It's gettin' hot in here, so update your skincare! Did you sing that? You did? I did too🤣
Whether you get the joke or not what is not a joke is the health of your skin. If you only splash water on your face in the summer then you are doing you face a disservice. Now I'm not saying you need to spend $$$ on skincare but it is important to care for your skin.
Especially as the weather gets warmer, our skin can take a beating from a lack of hydration, moisture, and extended exposure to the sun. As the seasons change our skincare needs to change with it.
Below is my current skincare routine, defining the steps and highlighting my favorite products.
Step 1: Drink a cup of water
The first thing I do is drink water. Why? Because hydration comes from within. Most of what we put on top of our skin is moisturizing and while that isn't "bad" it's important to have a balance of moisture and hydration for skin that feels cared for. Best of all it's "$Free.99", in other words you already pay for it with your water bill so it's not an extra cost 🙌🏾
Step 2: Use a gentle non-foaming cleanser
If you have skin like mine (sensitive combo) you want to be careful to not over wash your skin with foam. Using foam twice a day can sometimes cause dryness since you're stripping away your skin's natural oils. Sometimes skin can get even oilier because it's trying to quickly replenish it's natural balance of oils. I say that to say, try using a non-foaming face wash in the morning. Personally I prefer a gel-like formula like the Skin Cleanser Unscented - 16 oz by Cetaphil ($9.59 at Target), a little goes a LONG way.
Step 3: Pat on a hydrating toner
Yes, put it in your palms and PAT it on! Similar to the idea from above, you want to avoid stripping your skin especially in the morning. So rather than using a toner that is meant to clarify or exfoliate, use a toner that is meant to hydrate or moisturize your skin while balancing your skins pH. I've already mentioned this toner in other posts, but it really is my favorite for the morning, the Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer by Laneige ($15.00 -$33.00 at Sephora) is always bae!
Step 4: Apply a little light moisturizer
Now it's hot but that doesn't mean you shouldn't apply a little moisturizer to your skin. In the morning using a gel or gel-cream moisturizer can leave your skin feeling comfortably soft as opposed to tight after washing and toning. If you use the Laneige toner from Step 3 you might even skip this step on really sweaty days since it's a multi-purpose toner. Listen to your skin and it will tell you what it needs for the day. My go-to is the Oat So Simple Water Cream by Krave Beauty ($28.00 on their site) it's light weight and can easily be used for day or night!
Step 5: Apply sunscreen
Let me begin by saying USE SUNSCREEN EVERYDAY! Far too many people believe that if they're in a car, office, school, or if they wear a big hat for most of the day that they don't need sunscreen. The sun does not care where you are and some light bulbs CAN emit UV rays, so it's better to be safe than sorry! My favorite sunscreen for a little over a year is The Beet Shield by Krave Beauty ($20.00 on their site). Not only does it go on my skin without a white-cast, it's also NOT sticky and lasts a LONG time!
There you have it! My summer skincare routine. If you have any favorite summer skincare products be sure to leave it in the comments!
Lastly, while the products may change over time, the steps always stay the same. Please continue to care for your skin with more than just a splash of water 🙏🏾