There’s a lot to love about long, lazy summer days – but the state of your skin and makeup isn’t one of them. Fortunately, with an online search, you can learn how to adapt your skincare and makeup routine for hot, humid days.
Humid summer weather can cause breakouts, redness, oiliness, and other skin woes that can be difficult to control or cover up. If you want to learn how to love your summer skin, you just need to adjust your beauty routine.
1. Wash Your Face Twice a Day
This might sound like a no-brainer, but you need to wash your face. It’s so tempting to go straight to bed without washing your face when you’re tired, particularly on those summer days when you’re not wearing much makeup anyway. But you need to resist the urge!
Be sure to wash your face thoroughly both in the morning and at night with a gentle cleanser. This will help boost your skin’s hydration and rid your skin of dirt, sweat, and excess oils that can clog your pores and cause breakouts.
If you’re particularly prone to oily skin, it’s also important to note that it’s actually possible to wash your face too much. Overwashing, just like underwashing, can increase sebum (or oil) even more. Dermatologists recommend sticking to a twice a day routine with a water-based cleanser for the best results.
2. Use A Toner
Toner isn’t very popular today, but it can be a crucial step in any skincare or beauty routine during the summer. It’s particularly beneficial when temperatures rise, or if you live in a year round warm climate.
A toner is a liquid skincare product that’s applied after washing your face and before applying your moisturizer. It’s great for shrinking pores, balancing skin’s PH level, and hydrating skin. Toner can also cut down on oiliness, especially in hot weather.
A good toner can leave your skin glowing but never oily, even on the most humid of days. Just make sure your toner is alcohol-free, or you could dry out your skin.
3. Wear Sunscreen
One of the best things about summer is enjoying all of the warm and wonderful sunshine. But as much as you may love soaking up all that Vitamin D, it’s important to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Exposing your skin to these rays can speed up aging, create sun spots, or, worst of all, lead to skin cancer.
Even if your skin isn’t prone to sunburns, sunscreen is essential for maintaining youthful, healthy skin. Before you leave the house, you should make sure to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher – and it should be sweat- and water-resistant to ensure it lasts throughout any hot, sweaty day.
When it comes to sun protection, it’s also important to protect every part of your face. Don’t forget that your lips are skin; they can get sunburned too! Apply a lip balm with SPF to keep your lips moisturized and protected.
4. Moisturize with Oil
If you struggle with oily, acne-prone skin, summer can be difficult for you – and you likely avoid anything that’s going to increase the amount of oil on your skin. Though it might sound counterintuitive to add even more oil into the mix, skin and beauty experts say that moisturizing your face with oil can actually help reduce greasy skin and breakouts.
Cream or wax-like moisturizers can be great in winter months, but they tend to be too heavy in the summer. This can keep your skin from breathing. However, a light, nutrient-heavy oil that absorbs quickly can penetrate the layers of your skin even better than a moisturizer can. This tricks your skin into producing less sebum, leaving you moisturized but balanced rather than sweaty or greasy.
Oils like jojoba, argan, avocado or neem oil are great summer substitutes for your usual cream moisturizer.
5. Use an At-Home Face Mask for Deeper Cleaning
During the summer, your skin may need a bit more pampering. Luckily, you can do this on your own at home with a face mask. With a face mask that’s made specifically for your skin’s needs, you can give yourself a spa-like treatment and better your skin.
For oily, acne prone skin, a clay mask like Innisfree’s Jeju Volcanic Clay Mask can help reduce the size of your pores and eliminate sebum build up. Charcoal masks are great for detoxifying if you’re prone to black heads, like Glamglow’s Supermud Activated Charcoal Treatment. Before applying any face mask, be sure to exfoliate away any dead skin cells to ensure the mask’s ingredients can really soak in.
6. Lighten Your Foundation
One of the best things you can do for your skin in the summer is avoid layering makeup on your face because it keeps your pores clear and allows your skin to breathe. And if you aren’t comfortable going barefaced, there are lighter alternatives to a heavy foundation that won’t your suffocate your skin on humid days.
Tinted oils or moisturizers, BB creams, or mineral powder foundations all offer coverage – but unlike traditional foundations, these beauty products allow your skin to breathe on hot summer days. A great go-to summer foundation is Bare Minerals Loose Powder Matte Foundation, which reduces unevenness and redness but doesn’t leave you looking like a melted mess. Plus, it has an SPF of 15 for added sun protection.
7. Prime, Set, and Waterproof Your Makeup
Sometimes no matter how hot it is, you need to wear a full face of makeup. When going makeup-free isn’t an option, there are plenty of products out there that will help your face stay put no matter the weather.
To keep your makeup in pristine condition in heat and humidity, start with a makeup primer like Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Once you’ve applied everything, you should end with a setting spray like Urban Decay’s All Nighter Long Lasting Setting Spray. Both of these products can really make a difference when it comes to keeping your foundation and concealer in place.
And when it comes to eye makeup, there’s nothing worse than looking in the mirror on a hot day and realizing you have raccoon eyes. Opt for waterproof eyeliner and mascara so you can stop worrying about melted or smudged eyes and focus on having the time of your life instead.
8. Pack Extra Tools
When you’re out and about in hot weather, it doesn’t hurt to pack a few extra items in your purse for midday touch-ups to avoid looking and feeling like a sweaty hot mess. Arm yourself with a roll of blotting papers, which are small paper sheets you can press onto your skin to remove excess sebum and cut down on shine.
For extra-hot days in the sun, a hydrating facial mist spray can perk up your complexion and make you feel hydrated and refreshed. Mario Badescu’s Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater spray is a beauty favorite because it smells great and keeps you cool, no matter how hot and sweaty it may be.
Look Your Best With Humidity-Proof Products
Whether you’re prepping for summer, planning a tropical vacation, or are lucky enough to live in a warm climate year-round, don’t let the heat and humidity stop you from loving your glowing, dewy skin! Summer can be hot, but your skin doesn’t need to suffer. All you need are the right products and skincare tips to feel fresh and stay breakout free.
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