Your A+ summer skin care routine

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 Solar D SPF50 Daily Face for underneath makeup, just make sure you give it a few minutes to absorb before applying your foundation. Or if you prefer tinted coverage and protecting in one, try the SunSense Daily Face SPF 50+.
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 ($59.90, sandandsky.com) 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
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100 Member Comments
Ummm this is such a heavenly regime! Just reading it made me want to go buy everything haha.
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I am using more water based products in the summertime as anything else feels too heavy on my skin even though I have dry skin. I have some dry patches though so may need to alternate with something heavier.
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I am guilty of over-cleansing at the moment. It's no wonder my skin feels oily.
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I like to use nice cooling products in the summer and always have sunscreen and a bb cream on hand.
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I use similar products all year round but at the moment I'm using a lighter moisturiser (apart from some products I'm trialling for BH). I have dry skin but what I normally use feels too heavy. In winter my skin is parched.
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Gave my daughter a La Roche Posay spring water misting spray today - poor thing has to work in unair-con and it's vigorous physical work too. She's got a 7 hour shift in this so I gave her my spring water mister spray. I'll have to buy some more because it's great for this summery hot weather for the skin and also just the well-being.
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Hardly wearing any make up at the moment, its too hot.
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I wear very little makeup in summer because it just sweats off or I end up wiping it off when dabbing my face. Sunscreen is a must though.
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I pretty much use the same skincare products year round
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I actually use the same cleanser and up the face scrub to twice a week.
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I like to switch to water-based creams in summer.
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During the summer I just try to keep it minimal, face wash, a face scrub twice a week and a glycolic acid toner
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I don’t change much with the seasons. But I will confess that I am a bit slack with the sunscreen during winter. Oops. I like to use a refreshing facial spray when it’s hot. I’ve been buying Avène for years. I like the sound of the Kosmea one. I’m definitely going to try it.
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Me too. I love Sukin.
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Yup: wash scrub mask serums. done. Repeat. Have tried Sands scrub and mask (still using), but VAnessa megan exfoliating powder beats all of scrubs on the market! Instant glow and skin as smooth as glass. No scrub or acid did this so fast as in just 3-5 min.
Yet to use Alpha H exfoliating cleanser. SunSense burns my eyes. But love blurring power of Bioderma photoderm spf50 instead and it looks good on.
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Great tips BH - I just try to keep it clean and simple and my skin thanks me for it. It's all about comfort with the crazy weather we have been having.
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Ive been using my kosmea rose mist! I keep it in the fridge. Delish!
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I have used the Sand & Sky treatment before, it is pretty good. Just noticed they have left BH as well, disappointing =(
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Thank You BH for some fabulous Tips on Summer Skincare will definitely give them a try.
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I switch to oil free products as Perth summers are HOT! I love the QV Face and also use the SunSense Tinted sunscreens. Excellent for sensitive and hot weather induced oily skin.
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My routine doesnt change much during the seasons. Maybe a thicker night cream and a lot more chapstick for windburn in winter. If anything I also need to exfoliate more in winter too probably due to to much heater and electric blanket. I always find my skin looks better in summer though, I guess more water without thinking about it and sweat clearing my pores perhaps.
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Havn't tried any of the above products but I change from face scrubs in winter to cooling face masks/peels as the summer kicks in, I change shades of foundation and switch moisterisers also in summer & winter. I tan so easy and probably soak up way more sun then what is good for me. I swear by Neutrogenas Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen, it is SPF 85+ and works great as a primer. Bonus.
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I'm guilty of over exfoliating!
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I just hate the heat, it makes me sweaty and oily. My skincare doesn't change much though I slather on more sunscreen than usual.
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