School’s out and nothing says summer like a beautiful, sunny day. Another aspect of summer that I (and my skin) love is how it makes my skin glow with radiance.
However, you can’t just rely on the weather for radiant skin. Each season requires adjustments to your skin to achieve optimal results. Every season comes with its own skin care needs. The great part is, if you’ve already made the jump into a Spring Skincare Routine, there are only a few small tweaks you may need to make, so let’s get right into it.
Protect- don’t neglect!
We won’t sit here and nag about the need for sun protection. What we will mention is that you want to make sure the protection you’re wearing is appropriate for the amount of exposure your skin has to the sun.
(pssst… what to read about my chill approach to sun protection?)
All of our facial moisturizers contain UV-blocking Titanium Dioxide and our Calendula & Oat Facial Moisturizer is packed with 20% zinc. If you plan to be out in the sun for long periods of time, this won’t cut it. Opt for light clothing that will provide coverage and don’t forget the sunscreen. When it comes to sunscreen, my vote for the best clean, acne-prone-skin-safe sunscreen (and the one I personally use) is Green Beaver’s Non-Whitening Sunscreen. If that one doesn’t jive with you, I highly recommend finding a mineral-based sunscreen. One that uses titanium dioxide or zinc as it’s active sun-blocking ingredients. Below is a list of the most common ingredients you’ll want to avoid when choosing a sunscreen.
- Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3)
- Octinoxate (Octyl-Methoxycinnamate)
- PABA
- Homosalate
- Octocrylene
- Octisalate
- Avobenzone
Grab our free sunscreen guide below.
Guide to Facial Sunscreen
It’s no surprise that sun protection is top of mind for many of us as the temperatures heat up, we spend more time outside, and as more and more people learn about the benefits of year-round protection from UV rays.
Preventing inflammation, sensitivity, sunburns, and clogged pores (due to oxidized oils from UV exposure), are things we can all get behind.
The tricky part is finding the right sun protection for our skin.
To help you out, we put together a ☀️ guide to facial sunscreen ☀️ (based on the brands that radiant rebels in the facebook group wanted to know about the most).
The guide includes…
- Reviews of 11 different (and readily available) facial sunscreens
- Clarity about which of the 11 sunscreens are free of pore-clogging ingredients (and that play nice with acne-prone skin)
- Warnings about which of the 11 sunscreens have ingredients that could aggravate sensitive skin
- Quick tips for what to watch for when looking at sunscreens that aren’t listed in our guide.
Download your free guide to facial sunscreens by entering your email address below:
Lighten –up!
We mentioned this one in our blog entitled Spring Skincare Checklist for Radiant Skin. Simply stated, consider applying a lighter layer of your moisturizers or opting for a “lighter” formulation like our Raw Radiance Facial Moisturizer. The other option is our Calendula & Oat Moisturizer. It combines a lighter formula WITH the highest concentration of sun-blocking ingredients.
Nocturnal healing!
Bedtime is a GREAT time to up the intake on your boosters (i.e. gels, mists, and serums). This is when our body’s healing systems are at their optimal levels of production. Increasing your boosters during this time will support this process and speed up progress. Your skin will thank you in the morning!
Harness the power of antioxidants!
These dynamic molecules are our body’s best defence against free radicals and damage from the sun. They stop free radicals in their tracks and help to prevent future damage. Beautiful sunny skies are a crucial part of a successful summer, but they come with their own risks. Free radicals are at an all-time high during these months and it’s imperative to protect and defend against them. Wondering how to embrace (or boost) your antioxidant intake?
- Eat whole, colourful, in seasons foods
- Get those smoothies in ya (or if you’re a juicer, get that juice in ya!)
- Find fun and new ways to incorporate berries and fresh fruit into your meals or snacks – Pinterest is a treasure trove of ideas. Just search the fruits or veggies you’ve got on hand and a pile of yummy recipes will show up.
- Hit up your local farmers market and berry farms. It’s a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon. Plus, you’ll come up with all sorts of tasty treats.
- Grow your own! Staples in my gardens are rhubarb, raspberries, and kale.
- Don’t forget your skincare! Your skin needs antioxidants to keep oils from oxidizing and creating pore-clogging substances. All acne-prone and congestion-prone customers know how disastrous this can be! So load up on those topical antioxidants.
Get Gel-ly with it!
Aloe-based gels not only help improve the hydration levels of your skin. They also provide a lot of anti-inflammatory relief during the summer months when heat can lead to an excess of breakouts from conditions like eczema and acne.
Get wise to Vitamin D!
