REGIMEN HELP

Summer skincare tips to get rid of oily skin

Beat the heat with these tips to keep summer's shine at bay.

Popsicles. Crop tops. The scent of coconut on your skin. These are the things that are quintessentially summer. But you know what doesn’t go with the party season? Oily, greasy skin. The rising heat and humidity can send your skin’s oil glands into overdrive, taking you from naturally dewy to too-shiny (ugh). Here’s how you can look and stay fresh all season long.

Prevent the a-pore-calypse by adding a toner or serum to your routine

When your skin gets oily, clogged pores may follow. An uptick in sebum production means that your pores are not only accommodating excess oil, but also trapping dirt, impurities, and even more dead skin with it – leading to congestion issues. When that happens, it’s blackhead and blemish galore.

To keep your pores clear, try adding a toner or serum with salicylic acid to your routine. Extracted from willow tree bark, salicylic acid is a popular Beta Hydroxy Acid that gets deep into your pores to gently exfoliate old and dead skin cells.

Quick tip

Excess oil and dead skin can build up in your pores and make them look bigger than usual.

Use a clarifying toner to keep your pores clean, especially around the T-zone.

Party on with SPF sunscreen for UV protection

If there’s one thing you should be wearing more of this season, it’s UV protection. Summer is not only prime time for beach frolicking, pool parties, and outdoor activities… But also for the UV index. On the index scale of 1-11, summer sun rays average out at 7-10 where extra protection is a necessity to protect your skin from burn and damage.

You can stick to your regular sunscreen (as long as it’s at least SPF30 and PA++); you just have to reapply it more frequently than you usually do. Perspiration, sea water, or even sand can remove sunscreen from your skin easily, so make sure you slather on the recommended amount every two hours and after every swim. During the hottest midday hours, try to seek shade and cover up any exposed skin with protective clothing.

Less is more when applying makeup

As the air gets heavy with humidity, you’d want to keep things light on your skin. Increased humidity means that sweat and skin oils stay on your skin longer, turning it into a dust and dirt magnet. Plus, when it’s this hot outside, going out with a full face of makeup is your skin’s equivalent of wearing a fur coat in summer. Skip your full-coverage foundations and opt for multi-tasking, lightweight formulas like CC creams instead. CC creams correct dullness and uneven tone for a natural, your-skin-but-better finish, while providing light moisture and UV protection. Similarly, switch out richer and heavier moisturisers such as creams or oils for lighter lotions – they are more easily-absorbed and you don’t really need heavy-duty moisturisation in summer anyway.

CC creams are designed to cover up imperfections while protecting your skin.

Keep cool and carry on in the right temperature

Staying chill – both physically and mentally – is important to maintain beautiful skin in the summer. When your skin’s temperature rises, you naturally produce more sebum (especially in the T-Zone). The extreme temperature change when you go from the balmy outdoors to arctic air-conditioning multiple times a day also throws your skin’s balance way off. Stress also prompts the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that is known to break collagen down.

Set your air-conditioning to 23 – 25°C. It’s the optimal temperature to stay cool and keep your skin happy at the same time.

Help your skin cool off during the day by keeping a hydrating mist on hand. Protip: when you’re spritzing indoors, don’t let the mist dry off on its own. Mist generously, then use a facial tissue to gently pat away excess moisture. Leaving the mist to evaporate in an air-conditioned room can be counterproductive as it dries out your skin even more. Spray whenever you feel like your skin needs a pick-me-up!