Warmer weather has officially arrived, and we’re sharing how to keep your skin healthy in summer with some of our best sensitive skin care tips.
7 Tips for Your Sensitive Skin Care Routine This Summer
From learning how to take care of skin in summer naturally to our favorite seasonal products, here are seven essential steps to build a summer skin care routine for sensitive skin.
1. Protect your skin with SPF.
You’ve heard it a thousand times before, but it still bears repeating: Sunscreen is an absolute must for healthy summer skin. Using broad spectrum formulas with SPF 30 helps protect your complexion from the sun’s harsh rays year-round. Reapply your sunscreen every couple of hours to any exposed areas of your skin, including your neck and décolletage.
Pro Tip: If you do get a sunburn, try taking cool showers and baths to soothe your skin. Tea tree oil and lotions with cooling cucumber and aloe can offer added relief, as well.
2. Keep your skin thoroughly cleansed.
When it comes to sensitive skin care in summer, it’s crucial to find a daily cleanser that’s gentle but powerful enough to thoroughly cleanse your skin. Rinse away daily impurities with botanical-based cleansers that effectively (yet gently) cleanse any type of skin — from oily to combo to dry. Also, rinseless micellar cleansers help lift away impurities and makeup without drying your skin.
3. Switch to lighter formulas.
Save your heavy moisturizers and cream cleansers for the fall and winter months ahead. The heat and humidity of summer demands lighter formulas overall. Look for nourishing cleansers that gently remove sweat and makeup, and consider using a lightweight, non-greasy daily moisturizer for optimal hydration — no layering required.
This less-is-more approach to skin care can also help prevent clogged pores, blemishes and breakouts.
4. Choose gentle exfoliators.
Slough off dead skin cells and reveal a more youthful-looking complexion by exfoliating up to three times per week. Look for exfoliating facial cleansing pads and gentle facial scrubs infused with botanical exfoliators, pure plant oils and soothing fruit and flower extracts to soothe and refresh even the most sensitive summer skin.
5. Focus on hydration.
It’s all too easy to get dehydrated in the summer months, and your water intake directly impacts the look and feel of your skin. Be sure to drink the recommended eight glasses of water each day to stay properly hydrated from the inside out.
Pro Tip: Applying a restorative facial oil to cleansed, moisturized skin right before bedtime can protect against moisture loss while you sleep.
6. Turn down the heat.
Long, hot showers may feel amazing, but they can also strip your skin of its essential oils and dull your summertime glow. As a general rule, it helps to take cooler, shorter showers whenever possible.
Pro Tip: The best time to apply your favorite moisturizer is immediately after your shower, because damp skin helps lock in hydration.
7. Know your ingredients.
The last thing you want is a summer skin care routine that hurts your complexion. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to the ingredients in your skin care products. If you struggle with sensitivity, we recommend steering clear of potentially irritating ingredients like alcohol, fragrances and soap. We’ve also made it easy to check our products with a complete list of Desert Essence skin care ingredients.