It’s a common misconception that once summer comes and we’re outdoors more often, our Vitamin D levels are restored after the long winter. This may have been true in the age where little was known about the damaging properties of UV Rays. Today people protect their skin from head to toe in sunscreen. This is a SMART habit to get into but the downside is that it also blocks other things that we need like Vitamin D. It’s not uncommon for people to be deficient in the vitamin D during the summer months. Taking a supplement may just be what you need to get back on track. Want to know if you have a vitamin D deficiency? All it takes is a simple blood test at your Dr.’s office. I know we’re supposed to be chatting about getting, or keeping, radiant skin, so why am I talking about vitamin D? Well, just like all organs, the skin (our largest organ), is affected by deficiencies. A deficiency in vitamin D, in particular, can stop us from reaching our clear skin goals. Having the appropriate amounts of vitamin D reduces acne, boosts collagen production (important for skin health and appearance – such as lessening fine lines) and reduces the appearance of dark spots /hyperpigmentation. Without enough vitamin D the skin can start to look shallow and dull. Internally, vitamin D is vital for reducing/clearing acne because it supports the body in ways that reduce the root causes & triggers of acne. It aids in the reduction of inflammation (which we know is a root cause of acne) and helps regulate the insulin response – which we learned (in this blog post) has a significant impact on acne development.
Ward off the risk of congestion!
While hydration is one of the biggest challenges during the winter, congestion is a significant issue in the warmer months of the year. Hydration and congestion are important factors to keep in mind all year long, but they tend to come in to play in bigger ways during certain times of the year. Here’s your basic breakdown of congestion: Acne- Common Cause #4
Be hip to the spritz!
Going to be sweating with no chance to give your face a splash of water? Then our Quick Spritz Oil Fix mist will become your new best friend. The witch hazel balances oils and boots any irritating proteins in your sweat off your skin. Thanks to the lavender essential oil, it also provides your skin with a mild (yet super-efficient) dose of bacteria-killing power. I don’t go to the beach (or when I attended craft shows in the middle of summer) without my Quick Spritz!
Building a foundation!
Do you have a foundation that you love during the winter, but when the summer comes, all of a sudden it seems to be causing breakouts? Your skin is actually more prone to swelling and inflammation in the summer. You can’t see this inflammation or swelling. It happens on such a small, but important, scale that your pores will be feeling it, but you likely won’t see it. Occasionally, products that worked well for us before, won’t during other seasons. I see this happen a lot when a foundation (that has pore-clogging ingredients) doesn’t cause any issues until the warmer months roll around.
Note: This can also happen to gals who have no problem with coconut oil during the winter but come the summer, their skin isn’t having it. This is RARE but worth mentioning in case you’re having a heck of a time trying to figure out what’s going on!
Summer-safe alternatives:
Beware of summer bacne!
Back acne is caused primarily by a combination of sweat, oils, bacteria, and dead skin cells. The solution: cleansing + exfoliating + calming.
My recommendation?
Our Tea Tree Scrub – it will cleanse the area of dirt, oil, kill bacteria (thanks tea tree essential oil), and slough off dead skin cells (thanks to the finely ground nutshells). It also feels really awesome!
Just a quick scrub along the top of your back should help you see positive results fairly quickly.
If you want to boost your regiment, apply our Acne & Oil Balancing Facial Mask in a thin layer to your back after getting out of the shower and drying off (Note: I said THIN layer – a thick layer won’t fully absorb and you’ll have what looks like flaky skin sloughing off when it actually the mask that’s dried and didn’t fully absorb). The aloe in this mask will calm inflammation and the tea tree oil will provide bacteria-killing power.
Another alternative would be to apply our Patchouli Facial Moisturizer. It will calm, protect, and encourage the healing of previous acne breakouts.
Remember the Quick Spritz that you’re bringing along to all your summer adventures? That can be your secret weapon against back acne until you can hop in the shower. Just give the top of your back and shoulders a spritz as you feel yourself getting hot and sweaty.
Avoid Chicken Skin!
No- we aren’t talking about the beautiful ladies of Lily’s Place Animal Sanctuary. If you have patches of tiny, hard bumps resembling small pimples on the skin’s surface (usually seen on the upper arms, on the backside of arms, etc), you may have Keratosis pilaris (KP) aka “chicken skin”.
The skin usually gets bumpy due to the hair follicles being irritated and dry skin. Your best bet of getting rid of those bumps is gentle exfoliation each day in the shower and generously applying rich creams and serums as often as possible.
Aim to apply your moisturizer after getting out of the shower in the morning, followed by a generous application before bedtime. Also, be sure to check with your health care professional about any deficiencies as some (like Vitamin A) have been linked to keratosis pilaris.
Phew! That was a lot to digest and we’re sure you’re already conferring with your current skincare routine, but hey – it’s summer! Get out and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather while you can! We’ll be here when the sun goes down and the bonfires have burnt out to help you develop the perfect routine for your skin – no matter what season it is!
Until next time!
P.S. Had enough fun in the sun or time by the campfire and you’re ready to get down to crafting the perfect routine?
Awesome! Right this way…
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