(your best) summer skin

Summer skincare is a bit of a double-edged sword. If you listen to many skincare experts, our stress-filled work lives trigger a myriad of skin conditions and breakouts. Hectic schedules, poor nutrition and lack of sleep all contribute to redness, acne and even rosacea.   Beachside vacations and relaxing on patio lounge chairs are supposed to make your skin look better. Once you leave the stressful work schedules and hectic lifestyles behind for two weeks, you’d expect your skin to react with glowing health and radiance.

In my case, it is the exact opposite. When I pack for a summer vacation, I now add in creams for rosacea, acne and redness. For some reason, when I finally slow down and stop tweeting for ten minutes, my skin acts up. Apparently, I’m not the only one. According to Rosemary Mills, a top Clarins trainer, this is very common. She says there are five summer skincare tips that can make a big difference.

1. Watch for skin dehydration. “Skin can quickly become dehydrated in summer due to intense sun and windy beach days. My secret trick is to add a drop of Blue Orchid Oil to my night cream when I feel my skin getting dry in summer. It really does magically rejuvenate summer skin. And by using an oil at night, skin has time to absorb the hydration.”
2. Change up your texture. “I find in summer, I prefer my cleanser and moisturizer to be lighter and fresher. I’ll change my cleanser from a cream formula to a gel texture. And I prefer a cream-gel moisturizer that is much more lightweight. I advise my students to listen to their skin and adapt to the environment. Skin is a living organ and it will tell you what it needs if you listen.”
3. Control breakouts with exfoliation. “I notice that clients report more breakouts in summer. That’s because our skin typically produces more oil then. What most people don’t understand is that gentle, regular exfoliation can really help control breakouts. By getting rid of the dead surface cells, your products can more easily absorb into skin. Products become more efficient. I love to apply a purification mask after I exfoliate. I’ll add a drop of lotus oil under the mask if I need a boost of hydration. Exfoliating once or twice a week is fine. Just don’t over do it.”
4. Pay attention to your lips. “Our lips do not have any oil glands so they can’t hydrate themselves. You need to protect them from the environment with a daily moisturizing balm containing SPF. The Clarins Sun Stick SPF 30 is great for lips. You also have to particularly careful if you are by water. UV rays can bounce off of water and hit fragile areas on our face including lips and around our eyes.”
5. SPF for cloudy days. “One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that you don’t need to wear sunscreen on dark, rainy days. UV rays can still penetrate cloud cover so it is essential to wear broad spectrum sunscreen every day. If you haven’t tried any of the new sunscreen formulas, you may be pleasantly surprised. They are lightweight and so much more comfortable. I particularly like the new 100% mineral filters. They are finely milled so they feel beautiful on skin. You will look younger, longer for wearing them.”