It’s the time of year most all of us have been waiting for. The kickoff of summer brings a lot of social time with parties and cookouts with family and friends.
It’s also the time to break out the hot weather wardrobe and show off healthy sun kissed skin. Except for those summer acne breakouts.
Find out why those summer days and steamy temperatures can aggravate skin and trigger acne breakouts and what you can do to tame it.
As temperatures heat up, you’ll find yourself sweating more often. This causes an increase in your natural oil production which in turn clogs pores. The result? More oily skin and acne flareups.
Other aggravating factors include exposure to chlorine in pools, bug repellent ingredients, and touching your face with sweaty hands.
The key to controlling acne breakouts this summer is an easy, smart skincare routine.
Although you may be tempted to use astringents and cleaners to strip skin of excess oil, these products may dry out the skin and remove too much of your natural oil. This process over-dries skin which also causes breakouts.
The goal is to strive for a balance of clean skin without stripping too much of the natural oils.
Blackhead breakouts respond well to cleaning products containing salicylic acid, while benzoyl peroxide is the go-to for those common red, inflamed pimples.
A gentle cleanser used twice daily to remove the excess oil produced by sweat glands activated by increased heat and humidity should do the trick. If twice isn’t enough, consider adding up to a third gentle wash.
If oil is really a problem, add an astringent to your skincare routine. While astringents are used to sop up extra oil, remember that most of them contain some level of alcohol. Alcohol can make skin extra dry, which triggers breakouts.
Don’t use astringents excessively. An alternative is witch hazel, which does a nice job of keeping oil under control and while not drying out your skin.
A small spray bottle of witch hazel misted on your skin throughout the day helps control oil without stripping away too much.
It’s important to shower daily to remove all the sweat, oil and products from your body and face, especially after working out and whenever working up a strong sweat.
Although you may feel like moisturizing is counter-productive, it’s important to keep skin hydrated. The secret is to change to a lighter formula.
Choosing a lighter, less creamy moisturizer gives you much-needed hydration without the heavier, greasier feel.
It goes without saying that when enjoying the heat and sun in upcoming summer months, you need to apply sunscreen every day.
A tinted sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 (higher SPF is even better) is an excellent choice. The added tint eliminates the need for foundation or layering make up on skin that’s prone to clogged pores and acne breakouts. Tinted sunscreen gives you sun protection and allows your skin to breathe.
Wrap Up
Enjoy the summer season this year with a simple yet effective cleansing and moisturizing skincare routine.
To kick off the season right, go in for effective acne-prone skin treatments with the professionals at Laura Skincare in downtown Petaluma.