It’s hard to resist stepping out during summer due to work or other reasons. After all, summer is the season of holidays and vacations. However, spending too much time outside can harm the skin.
The summer sun can cause skin discolouration, acne and breakouts. Proper skin care is essential to guard against damage to the skin.
How does summer affect your skin?
The hot weather during summer brings along dirt and dust that can clog the sweat duct of the skin, trapping perspiration. This can cause small bumps, itchy rashes or blisters.
When the skin is not sufficiently hydrated, it becomes irritated, dry and more susceptible to sunburn. The lips may begin to crack, and dry patches may form.
Exposure to the UV radiation from the sun causes the melanin in the skin to form a protective shield. Melanin causes dark pigmentation on the skin. The end result is tanning, skin darkening or hyperpigmentation.
The high temperature creates an ideal environment for bacteria and viruses to thrive. When touching the face with hands that have touched other surfaces containing germs can result in skin infection.
15 tips to take care of your skin in summer
Skincare is essential during summer. Adhering to the following tips can help shield the skin during summer to a great extent.
Wash your face twice a day
Cleansing the face with a face wash helps remove excess oil, dirt and other impurities formed due to sun exposure. Washing the face twice daily can help clean the skin and maintain suppleness.
Opt for a good skincare routine
Following a simple yet effective skincare routine can help tackle summer skin problems. Skincare should start with using the right cleanser followed by applying a light moisturiser. Then, the skin must be layered with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Avoiding heavy makeup during hot weather is good for the skin.
Include antioxidants in the skin care regimen
Antioxidants help protect the skin’s surface from oxidative damage caused by free radicals, UV light and pollution. They can be included in the skincare routine by using products containing antioxidants like vitamin C, niacinamide, vitamin E and retinol.
Hydrate the skin
Hot weather causes the body to lose excess water, resulting in dehydration. The skin becomes dry, irritated and red due to lack of water.
Summer heat also causes more sweat, oil and faster skin cell production. So, it is advisable to stay indoors and hydrate the skin by increasing water intake.
Exfoliate
Exfoliation removes dead cells from the surface of the skin. A scrub is used on the face and the body in circular motions and rinsed thoroughly. Exfoliation eliminates substances that can clog the pores and cause acne.
It is recommended to try doing this 2-3 times per week. Summer is when the skin requires extra moisture and hydration, and exfoliation can render suppleness.
Apply sunscreen
Sun tan makes the skin flaky and pale, making it lose its natural glow. Excessive sun exposure tans the skin and also results in skin problems like sunburn, dark spots or hyperpigmentation.
Sunscreens are skincare products with active ingredients that shield skin cells from the sun’s harmful UV radiation. Applying sunscreen protects the skin from tanning and sunburn and prevents skin cancer development.
Using sunscreens with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is vital for sunscreen to do its job. The higher the SPF, the better it protects the skin from the sun. Dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Avoid heavy makeup
Less or nil makeup is ideal for summer. Heavy makeup product usage will result in patchy skin.
Heat can harm the makeup. The tone, consistency and quality of the makeover will change, and bacterial growth is also known to occur. This is more common while using liquid lipsticks.
Use a good toner
A toner’s role in skincare is to close all the open pores in the skin. A lot of oil is produced in the skin during summer, accumulating in the open pores and causing acne.
Using refreshing toners can help avoid such problems. Aloe vera or cucumber-infused toners are best during this season.
Moisturise well
The hot weather is known to dry out the skin. Applying moisturiser helps seal the lost moisture, thereby fighting dryness and providing hydration. It is an added benefit when the moisturiser contains SPF.
Sun exposure damages the skin and also causes early ageing signs. Moisturising the skin prevents fine lines and wrinkle formation.
Not to forget the eyes, lips & feet
Eyes, lips and feet are equally harmed by the sun like the rest of the skin. Therefore, special care is required for those areas.
The skin around the eyes is delicate, and the sun can be harsh in this area. Moisturiser and sunscreen should be applied around the eyes and on the feet. Lip balms can protect the lips, and those with SPF can be preferred.
Apart from these, you can use face masks that can be a go-to option to get additional skin glow during this summer.
Explore more: 10 DIY Fresh Fruit Face Mask Recipes
Drink more water & fruit juices
Hydration is the priority during summer. Water is undoubtedly the go-to drink for hydration.
For people who dislike the taste of water, fruit juices can be the best alternative and a healthy way of hydration.
However, bottled or readymade juices are no good and fresh fruit is preferable. Juices provide nutrients and also help in detoxification. Drinking more water and fruit juices helps restore the body’s water content.
Go for seasonal fruits and vegetables
Foods that are consumed during their proper seasons are nutritious with better taste and are also inexpensive. Summer seasonal foods contain high nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants that help prevent summer skin problems.
