Summer is here! That means a lot of women are changing their beauty routines. From strobing to sun protection, this article explains how to make sure that your skin stays flawless through the warmer months.
During the winter, it’s easy to cover up all manner of skin problems with thick layers of foundation and concealer. It is less so during the summer, especially with the trend toward natural-looking makeup and bare skin. It’s hard to keep your makeup on your face and looking immaculate when it’s hot outside. If you’re wondering what to do with your skin over the warmer months, here are a few ideas.
Use Sun Protection
First, you need to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Although you should be wearing some level of sun protection all year round, it’s much more important in the summer. Try applying a layer of non-greasy sunscreen with a high UV factor underneath your foundation in the morning or at least a moisturizer with a high SPF. Wear hats that shield your face from the sun. This will also help you prevent developing fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes because you’ll be squinting less. We all know the sun can damage your skin in the long term by putting you at risk of getting skin cancer, but it can also result in dark spots and discoloration, red veins, and blotchiness, and of course the dreaded sunburn, which is not only unattractive but also incredibly uncomfortable.
Keep Hydrated
Your skin isn’t the only part of your body that needs to stay hydrated over the summer. You need to keep a water bottle with you at all times. Frequent intake of water helps you avoid developing heatstroke or heat exhaustion through dehydration. But on a more superficial level, your skin is the largest organ in your body, and when you get dehydrated, the water in your skin cells gets depleted. As a result, your skin might start to look dull and drawn as it loses its elasticity. Drinking plenty of water is the best way to keep it glowing all summer. If you don’t like the taste, you could always flavor your water with fruits like lemons and raspberries.There are other ways to keep hydrated over the summer. Make sure you use a humidifier at home and apply deep-moisturizing face masks. Sheet masks are particularly effective this time of year, while clay masks are excellent at removing dead skin cells that make your skin look dull.
Fix Your Makeup on Your Face
Many people go for natural, bare-faced looks over the summer, but the natural look requires more makeup than you might realize. Usually, it entails wearing a foundation that has less coverage and wearing fewer colors of eyeshadow. Even the natural look tends to slide off your face by the end of the day in the summer, particularly if you have oily skin. There are a few things you can do to fix your makeup on your face and have it stay for as long as possible through the day.
First, apply a primer before you put on your foundation. A silicone-based primer should go with a silicone-based foundation, and a liquid primer should accompany a liquid foundation. Make sure the primer has sunk into your skin before you apply the rest of your makeup.
Second, translucent powder is your friend this time of year. When the rest of your makeup is on your skin, add translucent powder under your eyes to allow the look to “bake” before brushing off the excess. Later, you can apply a thin layer of translucent powder to your face to keep your makeup on, followed by a setting spray.
Finally, make sure you keep blotting papers in your bag at all times. If you’d rather not splash the cash on them, paper toilet seat covers work equally well, as do paper towels. Just tap your T-zone gently, so you don’t remove any makeup with the oil.
Go for Strobing
We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” In this context, it means, if you’re fighting a losing battle in your quest to have matte skin and perfect contouring, it might be time to give up. If you’ve never tried strobing, summer is the perfect time to start. Buy a highlighter, choosing your color carefully. Over the summer, golden and rose-pink will make you look healthy and tanned, although combinations of violet and pink are also quite popular for a slightly more glacial finish.
Cream highlighters are perfect for dryer skin, while powder often works well for people with oily complexions or who are wearing a lot of base makeup. Apply them to wherever the light would naturally hit your face: the tops of your cheekbones, the inner corners of your eyes, the bow of your lips, the tip of your nose. Your face will have a healthy-looking glow that won’t fade during the day.
Most of all, remember to stay covered during the hottest parts of the day. Wear plenty of sunscreen. Protecting your skin should be your number-one priority this time of year.