Summer Skincare

Summer skincare, believe it or not our skin can have a wide range of different needs in summer than it does in winter. We spend more time out and about, enjoying the sun if your lucky enough, I know I'm personally more likely to sit back and relax with a cocktail or ten whilst trying to catch some rays. If you are spending time in warmer temperatures you may notice you're suffering from more breakouts, an increase in oiliness and you may perhaps even notice some darker areas appear on your skin. So what can you do to keep your skin glowing, happy & healthy over summer? Keep on reading my summer skincare guide to find out!

Hydration

Now of course the obvious solution to stay hydrated is to drink plenty water and I couldn't agree more. There are also extra steps you can take to help boost your skins hydration. When your skin is hydrated not only will it feel plumper, glow and look healthier if like me and suffer with acne you may notice well hydrated skin can help this. You may find your acne is less aggravated. Again if you are like myself you could also notice your skin produces less oil, when your skin is dehydrated your body tries to boost oil production to protect it and as much as I want to thank my skin for trying to protect itself it also drives me crazy because I don't want to wonder around looking like I dipped my face in a deep fat fryer! 

La Roche-Posay Hydraphase UV Intense

I love La Roche-Posay products! In fact I love the hydraphase line and it's the first I turn to when I notice my skin is looking dull or I've been naughty and not drank enough water. I couldn't think of a better product to include. This moisturiser comes in two options, light for normal to combination skin or intense if your skin type is dry. UV Intense also includes SPF 20, Is paraben free, 100% hypoallergenic and non- comedogenic. I really recommend checking out all of the Hydraphase products!

Pixi, H20 Skindrink

The name says it all really. Why do I love it? It doesn't clog pores, Is perfect for my oily skin and the combination of green tea, aloe vera and rosemary helps put a stop to the bacteria that causes breakouts and soothes my awkward skin! If you prefer a gel like texture this is the product for you. It's going to quench your skin and leave your face so soft you will want to touch it all day long... but don't that's bad! 

Sun Protection

In general we are becoming more aware of how important a good SPF is for protecting our skin for the rays we all love to enjoy in the warmer months. I'm sure I don't need to go into the details of why it is important to use an SPF ideally daily and thankfully many of our makeup products now include an SPF. What about the days we just don't want to wear makeup because it's too hot? Or we want a higher SPF? General sun creams can be quite thick and leave you feeling sticky so we don't usually want to slap them onto our face. Thankfully more brands are making SPF creams specifically for our beautiful faces!

Vichy Ideal Soleil Mattifying Face Dry Touch SPF 30

You need to try this mattifying dry touch face cream from Vichy! I've tried a few Vichy products and never been left disappointed. Not only is this SPF face cream paraben free but it will protect you from both UVA & UVB which is important. For a matte, non sticky cream that's going to protect that face of yours it has to be Vichy! 

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser SPF 30

Kiehl's is another fantastic moisturiser that provides you with protection against both UVA and UVB rays. It's light weight and leaves your skin super soft. One of Kiehl's signature ingredients is a thing called Squalane. Without getting too technical squalane is easily absorbed into your skin and helps restore your skins natural moisture balance. Think soft and supple skin!

After Sun Care

After sun is readily available in most stores from supermarkets to pharmacies. The only issue is most are meant for your body. I love to treat my skin to a good moisturiser after being out in the sun. Your skin will thank you for adding in lots of goodness especially if your one who likes to soak in the rays! 

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser

This comes in three options, one for combination/oily, one for normal/combination skin and one for dry/sensitive skin. I would actually recommend using this morning and night but if your like myself sometimes putting cream upon cream on your face during the day just leaves your skin feeling sticky and horrible. Why do I love the Skin Repair Moisturiser from Liz Earle? It packs quite a few things into it! Let me try and break some of it down and not ramble on too much. 

Vitamin E - Protects the skin from environmental damage, Helps your skin absorb other compounds, Is an anti-inflammatory, helps protect against water loss from your skin and proven to be effective in reducing wrinkles caused by the sun. 

Borage Oil - Never heard of it? It's a great source of GLA! What the hell is GLA? Gamma-linolenic acid!  Sounds scary? It's not! GLA can work wonders on your skin. People who used or took GLA  found it helped with skin conditions such as acne, dermatitis, psoriasis, dermatitis and it helps prevent moisture loss. It helps reduce inflammation in the skin and worked wonders for people with dry skin. 

Beta-Carotene - This is the stuff that makes carrots orange, nope it won't turn you orange. Now when you take Beta-carotene it's either turned into vitamin A or it acts as an antioxidant helping protect and rid your body of damage caused by free radicals.  So good bye nasty things caught up in our pores and hello beautiful skin! 

Tonymoly, I'm Real Mask - Aloe

I'm sure we all know that Aloe is fantastic for skin that has been playing in the sun for too long. One thing my Mum would always do when we went on holiday was keep a bottle of usually Aloe gel in the fridge. It is super refreshing, soothing and helps bring down redness. These handy sheet masks are only £5! Just pop the sheet mask on a cleansed face, relax for 20/30 minutes and I promise your skin will thank you. These are also perfect for taking away if you are off on holiday and you could even store them in the fridge for an extra refreshing pamper session. 

Bed Time Treat

When I worked in the beauty industry and asked people about their skincare routines I was surprised by how many people don't have a night time routine. Most people would remove their makeup usually with a makeup wipe and that was them finished. Some people didn't even wash their face if they hadn't worn makeup during the day. I personally love a little pamper before I head to the land of nod! I think it's super important to cleanse and moisturise our faces before bed and even if you have been makeup free throughout the day you will be surprised how much dirt and oil will have gathered on your face throughout the day. I also enjoy using a good night cream, why wouldn't I want a cream that works it's magic whilst i'm catching some zzz's!? They can come with a hefty price tag so what if you want something more affordable?

Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream

This seaweed night cream only costs £18.50 compared to others that can come in at the £80/£90 mark. It's oil free, The Seaweed extract contains nourishing trace minerals and has the ability to form a protective barrier on the skin, With collagen and hyaluronic acid to soften and hydrate the skin minus the pore clogging and is the perfect bedtime cream for everyone. 

Alpha-H, Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum

Alpha-H products are incredible! This is on the pricier side for most people at £51 but as the name suggests it's worth it. It works while you sleep to reduce the appearance of age spots, redness and inflammation which are all things that can be caused by exposure to the sun. It promises to banish dull skin, increase firmness of the skin and to gently resurface your skin and minimise pores and scarring. Basically its packed with goodness and deserves to be called Liquid Gold! 

I am not affiliated with any of the mentioned brands above, these are simply my opinions and preferences.