Prepping Your Summer Skin Care Routine

As the days get longer and warmer the last thing you might be thinking about it your skin, but it is important to transition your skincare to a summer routine.

The warm summer weather can be a shock to your skin after the frozen chills of wintertime. Heat and humidity bring a whole new set of challenges when it comes to your skincare routine. With a little research, the right products, and healthy habits, you can maintain beautiful, clean, clear skin throughout the summer season.

With that said, here are four things you should consider for your summer skin care needs.

1. Moisturizing

During the dry winter months, you were likely using a heavy moisturizer to combat the cold dry air, or mixing your face cream with one of our serums. Emollient-based lotions and soaps are a great way to go when it’s cold.

Karina’s favourite winter skin care product is our Calming Serum. It provides a little extra nourishment and moisture during those dry months. However, with the warmer and more humid months of summer, you might want to switch things up.

Warm summer air naturally carries more moisture and is more humid than the winds of winter, so it won’t cause your skin to dry out nearly as fast, or as often. It is still important to stay moisturized, which is why we created our Essential Face Cream. On its own, it is the perfect lighter moisturizer, and it won’t clog your pores.

2. Sleeping

This one might seem a little outside-the-box, but the quality of your sleep directly relates to the quality of your skin. Depriving yourself of sleep causes your body to increase the production of cortisol - a stress hormone. Having high cortisol levels can lead to skin inflammation and acne, so make sure you’re doing everything you can to get the right amount of sleep.

Owning the right pillows, a quality mattress, and regularly washing your bed sheets should be a priority for those seeking healthy skin.

3. Cleansing

The arrival of summertime means an increase in activity and play. Being active in hotter weather means you’re bound to sweat more than usual, and sweat leads to clogged pores and oily skin. Add sunscreen to the mix and this can cause you to break out at an increased frequency if you’re not on top of your skincare game.

Make sure you’re using a nourishing cleanser to keep your pores clean and clear. We love our Cleansing Oil or Cream Cleanser which both remove dirt, makeup and sunscreen all in one step. Sure, it might seem strange to cleanse your already oily and sweaty skin with oil, but when used as a cleanser, plant oils dissolve dirt, makeup residue, and prevent the build-up of oil and bacteria that can reside deep in our pores.

4. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is absolutely necessary to keep your skin healthy during the summer months. UV rays can cause a variety of health issues, from suppression of your immune system, to premature aging, to skin cancer. We all love to get a good tan, but the possibility of skin damage like this simply isn’t worth the risk.

Applying sunscreen to your skin is crucial, but beware of ingredients like oxybenzone, which can not only harm our own health but can also harm the health of coral reefs. We recommend going the extra mile to find an all natural, toxin-free sunscreen, that still gives your skin full UV protection with ingredients like zinc oxide. 

5. Exfoliate

Don't forget to gently exfoliate about once a week. Exfoliating not only encourages skin cell regeneration, but helps your other products to be absorbed into the skin more effectively. It really is key to keeping your skin feeling fresh. It's also such a beautiful self care moment after a long day of outdoor adventure.

Mix a quarter-sized amount of your favourite Face Polish with water to make a paste, exfoliate and relax. Craving some extra deep cleansing? Let your face polish sit and the clay will act as a mask!