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.
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!
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![5 Unusual Things That Can Trigger Breakouts]()
No idea why you’re getting an influx of acne right now? Many lifestyle habits can trigger your breakouts – and sometimes they’re found in the most unsuspecting places.
As you know, acne is caused by one thing and one thing alone: an excess of sebum that causes your pores to become blocked with oil, dead skin cells, bacteria and other impurities. Eating too much chocolate doesn’t give you pimples. Neither does moisturizer. Sure, they can trigger breakouts if you’re genetically susceptible to them, but acne isn’t caused by uncleanliness, a poor diet or crummy skincare routine. It’s caused by blocked pores. End of.
OK, so this begs the question: why bother trying to cure them if your breakouts are totally out of your control? Well, here’s the thing. You can’t change your genes, that’s for certain. However, what you can do is keep acne-triggering factors under control to help lessen the blow. Sleeping well, reducing emotional stress and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet; all these things are important for maintaining balanced sebum and therefore reducing the likelihood of you breaking out week after week.
But there are also some less obvious reasons why you face might be suffering with regular breakouts. So if you’ve already dispensed with things like smoking, poor cleansing and too much exfoliation, but you’re still getting pimples on the reg, it might be time to look at some of the more unexpected areas of your life.
On that note, read on for five slightly more unusual causes for your breakouts.
1. Your Pillowcase
Getting enough beauty sleep is crucial for the health of your skin, but if you’re sleeping on a dirty pillowcase for a solid eight hours every night dirt and bacteria is inevitably going to build up and irritate your pores. This is especially true if you sleep on a synthetic pillowcase because man-made fibers don’t absorb sweat as effectively as natural fibres like cotton or linen.
The answer? Go natural all the way, for starters. Also, cleanse and moisturize your skin before bed to reduce the amount of grime getting on your pillowcase. Tea Tree Super Cleanser+ is a great acne-fighting cleanser that balances and clarifies your pores. Follow this with Retinol Moisturizer to lightly hydrate and moisturize your skin while boosting cellular turnover to keep your pores free of dead skin cells.
Finally, wash your pillowcase every three or four days. And ditto, your face towel. Old, dirty towels that are used by the whole family for drying their hands and who-knows-what-else are another breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Do you really want to be swiping this all over your freshly cleansed skin? Thought not. So, invest in a couple of cotton face towels for you and you alone and wash them every other day.
2. Your Makeup & Hair Products
Your skincare routine might be spot on, but what about your makeup and hair products? Rich hair conditioners, for example, are notorious for containing heavy ingredients like cocoa butter and coconut oil which, granted, are incredible for moisturizing your precious locks, but are not so great for acne-prone skin. Of course, we know you’re not smothering your face with conditioner but still, it can settle on your face when you rinse your hair so always cleanse your skin after, never before conditioning.
Makeup can similarly clog up your pores, especially if you use formulations that contain oil. So don’t do that. Instead, look out for noncomedogenic products (this means they’re less likely to block pores) and use powder rather than liquid formulations whenever possible.
3. Your Workout Routine
Do you love to get a good sweat on when you’re working out? High fives to you. However, allow all that sweat and grime to sit on your skin and your pores are going to clog up quicker than your instructor can say ‘hit the floor for ten push-ups.’
Cleanse your skin thoroughly and swiftly after exercising (the longer you leave your skin doused in sweat and grimy workout gear, the more bacteria is likely to breed), and always use a mild but effective cleanser that helps to detoxify your skin without drying it out. Our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is a goodie as it harnesses the powers of coconut-derived activated charcoal which destroys skin-smothering impurities to offer a deep, gently purifying clean every time.
4. Your Winter Cover-Ups
Any fabric that rubs against your skin can lead to unwanted issues in the long-term. Remember how face masks were causing ‘maskne’ back in the pandemic? This was all due to friction from the mask combining with the obvious culprits of sweat, dirt, oil, bacteria and humidity which caused dryness, irritation and pimples.
Thankfully, for most of us, the days of having to wear a mask 24/7 are over. However, if you spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter and like to wrap yourself up in woollen hats and thick, heavy scarves, these can cause similar problems, trapping sweat and increasing friction around your chin, jaw, neck and forehead.
To help reduce breakouts caused by beanies, scarves (and even turtleneck sweaters), avoid synthetic fabrics and launder your winter cover-ups regularly. Weekly, at least.
5. Your Laundry Detergent
Speaking of laundry, your choice of detergent is also imperative. Just like your beauty routine, certain ingredients in your laundry detergent can be super irritating – especially if you have extremely sensitive or acne-prone skin. Fragrance, for example, can be a real Debbie Downer, as can harsh dyes, essentials oils, strong surfactants and preservatives.
To reduce the likelihood of your laundry detergent triggering those pesky breakouts, first up, choose liquid over powder detergents. Why? Because these leave behind less residue on your clothes and fabrics (who knew?!). Also, never use more detergent than is recommended on the label, avoid fabric softeners and try double rinsing your laundry after washing to remove as much residue as possible.
5 Unusual Things That Can Trigger Breakouts
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