When it comes to our faces, we don't rely on just anyone to tell us what our skin needs to get that ever-eluvise glow. Instead, we turn to skin-care veteran (and celebrity fave!) Rene'e Rouleau, who knows it takes more than the right products to get radiant.
Summer has unofficially started, and the increased heat and humidity are here to stay for the next few months. The positive aspects of this change of season include beach time, pretty new sandals, glowing skin, a dewy complexion, and plenty of time outside showing off said sandals and sun-kissed skin. The downside, unfortunately, can involve some annoying skin concerns, such as greasy skin, clogged pores, sun spots, and overall sensitivity, which can disrupt our carefree summer style.
When it comes to redness and sensitivity, there are several ways to keep skin calm, cool, and protected while enjoying the lazy, long days of summer. Here are my favorite tips and tricks:
- If you have sensitive, easily irritated skin, you should always use products that contain anti-inflammatory and calming ingredients, and you should especially use them during the summer months because heat can exacerbate this condition. Look for products with soothing ingredients like chamomile, sea whip, azulene, bisabolol, and white tea. Each of these ingredients contains natural and comforting relief for your skin. Be sure to avoid products with “fragrance” ingredients, as this indicates a synthetic perfume has been added and, for many, this can cause to irritation to the face — especially when combined with heat and sun.
- Cool or cold water on the skin will constrict capillaries to reduce redness, while hot water will dilate them and increase blood flow (redness). Turn down the temperature of your water to keep skin looking and feeling calm.
- Toners, serums and moisturizers are great items to keep in the fridge. Refrigerating products help to preserve their longevity — and more importantly, cool temperatures help soothe redness and keep skin feeling refreshed.
- It's a common assumption that skin gets oilier during the summer. While this is true, it is still important to moisturize because summer heat depletes much-needed water in skin, which causes dehydration. Because the increase in oil doesn't make up for lost water, there's still a need to moisturize. You may require a lighter moisturizer when the temperature is high (especially if you have oily skin and want to avoid clogged pores), but definitely don’t skip this all-important step.
- Running outside, kickboxing on a rooftop, and engaging in very strenuous/intense aerobic activities that aren't in a heavily air-conditioned gym can lead to imbalanced and red skin. When the temperature is high, choose an exercise that will cool and regulate blood flow, such as swimming. It’s great for the body and won’t overheat the skin.
- If you frequently get flushed skin, apply a cooling gel mask after exfoliating with a gentle facial scrub. This will instantly deliver hydration deep within the skin, ultimately making skin less sensitive over time. Gel masks help give skin a healthy, balanced glow.
- Have you ever noticed that during the summer, no matter how much sunscreen you apply, you still discover sun spots and discoloration? The reason is that heat given off from the sun can stimulate melanin activity; the only way to avoid this is to limit your time outdoors.
All of these tips help to keep skin temperature low and fight against heat-related hyper-pigmentation — but if these are concerns for you, limiting your time outside is your best option.
This article first appeared on Refinery29.com
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