Bring on the pool parties, beaches, and barbecues! But first, you've got to do your most basic preparation: making sure your skin is healthy and beautiful. Gone are the days of heavy coats and scarves, as are the days of heavy creams. Summer calls for a lighter, more refreshing skincare regimen. Get your summer glow on with some of these skincare essentials!
1// Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
Personally, I have fairly sensitive combination skin. This cleanser doesn't irritate or dry my skin, but it still feels like it really cleans my skin. I've experimented with a world of different cleansers, but I always come back to this one.
2// Simple Soothing Facial Toner
Toner might be an often overlooked or controversial step for those without oily skin, but it is so important! Toner restores the natural pH of your skin after exposure to all sorts of dirt, oil, and pollutants. It can even help with redness or other sensitive skin ailments, you just have to know what to look for. This particular toner is alcohol free and water-based, so it won't dry out your skin. It also contains chamomile extract and panthenol, which are both great ingredients to help your skin retain moisture and prevent your makeup from looking cakey.
3// Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
For whatever reason, I definitely prefer this to the Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer. The moisturizer seemed a bit heavy and didn't absorb with a finish I liked (quite honestly it sometimes even stung my skin at times). However, this lotion is for all skin types and it's lightweight, perfect for summer. Heavier creams can cause breakouts when you sweat more, and even though it's advertised as a lotion, it's non-comedogenic and fragrance free, so it shouldn't break your face out.
4// St. Ives Green Tea Scrub
This product does double duty as an exfoliant and a blackhead treatment. I don't use it every night because I don't want to dry my skin out, but I use this 2-3 times a week. The green tea extracts are gentle and actually calm redness, which is always a concern with my skin. The reason this is perfect for nighttime especially is because it removes your dead skin cells right before bed, and when you sleep your skin heals and repairs itself.
5// Freeman Cucumber Peel-Off & Dead Sea Masks
Both masks are featured here because a) I can go on about different masks forever (See Fresh Faced & Ready to Go), and b) everyone has different mask needs. I love the Freeman masks because they are both inexpensive and effective. The Cucumber mask is great for clarifying, and will even act as a milder version of a Biore strip when you peel it off. The Dead Sea mask is wonderful for soothing, especially after long days in the sun.
6// Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
I've mentioned this product before in my Top 10 Under $10 post, so it's an oldie but goodie. It really will get everything off without requiring scrubbing and tugging. So no need to panic about encouraging premature wrinkling by taking your makeup off like a good girl... (It can't just be me.)
7// Clarisonic
While there are a host of Clarisonic models to choose from, my pink, polka-dotted Mia 2 is my trusty partner. On the nights I don't use a scrub, I use it with my Cetaphil to deep clean all of the makeup and grime from my skin. However, I only use it at night because using it both morning and night can over-exfoliate your skin. I also use the Sensitive brush head.
8// Coola Mineral Face SPF 30 Matte Tint
I will forever be grateful to Birchbox for introducing me to this product. We all know how important sunscreen is and how easy to forget it can be. The SPF in your makeup doesn't cut it. This mineral sunscreen contains both Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, two crucial sunscreen ingredients to look for. While it is tinted, it doesn't really provide much coverage at all. It does, however, leave the most amazing, soft mineral finish that works as a phenomenal base under your makeup. Home run.
9// Philosophy Pure Grace Satin-Finish Body Oil Mist
We can't forget the rest of our skin in our routine! Once you get out of the shower and you're still just damp, all you have to do is spritz this all over your body, and voila. It's so fast and simple, it smells good, and it keeps your skin soft and hydrated. Thank goodness for an alternative to slathering on cream right out of the shower. YUCK.
And there you have it. That was my summer skincare routine, what's yours? Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll spill all of the details of my favorite summer makeup. Happy pampering!
