Our Top Summer Skincare Must-Haves

1. Sunscreens

Sunscreens are one of the most important skincare products that you just can’t do without. Their importance is undebatable for all the goodness they bless us with and all the skin damage they protect us from. Apart from shielding our skin from the harmful UV rays and the consequent damage, sunscreens also play a vital role in managing the signs of premature ageing like dark spots, wrinkles and pigmentation. Did you also know that continuous use of sunscreen also helps in reducing the risk of skin cancer?

Not to forget, just ensure that you always wear sunscreen that has at least a minimum of SPF 30.

2. Cleansers

Cleansing makes for one of the first and most important steps of a skin care routine. It aims at removing all the dirt, oil, sweat, impurities and product particles from your skin to leave it feeling refreshed and of course, clean.

Our skin is exposed to a lot of harmful external factors and pollutants throughout the day and it is only befitting that you deep cleanse it twice daily. Always use a gentle cleanser according to the skin concerns you have and your skin type to ensure their efficacy.

3. Antioxidants

Antioxidants are honestly far more essential to have in a summer skin care routine than they are credited for. They fight the skin damaging free radicals that excess sun exposure and pollution (among other factors) can form on your skin. These free radicals result in signs of ageing like breakouts, hyper-pigmentation, dark spots and wrinkles.

And this is where antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin C especially, come to your rescue. While they help manage such skin concerns, they also help firm your skin and stimulate blood flow that encourages skin cell regeneration. Hence, try to include skincare products in your daily regimen that are infused with antioxidants.

4. Moisturisers

Moisturisers are as essential in summers as they are in winters. While you might use heavy and thick ones in winters to keep your skin hydrated with extra nourishment, you should avoid them in summers as they may feel sticky and greasy and weigh your face down. Opt for lightweight moisturisers that are gel or water-based and maybe even infused with an SPF.

Summer heat tends to leave your skin dehydrated and looking dull and lacklustre and hence it is of utmost importance that you give it all the hydration it needs, even if you have oily skin. Include a moisturiser in both your morning and night skin care regime—throughout the year in fact—however, use a non-comedogenic one especially in summers as it won’t clog pores. You can also use a hyaluronic acid underneath your moisturiser to retain it well.

5. Exfoliants

The primary job of exfoliants (both physical and chemical) is to remove dead skin cells and other pore-clogging impurities from the skin. Therefore, there is no reason as to why you shouldn’t exfoliate your skin in summers as well. And as much necessary as it is in this season, you should also ensure that you don’t over-exfoliate. Once or twice a week is just fine to achieve a clean and glowing skin.

While you can incorporate scrubs with natural ingredients you can also look for products that are rich in AHAs like glycolic acid and BHAs like salicylic acid. These are chemical exfoliants that do not require physical or manual scrubbing.