Don't get us wrong: we love summer. We just wish that it didn't always come with blistering heat, perpetual buckets of sweat, and acne-prone skin. It's a struggle, but it is what it is! The only thing we can do is hack our way out of it.
For today's summer survival guide, we're rounding up our favorite anti-breakout beauty tips. So put your girl scout hats on, because it's time to prep your skin for the season!
1. Switch to lighter skin care products.
Products tend to feel and work differently throughout the year, so while they may be effective, it's not always practical to keep using them. For the time being, avoid piling on the heavy creams, oils, and thick serums and go for lighter formulas instead. You don't necessarily have to go oil-free, but more watery or gel-based products will be more refreshing.
2. Exfoliate more often.
Since our skin is more prone to irritation in the heat, give your pores more TLC by exfoliating more. This will help you clear out the excess sebum and dirt more often, which will avoid skin flare-ups.
For example, if you only exfoliate once a week, bump it to twice or thrice with two to three-day intervals. Peeling gels, konjac sponges, and exfoliants with BHA (like salicylic acid) are great for this!
3. Avoid using face oils in the day time.
A lot of oils, such as coconut oil and castor oil, are highly comedogenic. So if you're not 100% sure if an oil works for you, skip it while the weather is blazing. Your moisturizer should be enough for hydration anyway!
4. Use a face primer.
Wearing foundation in the summer won't automatically cause acne. You just have to be more efficient with your skin prep, and for this, primers are your best friend. Using a primer before foundation creates a protective veil between your skin and the makeup, which will prevent foundation from clogging your pores. Primers also prevent makeup from settling in fine lines! Check out our favorites here.
5. Set your foundation with powder.
As much as we love dewy skin, not setting foundation in the summer is a definite no-no. And it's not even because of oiliness! The tacky finish you get from not setting your makeup actually makes your skin a magnet to dirt, pollution, and other external irritants. On the other hand, if your skin is set with powder, dirt is less likely to stick to your skin. Here are some of the afforable and tried-and-tested faves.
This story originally appeared on Preview.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Femalenetwork.com editors.
