5 Ways Your Beauty Routine is Wrecking Your Summer Skin

We all look forward to summer and the warmer, sunnier weather it brings us. Summer can also be an ideal time to show off the healthy, radiant skin we’ve worked so hard to maintain all year long. That said, the change in weather requires a change in skincare–which involves much more than ensuring proper sun protection. Your skincare for summer not only needs to take into account exactly what your skin needs in order to remain healthy and radiant, but also what needs to be avoided so as not to wreck your skin.

Summer Beauty Tips

Everything from what you put into your body, to the weather you are exposed to and the products you apply to your skin affect its overall condition. During the hottest season of the year, we can sometimes become overzealous in some aspects of our skincare while also neglecting some of the most important aspects of skincare. Following are five ways your beauty routine could be wrecking your skin, along with tips on how to achieve healthy skin in summer:

1. Taking hot showers. It’s a funny fact that even in the heat of summer we often enjoy steaming up in a hot shower. Unfortunately, this is very bad for your skin and can cause irritation and excessive drying. A better option is a lukewarm shower that will cleanse and purify your skin without compromising the skin’s natural barrier. It is also a good idea to use gentle cleansers that won’t strip the skin of its natural oils.
    
2. Over-exfoliating your skin. With our skin constantly shedding dead cells, we understand the importance of exfoliating it to keep it from clogging or becoming dull. However, over-exfoliation can irritate and inflame the skin, sometimes even discoloring it, which leads to more problems than it solves. Consider using a gentle exfoliant once a week, and visiting the spa for once-monthly professional body exfoliation treatment.
    
3. Using the wrong anti-aging products. The correct anti-aging products can be enormously helpful in increasing collagen production and slowly collagen breakdown, which can help skin look more firm and plump. However, not all anti-aging products are right for all skin types, and some can cause more harm than good. It is a good idea to speak with a skincare professional to find out what anti-aging product will work best for you, including whether it should be a cream, gel, lotion or serum, and of what strength.
    
4. Indulging in high glycemic foods. We may crave our favorite breads, pastas, and sweets during the summer months, but these foods are not good for our heart or our skin. High glycemic foods increase blood cortisol levels and can lead to skin inflammation as a result. It is far better to restrict your intake of these types of foods and eat plenty of whole foods, including plenty of vegetables.
    
5. Failing to apply SPF. There are a million reasons why we could excuse our lack of SPF use on any particular day, including our claim that we need to have at least some exposure to the sun in order to gain much-needed natural vitamin D. It’s true that some sun exposure is good for our skin, but during the summer we often receive much more than “some” sun exposure. A good sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide help to form a protective barrier that will ensure your skin is not exposed to dangerous UV rays that can cause lasting damage and sometimes other serious health issues, like skin cancer.

Summer is undoubtedly a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors and all it can bring. By adjusting your skincare routine and avoiding those things that damage your skin, you will be able to show off the healthy, radiant skin you work so hard to achieve and maintain year-round.

Love,

Gen