Coping with the extra oil and sweat during the summertime isn’t exactly easy, but tuning up your skincare regimen can make winning the battle a lot easier. To help defend your skin against the summer heat and humidity, here’s some old beauty habits you’ll want to ditch in high temps.
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Pass on Heavy Moisturizer
Thick moisturizing products may have shielded your skin during the winter, but as the temperatures rise, too many products can leave your face oily and acne-prone. To adopt a lighter regimen that skips out on the grease, using oil-free products is always the best course of action. “Opt for a serum or lotion when possible,” says San Diego plastic surgeon Gilbert Lee, MD. “If you have extremely dry skin and just can’t go without added moisture, opt for a heavier antioxidant treatment cream to combine hydration and cellular protection in one layer.”
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Stop Exfoliating So Much
Using body scrubs and loofahs surely kept the scaly winter skin at bay. However, too much exfoliation can make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage. “When you over exfoliate your skin, you are more prone to sun damage in the summer,” says Michelle Schlekewey, spa director of The Golden Door. “Your body is designed to naturally turn over cells, it just needs a little help to speed up the process.”
Avoid Tanning Beds
A gorgeous tan helps give your skin that radiant summertime glow, but skin-damaging tanning beds are the last thing you should consider. Indoor tanning beds not only make your skin texture rough and dry, but frequently tanning can also increase your risk of melanoma. “Using tanning beds increases your chance of melanoma by 75 percent, particularly if you’re under age 35,” explains New York dermatologist Debra Jaliman, MD. “Tanning ruins the texture of your skin, and increases the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer such as basal cells and squamous cells.”
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But That Doesn’t Mean You Should Use Aerosol Tanners Either
Skipping out on tanning also means avoiding aerosol based products. Not only can sprayable tanners be tough to apply, but chemicals inside aerosol formulas can have harmful effects on your health. “Dihydroxyacetone, a widely used ingredient in self-tanners, has unknown and possibly carcinogenic health implications,” says New York dermatologist Janet Prystowsky, MD. “Your safest bet is to use a tanning lotion.”
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Pass On the Lower SPF Products
Once the summer sun comes rolling in, wearing sunscreen is practically mandatory. For the best protection possible, aim to wear broad-spectrum SPF 30, (or higher) even if you aren’t sitting in direct sunlight. “Choose an SPF of 30 or higher, and reapply every hour if you are in direct sunlight,” says Dr. Lee. “Excessive sun exposure only leads to sun-damaged skin, brown spots, and wrinkles- all things we try to repair with our skin care regimen.”
Ditch the Thick Makeup Products
Heavy foundation instantly creates a camera-ready face, but these same products can easily clog pores when it’s hot and humid out. To avoid a makeup meltdown in the summertime, it’s best to switch to lighter foundation products. “Consider a tinted moisturizer to cover up blemishes,” says Beverly Hills, CA, dermatologist Tsippora Shainhouse, MD. “You could also wear a mineral powder foundation, or a CC cream (with SPF protection) once it gets warmer out.”
Try Using Retinoids At Night
Wrinkle-fighting retinoids can make the skin more sun-sensitive, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop using them during the summer. To use your creams more effectively, try applying them on at night before you go to sleep. “During the daytime, UV rays tend to breakdown retinoids and make them less effective,” says Dr. Shainhouse. “Instead, use your creams at night, right before bedtime.”
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