Let’s face it, it’s been a long winter. For the majority of us, the season’s taken its toll on our skin, making it dry, uncomfortable and, in some instances, flaky and itchy. Yikes. We’ve depended on rich-textured lotions and potions to protect our barriers and hydrate and seal in moisture. But now that the warmer days are slowly creeping in, what does it mean for our skincare routine? We recommend switching to lightweight products for everything from serums to moisturisers. Let your skin breathe a bit more with make-up-free days and, when you need coverage, choose a tinted moisturiser. We also need to remember that because of the sun-exposure increase, hyperpigmentation and ageing is inevitable, so including a vitamin C-enriched product in your routine is essential.
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A lightweight facial serum
In case you didn’t know, Clarins’ iconic Double Serum is now available in a lighter version and, in our opinion, it’s the perfect addition to your new summer skincare wardrobe. The potent formula contains 21 plant extracts, which help boost the five vital functions of the skin: nutrition, regeneration, oxygenation, protection and hydration. It also acts on the signs of ageing. Use each morning and night on cleansed skin to experience the benefits of this super serum.
An eye serum
It’s time for your winter eye cream to take a backseat. We suggest using an eye serum instead. This one from The Ordinary is designed specifically to target signs of ageing around the eyes by reducing the appearance of eye wrinkles, pesky crow’s feet, dark circles, eye bags and any form of puffiness. The light-as-a-feather texture goes easily onto the skin once applied and absorbs quickly, leaving no residue. Use after cleansing and before your everyday serum.
A gentle foaming cleanser
In spring/summer, if you notice your skin not being as dry as it was a few months ago, try swapping your creamy cleanser for a gentle foaming cleanser. We accumulate more oil and sweat during the warmer months and this cleanser from Elizabeth Arden supports your skin’s natural pH balance while removing make-up and other impurities. It leaves your skin feeling fresh without the tightness. Algae extract combined with glycerin found within the formula helps keep the skin moisturised and radiant.
A lightweight day cream
Our rich-textured moisturisers worked overtime when our skin needed it most, but now it’s time to opt for a lightweight day cream, such as this one from NIVEA. The gel-textured moisturiser is dedicated to giving your skin the utmost radiance, with Pure Active and vitamin E to assist with evening out skin tone and preventing dark spots. We love that it has a SPF 15 for added protection. Remember, these formulations work well in summer, as we sweat more during this season and are more prone to blocked pores.
A tinted moisturiser
Foundation coverage is such a personal choice. If you’re a full-coverage girlie, own it. If lightweight formulas are your thing, we love this for you. If you chop and change between the two, that’s also okay. However, we feel that summer is an opportunity to let your skin breathe – it’s been through the most, after all, and the warmer days are the ones where you can get away with wearing a thin veil of tinted moisturiser on your skin and rocking the ‘no make-up, make-up look.’ This product by Bobbi Brown evens out your skin tone, covers redness and protects your skin (hello, SPF 15), but your skin still looks like skin.
Vitamin C
It’s the holy grail of ingredients to help with hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, additional brightness and photo-ageing – Vitamin C is a game changer for your summer skincare routine. We recommend using it in the morning in order to protect the skin the entire day from free radicals (it’s also a brilliant antioxidant). This special vitamin C cream by The Ordinary contains hyaluronic acid as well to give your skin added hydration. A slight tingling can be experienced after first using this product. It has a granular-type texture (due to the vitamin C powder) and will take longer to absorb into the skin. Glowy, summer-ready skin is around the corner.