Summer seasonal fruits:
- Watermelon
- Muskmelon
- Mango
- Lemon
- Lychee
- Jackfruit
Explore more: Seasonal fruits to eat during summer
Summer seasonal vegetables
Stay away from sugary drinks
Drinks with sugar content increase the thirst and are not ideal during summer. Drinking energy drinks containing sugar causes the blood sugar to drop rather than providing energy.
Staying away from sugary drinks in summer also prevents health problems from occurring.
Wear breathable fabrics
Fabric choice is essential, especially with the temperature rise. Cotton is one fabric that is breathable due to the small gaps, making it easy to absorb and expel sweat.
Being natural and lightweight, cotton is ideal during summertime. Linen is also prefered due to its breathability and durability. It’s very light and is simple to clean.
Have a bath twice a day
During the summer, taking a bath twice a day is essential as the rise in temperature causes heat and increases oiliness. Bathing removes unwanted germs in the body and also reduces fatigue after a tiring day.
Does your skin change with the seasons?
Skin does change with the seasons. In summer, the skin becomes oily and heavy as the dirt and dead skin cells are trapped on the surface of the skin.
Pores may be clogged due to the mix of bacteria and oils, causing breakouts. Dry, red and irritated skin results due to hot weather.
What should be your summer skincare routine?
Sunshield
Sun shields are large pairs of sunglasses that protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays by covering the entire face.
Wearing a sun shield provides an additional layer of UV protection that we could always use. It comes in handy, especially when someone forgets to reapply sunscreen every two hours.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen plays its role in protecting against sun damage through the sun filters and active ingredients present in them.
People need protection from two types of UV rays from the sun, UVA and UVB. UVB light can damage the epidermis and can also cause sunburn. UVA can penetrate the dermis layer, causing wrinkles and tanning and even leading to skin cancer.
Sunscreen shields the skin from these lights. There are physical and chemical sunscreens available in the market. The only way sunscreens work is by absorbing and dissipating photon energy. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of a minimum of 30 is required during summer.
Clothing and lip balms
Clothes that are lightweight, breathable and loose-fitting that can absorb and expel sweat are best for summer. Cotton and linen are fabrics with these properties.
Lip balms help treat dry, cracked and chapped lips caused due to dehydration. Lip balms with SPF are an added advantage.
Sunglasses and cosmetics
Wearing sunglasses with UV protection in the summer can help reduce the risks of cataracts, eye cancers and other glaucoma complications. Sun also harms the tissues of the eye and cornea and leads to premature ageing of the delicate skin surrounding the eyes. Sunglasses guard against all these complications.
Cosmetics and makeup that are heavy are not suited during summer. To survive the hottest season, avoid heavy makeup and just stick to a basic skincare routine. Choose cosmetics, if needed, with SPF.
Damages of different skin types in summer
The effect of the sun differs for different skin types.
Oily skin
Sun exposure can cause oily skin to produce more oil, resulting in seborrhoea and blemishes. Thick sunscreen applications will only clog pores and cause blackheads and whiteheads.
Oily skin people can prefer a lightweight, non-comedogenic gel or fluid-based sunscreen. Sunscreen with ingredients like tea tree oil, niacinamide or green tea can help these individuals.
Dry skin
The sun can cause already-dry skin to become even drier, giving it a flaky and cracked appearance that makes it appear wrinkled and tired.
The skin’s water content is depleted, and the Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF) can be damaged due to a weakened skin barrier, drying the skin even more.
A cream-based sunscreen containing moisturising ingredients like glycerin, ceramides and hyaluronic acid can help those with dry skin.
The sunscreen should provide broad-spectrum protection to reduce redness and boost the anti-ageing properties of the skin.
Sensitive skin
When exposed to the sun, sensitive skin tends to break out in rashes. Redness, itchiness and other inflammation are also common.
A broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with zinc or titanium oxide and calming ingredients like allantoin is suitable for sensitive skin. SPF of 30—50 is recommended.
Combination skin
The hot season is also highly damaging to combination skin. Acne breakouts, dark spots, blemishes and rashes are also possible.
Combination skin can prefer lightweight and gel-based sunscreen. The product must be light enough for the oily parts and smooth enough for the dry parts of the skin.
Normal skin
Heat has little effect on normal skin, but continuing the summer skincare routine is essential to keep it healthy.
Any sunscreen that is suitable for normal skin individuals can be prefered.
Conclusion
Human skin is delicate, and to protect it from excessive heat, a summer skincare routine is required.
The skincare should commence with face wash, toner, sunscreen and moisturiser. Exfoliation can be added to the evening routine. The choice of products also plays a crucial role in skin health.
Apart from the external skincare routine, drinking adequate water and eating a balanced healthy diet help maintain the skin during summer.
