Summer is the much-anticipated time of the year when we emerge from our homes and enjoy the wonderful outdoor activities near and dear to us. Few individuals will miss the chance to get out in the sun and make the most of the limited warm days. However, as excited as you might be to finally make this seasonal change, you need to take some steps to properly protect your skin. A person’s skin is the largest organ in their entire body, and it’s the one most affected by the harsh outdoor conditions in the summer. Between the sun, heat, and humidity, there’s an increased risk of skin damage during this time, and you need to be prepared if you want your skin’s health to withstand it. This is how to care for your skin this summer to improve its overall health and to protect it from sustaining irreversible damage.

The Importance of Changing Your Routine in the Summer

Summer brings a lot of changes to the environment around you, which can affect your skin in several ways. As the temperature rises and the overcast days decrease in number, your skin faces increasing exposure to UV rays every time you step out of your home. But this isn’t all you have to worry about. In fact, even the humidity can begin taking its toll. Humidity and heat open your pores and make your skin more susceptible to the dirt and oils that cause breakouts. Because of these factors, learning how to care for your skin this summer and making changes to your routine are crucial to combating summer’s effects on your complexion.

Tips for Protecting Your Skin in the Summer

Before you can take action to change your skin care routine, you must understand how to protect your skin from the hazardous summer environment. These are a few of the best practices for increasing your skin’s durability and resilience so that you don’t have to worry about future damage.

Always Wear Sunscreen

No matter where you are or what you’re doing, if you’re spending time outdoors, you should always be wearing some form of sunscreen product. Creating a protective layer to repel sunlight, sunscreen is the best way to reduce your skin’s exposure to harmful UV rays. This greatly diminishes the amount of damage your skin sustains during your outing and cuts the risk of developing dark spots later on. When you’re leaving for longer periods, make sure to reapply your sunscreen to remain protected.

Cut Down Exposure to Heat

It’s also important that you limit your overall exposure to heat and moisture to keep your skin from drying out. Taking long, hot showers is an effective way to rid your body of excess oils, but this habit can also sap your skin of the moisture it needs to stay strong. As such, using cooler water or limiting your showers to five or ten minutes is vital to maintaining the necessary levels of hydration.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep the rest of your body hydrated along with your skin. If the rest of your body is running efficiently, your skin can more easily respond to sudden injuries and heal. Increasing your water intake while you’re out in the sun also makes it easier for your body to sweat and cool itself down—further contributing to your skin health.

Ways to Improve Skin Health in the Summer

After getting into the habit of protecting your skin this summer, you can turn your attention to making adjustments to your daily skin care regimen. These are the things that will improve the overall state of your skin as you go about your day.

Switch Out Your Face Wash

Your cold-weather face wash might be great for keeping your skin hydrated during winter, but it won’t perform as well during this summer. This is because your skin begins producing excess oils in response to the heat. These oils can quickly clog your pores and make it easier for your skin to inflame and break out. As such, using a deep-cleaning face wash to clean out your pores is more effective in the summer.

Adopt a Diet Rich in Antioxidants

The antioxidants found in citrus fruits and green vegetables strengthen your skin cells and help them guard against damaging events. They also assist in collagen production, which leaves you with smoother, fuller-looking skin. For these reasons, antioxidant-rich foods make great additions to any meal. However, if you can’t find ways to work them into your diet, many skin care products also contain these ingredients, so you can get the same effect by adding them to your daily skin care routine.

Regularly Exfoliate and Moisturize

Since your pores are quicker to collect dirt, oil, and sweat in the summer, it’s important that you adopt the habit of exfoliating your skin when you wash it. Exfoliants remove any dry or damaged skin cells from your face while expelling any toxins that could be inhibiting your skin’s ability to breathe. This leaves you with brighter-looking skin and allows your other skin care products to work more effectively. Don’t forget to moisturize as well to ensure your skin remains durable and strong.

Correct Blemishes

Feel free to customize your skin care routine to suit your needs. Everyone’s skin is different and needs extra levels of care in certain areas. Whether it’s reducing the signs of aging or brightening dark spots, incorporating specific treatments into your routine is a great way to improve your skin’s appearance while you protect it.

We at Flawless Beauty & Skin believe you shouldn’t have to change your lifestyle in order to have healthy, glowing skin during the summer months. Instead, all it takes are a few extra considerations and tweaks to your overall skin care routine. Once you make these adjustments and actively protect your skin from the summer dangers, you can use our products to reduce the appearance of blemishes you already have. From anti-aging serums to acne treatments and brightening lotions, we have all the products you need to not just get through the season, but leave it looking your best yet.