A full summer skin care routine for a perfect complexion

Imagine the perfect summertime complexion. It's smooth, it's clear and it's radiant. Of course, reality can be a little different. The clash between sweltering humidity and air conditioning, sun exposure and sunscreen, and salt water and chlorine, makes striking a balance between melting down and drying up tricky. Is your summer skin care routine up to the task? beautyheaven tells you how to keep your complexion smooth, soft, cool and under control this season...

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Come clean

Hot, sticky weather can inspire you to over-cleanse, but it's vital not to give into temptation. Washing your face too often can actually strip your complexion of natural moisture, encouraging oil overdrive and leaving you with greasy slicks and spots. To get a deep clean, simply cleanse cleverly - morning and night - with a product made for you…

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser, effectively removes makeup and impurities while being gentle on skin that has seen a little too much sun. It also helps to correct the skin's natural pH balance. 

If your skin needs nourishment, try Jurlique Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser. This antioxidant-rich formula forms a rich mousse that purifies, perks-up and protects the first signs of ageing and fatigue. 

Got sensitive skin? You can't go past Avène Extremely Gentle Cleanser Lotion.  This extremely popular gentle cleanser is a soothing, simple cleanser that's free of potential irritants and will remove makeup from even the most sensitive faces.

Cool down

Toning not only completes the cleansing process, it works to refine pores and prepare the skin for moisture. Plus, it gives you the cool, fresh zing you want when the weather's hot and heavy.

The Burt's Bees Brightening & Refining Tonic (find it at burtsbees.com.au) gives skin a boost with a blend of cleansing and softening ingredients, to remove lingering traces of cleanser and any trapped dirt, oily and makeup. Skin is left feeling fresh and radiant. 

Keep blemishes at bay and tighten your pores with La Mav® Purifying Toner. Swept lightly across the skin's surface, the formula refines pores and helps to maintain the skins natural pH levels.

Drink up

Literally. You know you should drink eight glasses of water every day and in summer it's even more important for the health of both body and skin. Help the H2O keep your complexion soft, smooth and supple with a topical serum and/or moisturiser. Every skin type needs moisture, especially in summer – it’s just  a matter of finding the right formula.

A good start is finding a hydrating serum, to layer under your moisturiser. This will give you more targeted and deeper hydration than a moisturiser alone. Hyaluronic acid is a superstar hydrator and the main ingredient to be looking for when choosing a formula. bh loves: Skinceuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier (find it at adorebeauty.comau) and Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Serum.  

Ultraceuticals UV Protective Daily Moisturiser SPF 50+ is a gift for dry skin. Containing moisturising ingredients such as Shea butter, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B3, this cream will help to smooth away dehydration lines while softening and soothing the complexion.

QV Face Moisturising Day Cream,  blends nourishing moisturisers with SPF 30+ sunscreen in a non-greasy formula best suited to dry/sensitive skin types. It's also fragrance and colour-free and can be worn underneath makeup.

Stop the slick with a moisturiser that works to mattify shine. We love NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint (find it at mecca.com.au). It offers sheer coverage and a soft-matte finish, while also being buildable and blendable. It's recommended for all skin types, including those with rosacea. It works lightly hydrate while still controlling oil, reduce the appearance of pores and smooths fine lines. 

Take cover

There's little sense in caring for your skin if you're not going to properly protect it from the damaging effects of the sun. With these light, non-greasy and convenient products, there's certainly no excuse for facing summer without sunscreen.

We love the Nivea Sun UV Face BB Cream SPF50 and the SunSense Daily Face SPF 50+.  Both offer light, natural coverage and high broad spectrum protection sunscreen feels like a moisturising lotion. Even better, they absorb quickly for a matte finish and are great for all skin types.

Scrub off

As with most things, exfoliation is about quality, not quantity. If you scrub too hard or too often, you risk disturbing natural defences and causing sensitivity. Gently slough away dead skin and surface debris 1-2 times a week and your skin will glow afresh…

Sand & Sky Flash Perfection Exfoliating Treatment combines  a super-power blend of Australian botanicals, including macadamia seed and fruit acid AHA's, to exfoliate away impurities and reveal fresh, radiant skin. It's great for oily skin types as pink clay detoxifies and tighens  pores. 

Nutrimetics makes a Honey and Almond Scrub, that is enriched with peppermint oil for extra-gentle exfoliation and leaves normal, oily and combination complexions smooth, soft and clear.

A tip to get you through the day...

Spritz on a water-based mist for instant lift. Keep one on your desk for an afternoon pick-me-up, in the fridge for cooling refreshment or in your handbag to freshen up on the hop. Kosmea Hydrating Rosewater Mist provides a welcome cooling wake-up call. Sweetly scented and gently hydrating, it mists on lightly and won't disturb your makeup.

The product recommendations in this article have been updated to keep beautyheaven members informed of the most up-to-date related products.

Main image credit @lauraharrier