Indian summers are unforgiving. The high humidity levels during summer demand some changes in your daily skincare habits and products. And I am here to help you out by sharing some essential skin care tips for clear skin and freshness.
For starters, we have bid goodbye to all those rich, nourishing lotions and creams we slathered on during winter. This makes way for lighter, hydrating and soothing gels and lotions that will keep our skin less oily.
Acne, clogged pores, suntan, dullness and heat rashes are the most common skincare problems you will face during summers. Being an oily-skinned person, this is the worst time of the year for my skin as the excessive oiliness and sweating lead to whiteheads and other forms of comedones.
We even have to pay more attention to our body care routine to avoid smelly underarms. Also, prickly heat is no fun.
So here are 9 tips from me to help you tackle the skin care problems you may face this summer and stay fresh, cool and happy.
9 Best Skin Care Tips for Surviving Summer Season
1. Add Cooling Ingredients To Your Routine
Mint, Aloe Vera, Vetiver Root(Khus), Cucumber and even Rosewater are true blessings during summers as they have a cooling effect on the skin. These ingredients will also help soothe your heat rashes and sunburnt skin.
They even reduce inflammation on your skin(thereby controlling acne too!) So make them a part of of your routine by adding these to your DIY recipes.
2. Avoid Over Cleansing.
When your skin gets sweaty and oily, your first instinct is usually to use a face wash and get squeaky clean skin again. Do keep your skin clean, but don’t overdo it too.
It’s best to restrict foaming face washes to twice in a day only- once in the morning and once at night. Because they can be drying when used too often(even if has natural surfactants).
Wipe your face with a cotton pad soaked with chilled rose water instead. It has cleansing properties which will help clear away dirt and sweat without drying out your skin.
3. Opt For Water Based Products
Whether you have dry skin or oily, ditch the heavy creams and moisturizers from your skincare routine during summer. Instead, opt for a hydrating gel or serum to avoid looking like a grease ball and reduce sweating.
If needed, layer it with light facial oil for nourishment. You can use either aloe vera gel or a hyaluronic acid serum like the Vaunt Multivitamin Super Hydrator to keep your skin hydrated through summer.
You may also want to switch out the heavy cleansing balms and oils for light, water-based face washes or even a micellar water.
Also Read: 10 Summer Beauty Essentials for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin
4. Don’t Skip Exfoliation
Exfoliating your skin at least twice in a week will prevent your pores clean from getting clogged. Exfoliation even buffs away dead skin cells which will help remove sun tan and even out your skin tone.
I personally love the Ubtan India D-tan scrub since it has the perfect amount of grittiness without being harsh on the skin.
5. Clay Masking Is A Must Too
This is one of the most essential summer skin care tips especially for people with oily skin. All that excess sebum and sweat during summer will allow bacteria to breed and multiply leaving you with a face full of acne.
So a weekly or biweekly clay masking ritual will be helpful in keeping away comedones by deep cleansing your pores. If you have dry skin, I would recommend using kaolin clay which is the mildest of all.
Also Read: 3 Easy Homemade Face Mask Recipes for Oily Skin
6. Amp Up Your Sun Protection
There are no excuses to skip sunscreen during summers. The sun is harshest this time of the year and hence, using sunscreen in your skincare routine is a must.
Along with a broad-spectrum sunscreen, cover up your skin and stay in shade as much as possible during 11-4 pm to shield your skin from harsh sun rays.
7. Add Vitamin C to Your Routine
One of the best summer skin care tips I have come across is using a Vitamin C Serum in your routine. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which helps further reduce sun damage when paired with a sunscreen.
It also helps fade dark spots, scars and evens out your complexion to make you skin look brighter and radiant.
8. Natural Dusting Powders to Rescue
High humidity during summers increases sweating which can be a frustrating and rather itchy experience. But sprinkling a dusting powder 1-2 times a day can help you stay sweat-free.
Along with absorbing sweat, they even prevent skin irritations like prickly heat.
I recommend using natural dusting powders over talcum-based ones as they don’t contain artificial fragrances. I have shared 6 amazing options available in India along with a DIY guide in this post to help you out.
9. Embrace the Power Of Neem
Neem is my favourite antibacterial ingredient available in India since it is cheap and highly effective. It can help treat acne, soothe itchy skin and scalp, reduce dandruff (which can get worse during summers) and avoid other skin infections too.
Boil fresh neem leaves in water and use this water for your bath every day. Or pick products with neem powder or neem oil to prevent and treat skin infections.
Also Read: 6 Best Ingredients That Will Help You Beat Acne
Apart from these 9 skin care tips, make sure to drink plenty of fluids and avoid hot water baths to keep your skin hydrated through the summer. Which of these summer skin care tips do you follow religiously?
* This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase using the link, I will earn a small amount (at no extra cost to you!) The amount helps me maintain website costs and bring more and better content to you.
