Fast Fixes for the Summer’s Biggest Skin Woes

Summer is one of our favorite times of the year but, let’s be honest, it often comes with a fair share of skin care woes. With more time being spent outdoors exposed to harmful UV rays, frequent shaving, sweating, and more, there’s a higher chance of dealing with related skin dilemmas, including breakouts, sunburn, shiny-looking skin and more. The good news is that there are solutions! To that end, we’re breaking down four common summertime skin care woes—and the best ways to address them, ahead.     

Acne

With heat eventually comes sweat, which can mix with other impurities on the surface of the skin (including bacteria) and cause an unwanted breakout to ensue. The longer these impurities linger on the skin, the higher the chances of blemishes forming. 

The solution: Cleansing your skin regularly can help remove sweat, dirt, and other impurities on the skin’s surface, helping to minimize your chances of a breakout. In the summertime especially, when we’re layering on sunscreen religiously, it’s important to have a cleanser on hand— like AcneFree Oil-Free Acne Cleanser— that can handle the task of thoroughly cleansing the skin of dirt, grime, and product residue. In the event that an unwelcome blemish surfaces, dab a little bit of spot treatment formulated with benzoyl peroxide over the area to keep it under control, so long as your skin is not sensitive to the formula. 

Sunburn

You may have been incredibly diligent about applying sunscreen, but your skin still got sunburnt. Now what? Don’t panic—it happens! Since Broad Spectrum sunscreen alone cannot provide full protection against UV rays, avoiding a sunburn can be tricky, especially if you failed to take other sun protection measures like seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding peak sun hours.

The solution: Planning to spend a significant amount of time outdoors? Stay sun safe by applying (and reapplying) a water-resistant, Broad Spectrum SPF 15 or higher. Grab a pair of UV-safe sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and protective clothing to protect as much of your skin as possible. To help care for your skin after a sunburn, reach for products formulated with aloe vera for cooling and refreshing relief. For an extra cooling experience, store your aloe vera gel in the fridge.

Top tip: If you’re in a pinch and want to reduce the appearance of redness associated with sunburn reach for a color correcting product with a green hue. Since green is located on the opposite side of red on the color wheel, applying cosmetics in this shade can help neutralize the look of that sunburn.

Ingrown Hairs

An ingrown hair occurs when a shaved or tweezed hair grows back into the skin. The result? Anything from inflammation, pain, irritation, or tiny bumps in the area where the hair was removed. In summer—when swimsuits and short sundresses are the outfits of choice—many opt to remove unwanted hair more frequently, upping the chances of an ingrown hair developing.

The solution: Ingrown hairs often improve without intervention, however you can help avoid them by not removing your hair to begin with. If that’s not an option, opt for hair removal methods other than shaving, tweezing or waxing, which are most commonly associated with ingrown hairs. 

Dryness

Dry skin is a condition many deal with year-round, including the summertime believe it or not. Between steamy hot showers, sun exposure, and chlorinated pools, the skin on our faces and bodies can lose moisture quickly. To help keep your skin hydrated and dryness at bay, be sure to moisturize daily from head to toe. Help lock in moisture by applying creams, lotions and ointments onto damp skin post-cleansing and showering.