Summer is in full swing, and so are the sun’s harmful UV rays and sweltering heat waves. None of these are especially good for your skin, and those with problem skin may find the summer months especially brutal.
There are many ways you can combat the sun’s radioactive ravage, and keep your skin healthier than ever. Take it from me, my skin has always been a problem child. If I dare even step out into the sun I turn into a (small) woman-size lobster.
So. First and foremost, you need to consider using a sunscreen (duh). Beach Gypsy SPF 30 Glitter Sunscreen is a great alternative to the run-of-the-mill sunscreens. It is lightweight and has broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Beach Gypsy says you get about 80 minutes of water resistance, but I would probably reapply after an hour to be safe.
This sunscreen also has a fun element to it. It contains eco-friendly biodegradable glitter. It’s infused with natural antioxidants and essential nutrients, and it’s PABA and Paraben free. If you are a Twilight fan you’ll love how you twinkle when you are bathing in the sunny goodness. Hah!
The same brand has what they call a Day is Done Glitter After Sun gel. It contains the same eco-friendly biodegradable glitter. Your skin will drink up the nourishing aloe with the cooling and soothing Lidocaine (just in case you overdid it when you were sunning — or if you just want to sparkle with your new-tan glow). It’s infused with natural antioxidants and essential nutrients that leave your skin feeling and looking radiant. I like the fact that it is lightweight as well. There’s nothing worse than feeling gummy or sticky.
When it come to showers or baths in the summer, a lightly scented soap that washes off without leaving a film is the best. Japanese Yuzu Glycerin Soap is my favorite. It is a glycerin soap bar, handcrafted in small batches that use premium ingredients for sensitive skin types. The soap bar is primarily made with plant-based oils (coconut, palm and safflower), glycerin and aloe vera for extra moisturizing properties.
I have very sensitive skin (and allergies), so this soap is the best. It has a soft scent that smells amazing and fresh, but it is not too strong. The soap bar itself lasts for a long time so it’s more than worth the price. If you don’t fancy the Japanese Yuzu flavor, they have quite a few other flavors to choose from.
While we are talking about soap, you should also consider what hand soap you use. If you use “antibacterial” soap this could dry your hands out – a lot. I prefer to use a gentle, organic hand soap. The live clean Coconut Milk Soap is perfect. The bottle lasts forever. It has a yummy, faint coconut-vanilla scent. Again, not too strong. All the ingredients are natural.
The hand soap contains Coconut Milk and Apricot Oil; and it’s enriched with Vitamins C, E and B to deeply care for your hands, and help prevent dryness. You don’t want your hands to look like you just got off the set of the “Mummy” after all.
live clean also has a great lotion, the Coconut Milk Body Lotion, that you can use on your entire body. I have it right next to my hand soap so I can use it every time I wash my hands to keep them hydrated properly. I also like to use this as soon as I get out of the shower. It’s not heavy, so it will work on any part of your body (except the face!). I recommend putting it on your skin right after you get out of the shower before you are completely bone dry.
The one area I would suggest using something different might be your feet. In order to keep them sandal ready you should scrub all the dead skin off of your heels, and the bottom and sides of your toes and feet. You can get a cheap pumice stone at Target that will do the job – just make sure you soak your feet in warm water first! After you are done with that, I recommend using the Heel to Toe Cucumber Treatment lotion (you can get this at Sally’s too). It will not only repair dry feet, it will also prevent you from having them.
Now that we have the basics down, it’s time to move on to summer skin decor. One thing that sometimes throws a wrench into a night out on the town is makeup that melts off of your face because it is so hot or humid. FACE atelier, a silicone-based ultra sheer, helps prolong the life of your foundation. It is hydrating yet oil-free, and you can add it to any foundation to subtly alter its hue, or use it to highlight (depending on the color you are using … obv). It will also help prevent your “face” from melting off.
Now it is time to paint the epidermal canvas. To start, let’s talk about trends. There will always be trends. That is never going to change. There is one set of colors that will always be in style however — natural. No matter what the fashion trend, the natural look is always acceptable.
It is sometimes harder than people think to find a good, natural color palette for the eyes. More times than not I will find a huge case that claims to offer “nudes or naturals”, but ends up having more than half the color selections too dark for me to ever use. And then there are the tones. Just because you’re going for a natural eye motif does’t mean one natural or nude shade fits them all. They range from warm to cool undertones. Different tones can bring out the best or worst of you, depending on your skin tone.
I really love the Christie Brinkley Authentic Beauty Prime Time Day to Night Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. I know, that is a REALLY long name… But. It has great natural hues that go with any occasion. The eye shadow set is a combination of demi-matte, soft-satin and understated shimmer finishes. The powder is generally long-lasting. I have yet to see the dreaded crusty crease, so that’s a plus. The colors also blend really well together, which is a nice change as a lot of color palettes don’t work together so cohesively.
Not to gush, but I also have to mention the dual-sided eye brush that provides precision application and blending. So much better than the usual plastic paddles. This line also has some healthy ingredients, with a blend of antioxidant vitamins; Vitamin E and Vitamin C (shown to clarify the skin).
I usually pair my eye shadow with Neutrogena’s black eyeliner and mascara. It works well without being too harsh on my eye area. Because I have allergies, many eye liners and mascaras cause my eyes to water. Neutrogena is one of the few brands I have found that does not cause this problem. Of course you can find these at any drugstore.
If you like to splash a little color on your cheeks, the Christie Brinkley Authentic Beauty Cheek Chic Color and Contour Powder Blush is a great option. Also, another long name… The blush line has really nice natural tones available that are not too dark or too pink. It has pure, micro-milled pigments that deliver a sheer veil of color that contains the same vitamins as the eye shadow set. I have also noticed my pores look somewhat blurred or “masked” on the parts of my face where I apply it.
And finally, I like to top off my makeup routine by adding a little shine to my lips, and Bert’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm is perfect. Their Rose shade is great if you want to accentuate your lips just a little, while still looking natural. It is also better for your lips as it hydrates while you pucker up.
If you want to give your lips a pouty look, just grab a lip pencil that matches the lip balm color (any brand or off-brand will do for these), and trace around the edge of your lips. Once you are done outlining, fill in your lips with the lip pencil. After that apply the balm. BOOM! You just survived the summer with your skin intact. You’re welcome. 🙂
I write like I think—fast, curious, and a little feral. I chase the weird, the witty, and the why-is-this-happening-now. From AI meltdowns to fashion glow-ups, if it makes you raise an eyebrow or rethink your algorithm, I’m probably writing about it. Expect sharp takes, occasional sarcasm, and zero tolerance for boring content.
