Just like our new-in summer wardrobe (hello floaty dresses and basket bags), our beauty routines are also in need of a seasonal overhaul when the warm weather rolls around. As the countdown to jetting off for some well deserved R&R begins, we’ve put together some handy hints and tips for prepping your skin, body and hair for the summer months – meaning you can enjoy the sunshine safe in the knowledge that you’re looking and feeling your best!
1. Less is more
Whether you’re abroad in warmer climates or simply enjoying what the UK has to offer during the summer, switching out your usual foundation for a lighter base is a surefire win for both spending less time on your make-up (and more time holidaying!) and giving your skin a breather. When it’s hot outside a heavy foundation can really weigh your skin down, making a product like the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Tinted Moisturiser a great option for those days when you want to merge the benefits of skincare with a little coverage.
2. Choose an SPF you can rely on
SPF is important all year round but especially vital when beer gardens, picnics, and beach strolls become part of your routine again. For those who love an all-in-one, multi-tasking product, the Nuxe Sun Melting Spray in SPF50 helps protect both the body and face against UV rays to prevent burning and keep your skin looking youthful in the long run! Bonus: Nuxe products smell divine, meaning this is one sunscreen you’ll actually look forward to applying!
3. It’s the perfect time to experiment!
The summer months mean festivals, carnivals and summer fetes are rife – so what better time to try a bolder make-up look?! Whether that means adding a little colour to your usual eye look (we love the Laura Mercier Editorial Eye Palette Intense Clays for a selection of wearable bold shades) or giving strobing a go to achieve a truly glowing base (check out this blog post from earlier in the month for tips!), we’re all for trying something new!
4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
We’re always told the importance of drinking 2 litres of water a day, but it turns out staying hydrated applies to your skincare routine too! The summer months and intense UV rays can leave even the oiliest of skin types feeling parched, making an intensive moisturiser a must for repairing and balancing your complexion overnight. Glamglow’s Thirsty Mud makes the perfect in-flight treatment for repairing seriously parched skin with re-energising ingredients such as raw honey, hyaluronic acid and ginger root providing a boost of radiance and hydration.
5. Hair masks are the perfect hot holiday essential
In the same way that we prioritise hydrating our complexions, giving our hair a well needed moisture boost is an essential for summer beauty when the sun can leave hair feeling seriously frazzled. Amika’s Triple Rx Mask features a natural blend of West African raw shea butter, borage seed oil, and sea buckthorn to transform dry, damaged hair into the smooth, soft strands of our good hair day dreams.
6. Exfoliate and moisturise for bare leg season
The warmer weather means digging out the wrap skirts and floaty dresses that are relegated to the back of our wardrobes for most of the year, and with that comes bare leg season and the daily panic of “did I remember to shave my legs any further than my ankles?!”. Ensure you’re always feeling your most confident when it comes to summer dressing, and add a trusty body exfoliator and moisturiser to your routine! For a truly energising rejuvenator, turn to the Grounded Chocolate Orange Body Scrub and let coffee granules plus coconut oil and vitamin E slough away dead skin cells. Follow with the Caudalie Vine Body Butter for a rich and luxurious moisture boost that sinks into skin instantly!
7. Get ingredient conscious
The summer sun can be harsh on your skin (especially if you’re jetting off somewhere super hot – we’re jealous!) so taking some time to consider the ingredients that form your routine can help create more effective results for your complexion! The Balance Me Congested Skin Serum is packed with aloe vera, lavender and roman chamomile to help calm blemish prone skin. Bonus: these soothing ingredients also work wonders on complexions that have caught the sun! For ultimate body care, we love the Greenfrog Botanic Botanical Body Wash as the cruelty free and vegan formula is packed with moisturing aloe vera, making the perfect addition to our holiday routine and beyond!
8. Embrace beach babe hair
Whilst our summer schedules might not allow for beach relaxation every day of the season (*sighs*), we certainly love to channel a beachy wave to our hair! Helping on our quest to perfectly undone, beach babe worthy hair is the Number 4 Sugar Spray. Formulated with sugar cane, anti-static properties, and flexible styling aids, this texturising spray not only gives you loose, shiny waves, it also nourishes strands. Hair feels soft and the style stays intact even in the face of heat and humidity.
9. Channel a bronze goddess glow
It wouldn’t be a summer make-up routine without plenty of bronzer to amp up our tan (natural or fake- we love either!) and the Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzing Powder rarely leaves our make-up bags. The no glitter formula means it’s the perfect shade for creating a naturally bronzed glow that’s great for dusting along your cheekbones, temples and décolletage during the summer season.
10. Hayfever-proof your make-up
Along with everything we adore about summer (we’re talking Pimm’s, beach trips and al fresco dining) one thing we’d rather wasn’t part of the package is hayfever. Whilst we can’t wave a magic wand and rid ourselves of allergies completely, we can summer-proof our make-up to keep us looking our best, even if we don’t feel it! A waterproof mascara you can rely on is a must for this, making the Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara a great product for days when watery eyes are really getting to you. Not only will it stay put whatever your hayfever throws at you, it’s also packed with 11 different natural fruit extracts to help boost lash growth- what more could you want?!
Discover more summer beauty essentials at the Birchbox Holiday Shop.
– Charlotte Rollin
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