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All Your Summer Skincare Questions – Answered!

All Your Summer Skincare Questions – Answered!

Ensure your skin looks and feels its absolute best this sunny season by genning up on everything you need to know about good summer skincare and smart beauty habits. Hint: no you can’t skip sunscreen. Ever.

Summer skin is all about protection, protection and more protection. But you surely know that applying sunscreen every day is an absolute given, don’t you? DON’T YOU? Phew. Then here are a few other summer skincare questions you might have often wondered about…

Which Is Better, Mineral Or Chemical Sunscreen?

Ha, that depends on who you ask!

We believe mineral sunscreen ingredients are far superior to chemical ones but that’s because our incredible SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C makes us kind of biased. Mineral sunscreens like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide work by immediately deflecting damaging UV rays away from the surface of your skin, whereas chemical filters like octisalate and avobenzone absorb it and break it down. They also need to be applied for a good 20 minutes before they're able to get to work.

In truth, mineral and chemical sunscreens are equally as effective and some prefer the feel of chemical sunscreens on their skin. However, many experts believe that certain chemical sunscreens may cause hormonal disruption. Not to mention their potential to negatively affect our planet’s marine life. We’re not down with that. Mineral sunscreens, FTW!

How Can I Avoid Those Dreaded Sun Spots?

Easy: stay out of the sun. OK, we know that’s not strictly viable, but seriously, if you don’t want sun spots to ruin your skin’s mojo, you need to stop allowing UV radiation to do a number on your skin.

Sun spots, or solar lentigines, occur when the sun overstimulates the production of melanin (the pigment in your skin) and it gets all out of control, causing uneven brown patches and blotchy skin. Of course, these can be treated with lasers, light-based treatments and topical skincare but prevention is ALWAYS better than cure so be diligent with your sun protection, applying sunscreen every day, re-applying it all day long and avoiding strong sunlight whenever possible.

Also, remember that not all sun spots are quite as innocent as they seem. There is always a danger they can be cancerous so if any mole, freckle or dark spot looks or feels unusual, get it checked out by a professional immediately. Chances are it’s nothing to be worried about, but wouldn’t you rather be sure?

What Are The Best Ways To Reduce Oily Skin When The Temps Hot Up?

Well, first up, do not stop moisturizing your skin. Moisturizing is vital all year round to help keep your skin balanced, hydrated and healthy. The summer months, however, are generally more humid than the winter ones which means it contains extra moisture to help keep your skin hydrated. This means you can definitely afford to lighten it up in the summertime if your regular day cream feels too heavy. Just don’t stop altogether.

Also, try to maximize all that free moisture in the air by applying Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum every morning after cleansing and before moisturizing. Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet, drawing water from the air to the surface of the skin without overloading it or blocking up your pores. We love it. You should, too.

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Do I Need To Worry About Applying Retinol In Summer?

If you’re a seasoned retinol user and are vigilant about applying sunscreen every morning, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue to use your retinol treatment as normal. Many people believe that retinol makes your skin more sun sensitive and therefore stop using it during the summer months, but that’s not strictly true. Instead, it’s simply not that photostable which means it breaks down and loses potency when it’s exposed to UV radiation. If you use retinol before bed, however, and then commit to a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen every morning without fail, you’re good to use it all year round.

Is SPF Makeup Enough To Protect My Skin Every Day?

Sun protective makeup can be a great addition to regular sunscreen and is great for on-the-go touch-ups , but we don’t believe it should replace your sunscreen. And here’s why: unless you cake your entire face and neck with a thick layer of foundation, you just don’t apply enough to truly offer the broad-spectrum UV protection your skin needs.

We say stick with your sunscreen and think of SPF makeup as the icing on the cake.

Should I Exfoliate More Or Less During The Summer Months?

Most derms agree that a little extra exfoliation in the summertime can be awesome for helping to keep your pores clean and clear while balancing excess sebum and controlling breakouts. Good news for oily skin types, for sure. However, it’s important to remember that over-exfoliating is one of the biggest skin no-nos because it screws up your barrier function and can make your skin itchy, red, irritated and super dehydrated. Very uncool.

Instead of exfoliating every day like your life depended on it as soon as the sun comes out to play, slowly increase the number of days you exfoliate per week to get a feel of what your skin can handle. Do you usually exfoliate just once a week? Then try it twice weekly to see how that goes.

We have two awesome exfoliators for you to try. Our new Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub which is an incredible, glow-getting physical scrub, and 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant which combines a harmonic blend of exfoliating acids to gently improve cell turnover and reveal brighter, stronger skin. It’s hard to choose, we get that. Sorry, not sorry.

Other Than Sunscreen, How Else Can I Protect My Skin From Sun Damage?

Sunscreen is the most important, for sure, but there are many other ways to look after your skin and shield it from those damaging UV rays.

Topical antioxidants, for a start, are fantastic for reducing free radical damage and conserving your collagen supplies which are easily screwed up by sunlight. They basically neutralize free radicals before they get a chance to cause mayhem in your skin. Vitamins C and E are two of the best antioxidants in skincare and as great as they are alone, they work even better together! Try our Vitamin C Facial Serum underneath your moisturizer and sunscreen every morning for the ultimate sun protective routine.

Other than these important skincare musts, think about wearing longer sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, loose pants and sunglasses as a rule of thumb. And stay in the shade and out of the direct sun.

Now, stay safe out there, people!

More About This Article

Georgia Gould

Georgia Gould

Georgia is an award-winning beauty writer who has been in the business for over 20 years. British-born, she began her career as a magazine beauty editor in London before moving to San Francisco, CA in 2012 where she now continues her love as a freelance writer and editor. As well as her editorial work, Georgia has created content for many high-profile beauty brands, including Clarins, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Simple and TRESemmé. Her passions include retinol (obviously), golfing, skiing and walking her beloved Schnauzer, Dave.

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