Our skin reacts differently to climates, seasons, and other environmental factors. As the body’s official largest organ, your skin absorbs things both from the environment and the things you ingest.
As the heat turns up this Summer, we may need to tweak our skincare routine to ensure we’re getting enough hydration and of course, lots of SPF!
I’m going to break down my simple skincare routine for the summer and offer some tips to keep your skin hydrated and glowing all summer long.
My Skincare Routine for Combination-Dry skin
I have combination-dry skin which means I’m more prone to getting oily around my T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) while the rest of my face is relatively dry. In the summer, oil, and sebum production increases which means we’re likely to get more clogged pores if we’re not cleansing properly every day.
I try not to use too many products, especially ones that will dry out my skin further. Even if you have skin that is more on the oily side, it’s not recommended you use too many drying agents because it will disturb your skin’s natural balance— forcing it to produce more oil to counteract it.
My Daily Routine
Cleanser
I always start and end the day with an acne prevention face cleanser. The one I’m using right now is from Neutrogena and is infused with salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid is a common agent you will find in any type of acne treatment. It both acts as an astringent (to clean out bacteria) and reduces inflammation in the skin.
Toner
There are a lot of fancy and expensive toners on the market, but I’ve stuck with this one for over a year. It’s the tea-tree oil toner from the Body Shop. Every bottle comes to about $16 CAD and lasts me a few months. I simply take a cotton pad, pour a small amount from the bottle, and gently dab it over my face. This step also removes excess dirt/dust that the facial cleanser doesn’t fully remove sometimes.
Hydrate (2-step)
Now one of the most essential parts of my routine is hydration.
I use two products from Deciem:
Starting with the Hyaluronic Acid 2%+B5 from The Ordinary line which is a hydration support formula that contains ultra-pure, vegan hyaluronic acid. It’s a clear product but the texture is somewhat sticky. Once I apply a few drops of this to my face, I finish with the Natural Moisturizing Factors+ HA which is a surface hydration formula.
The one before acts as a serum, while the latter acts like a moisturizer. As our skin has multiple layers, we want to ensure we use a good serum that can penetrate the deeper layers of our skin, and protect the top surface of our skin with a good, lightweight moisturizer.
SPF Protection
To protect my skin from harmful UV rays (sun spots and aging anyone?) I apply two pumps of the Caudalie SPF 50 spray. It’s an ultra-lightweight formula that has an almost milky consistency which I love.
Weekly Routine
On a weekly or biweekly basis, I use an exfoliator from Eau Thermale Avene to remove dead skin cells from my face. This helps with unclogging the pores. As well, I take the additional step of applying a clay mask from Dermina which deeply cleanses and draws out dirt from the pores, leaving you with more radiant skin.
Tips for Healthy Skin in the Summer
- Drink 1-2 L of water a day
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day is critical for healthy, balanced skin. No matter how much moisturizer you put on the outer layer of your skin, if you’re internally dehydrated—the signs will show. Because it’s hotter in the summer, your body is prone to losing more water than usual—ie. sweating.
- Reduce your intake of alcohol
The overconsumption of alcoholic beverages (yes, this is hard to avoid in the Summer especially) is a big culprit for flaky, blotchy, and dehydrated skin. Try to make it a rule that for every drink you have to also have a glass of water.
- Layer on the SPF
The rays are strong especially in the summer. Get into a habit of applying a lightweight SPF in your skincare routine. Some moisturizers and tints already come with SPF, so you might even get to skip the additional step of applying it after. I prefer at least 50 SPF protection.
- Eat nutrient dense foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts)
Aside from water content, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables provides you with nutrients that strengthens your skin.
Vitamin C that is found within citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, as well as strawberries, spinach and broccoli and has oxidation fighting properties and boosts collagen production (which is the stuff that makes your skin bouncy and soft). Having vitamin C in your diet can also enhance the absorption of the SPF you apply on your skin. Most people don’t know that Vitamin C is already found in high levels in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and the dermis (inner layer).
The main function of Vitamin E is defense. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps the skin defend against harmful UV rays, which can prevent dark spots and wrinkles. Vitamin E is found in nuts and seeds like almonds, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts.
Vitamin K is found in dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, lettuce, cabbage and green beans and is essential for the body’s blood clotting capabilities, which helps with healing. Having enough vitamin K can help reduce stretch marks, spider veins, scars, dark spots and dark circles under the eyes.
Vitamin D is not only great for fortifying your bone health, but it’s proven to improve your skin tone. Vitamin D is found in fatty fish like salmon, tuna and cod and fortified yogurts, juices and cereals. But the best way to get a healthy dose of Vitamin D is direct sunlight exposure (ten minutes a day).
- Go light on the makeup
Wearing foundation, concealers, powders introduces oil, dirt, and particles into your pores every single day. The prolonged effect of this is more clogging and acne, especially given you’re already producing more sebum and sweat in the summer. Try to go at least 3 times a week without wearing makeup (or wear light amounts) and you might begin to notice a drastic difference in the state of your skin.
Conclusion
Everyone’s skin care routine is different based on their skin type, environment and needs. I put together a relatively simple list of products I like using on a daily and weekly basis that focuses on cleansing and hydrating, which I think are the most crucial in the summer.
I recommend people go out and experiment with different products to find out what works the best for themselves. And once you find the select few you can’t live without, it’ll save you a lot of time down the line from shopping and looking for different products.
And last of all, remember what goes in is often just as important as what goes on top!
Secret Prose 
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