Summer does bring a lot of excess oil and sweat he surface of your skin which isn’t easy to deal with but recognizing your worst beauty habits can make the process a whole lot easier. Sometimes you might not even notice that you’re harming your skin as it has become part of your beauty routine.
To help defend your skin against the summer heat and humidity, skin specialist at Colorescience UK, Patricia Boland, has listed some old beauty habits you will want to ditch in high temperatures.
- Avoid the tanning beds This might be a hard one to follow but indoor tanning beds not only make your skin texture rough and dry but frequent tanning can also increase your risk of melanoma by 75%, especially if you’re under 35. Tanning this way increases the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer such as basal cells and squamous cells. Instead opt for a tanning moisturiser, there are so many products available now which will give you the same results without causing skin damage.
- Don’t bother with low SPF Don’t believe that a low SPF has more chance of gaining a tan, as this is untrue. For the best protection and tan possible aim to wear a broad-spectrum SPF that is 50 and reapply every hour if you are in direct sunlight. Excessive sun exposure leads to sun-damaged skin, brown spots and wrinkles – this can all be prevented by top sun protection at all times.
- Lose that exfoliation Using body scrubs and loofahs does keep winter skin tip top if used the right way but too much can make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage. Over exfoliation is a bad habit, your body is designed to naturally turn over cells, it just needs a little help to speed that up so don’t overdo it.
- Switch your base When the weather is humid and hot outside it can instantly clog up your pores, and if you are wearing heavy foundation then you need to think consider an alternative before your makeup ‘melts’. It is best to switch over to lighter foundation products such as a tinted moisturiser. You can also just wear a mineral powder foundation or a CC cream which has built in SPF protection once it gets warmer outside.
- Change up your retinoid habits If you are an avid user of wrinkle fighting retinoids, then try applying them at night when the summer starts. This is because it can make the skin more sun sensitive. During the daytime, UV rays do tend to breakdown retinoids and make them less effective. Try to use your creams at night right before you hit the pillow.
- Hands off your face In the summer it can be a real habit to touch your face, either to wipe away the sweat or to blot your nose from oils. The bacteria that your transfer to your face can lead to a large breakout which is hard to shift. Be sure to keep your hands clean all the time by carrying antibacterial gel and use headphones (or wireless) for your mobile this will help to avoid pressing it to your cheek all day.
- Prioritise your sleep Summer nights do tend to lead to less shut eye, if not the jet lag from your summer holidays or the humid weather causing you to become restless it can become a problem for some. Getting less than seven hours of shut eye can make your skin duller and give you fine lines around your eyes which are hard to cover up. Especially if you’re young, a few sleep deprived nights in a row can take its toll. Watching TV or being on your phone can make your melatonin levels drop which means your circadian rhythm will drop causing even more wrinkles and dullness over time. A warm shower or bath before bed is much better at inducing sleep.
This piece was brought to you by the experts at colorescienceuk.com