free radicals. 

Use an antioxidant 

When the weather becomes warm and sunny, you naturally start to spend more time outdoors (did someone say pool party?) In addition to using SPF to protect your skin from the damaging sun rays, you also need to think about other environmental aggressors such as free radicals. In short, free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons that rob other cells of electrons, causing oxidisation damage, which in turn can cause hyperpigmentation, sensitivity and the premature signs of ageing. Antioxidants work by giving up their own electrons to these lonely free radicals, which helps to stop them from damaging skin, so picking a treatment that’s packed full of antioxidants like Glow And Protect Serum will not only leave your skin glowing, but it’ll also be better protected throughout the day. 

Don’t skip the moisturizer 

Since we tend to get oily and sweat more during the hot summer months, we’re tempted to skip on moisturiser. But this doesn’t help our skin. As a matter of fact, it only makes things worse. Our skin is already feeling a bit stressed and now we’re denying it nourishment and a layer of protection against external aggressors, irritation and dryness, so use a gel moisturizer that is rich in antioxidants like Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream to provide lightweight hydration and lock in all the goodness of the products used before it. 

Never forget an SPF 

SPF is your new best friend. In an idea world, you should be applying an SPF all year round (and yes, even indoors and if it’s not sunny) but this is especially important in the sunnier summer months. With an increase in sun comes increasingly high levels of damaging UV/UVB – and as we all know this is a no-no when it comes to skin. Every morning without fail apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen and keep re-applying it every couple of hours throughout the day to help protect your skin against pigmentation and the premature signs of ageing. No ordinary sunscreen, Clean Screen has added mattifying and antioxidant benefits for a bonus boost to your summer skincare routine.