Summer skincare: Beating breakouts and shine

Summer skin should radiate health and beauty, making us all but forget about the dry, scaly winter it’s just been through.

But for many people, summer does not bring forth the fabled glow. Instead we’re left with breakouts from the humidity, and as we try to keep our skin protected with lashings of sun cream, we develop more of an oily sheen than a dewy radiance.

So we asked Donna Glazer, skin educator and facialist, how to help keep our skin cool in the heat.

She tells us: “When the weather is hot, less really is more. You may need to change your day cream to a lighter one, or maybe only use it once a day.

“During the day if you get sweaty and hot, spritz your face with a toner or rose water as this will keep your skin cool and fresh without irritating it."

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Sun protection

All skincare experts insist that we should be wearing sun cream to ward off the aging effects of the sun, but many of the higher factor face protectors can be a problem for sensitive skins.

“The best way to look after your skin while away is to use a broad spectrum sun cream,” Donna agrees.  “You may need to try several if yours is causing spots.”

Donna is refreshingly pragmatic about the sun. “You have be careful but you also have to enjoy your life – and your holiday. If you have noticed that your sun cream has brought you out in spots, either apply little and often so it doesn’t clog up your pores, or avoid it by wearing a hat and keeping in the shade.”

She also reminds us that no sun cream completely blocks the sun and it's impossible to completely prevent your skin being exposed to UV rays in daylight. Not to mention, not much fun.

She also warns us not to be blasé about the sun, even if our skin responds well to it initially.

“Though spending time in the sun will help spots at the start of a holiday, it may lead to a break out when you get home. This is thanks to the build up of dead skin that was created during the tan, so don’t be tempted to expose your face too much – you’ll pay for it later.”

 
Healthy skin

“If possible, try and get a cream that contains antioxidants as this can repair some of the damage of the sun,” Donna suggests.
 
“But the most important skin care tip for when it’s warm and sunny is to drink water. After all, we’re 70 per cent water and in the hot weather we need more water to keep our organs (of which the skin is one) healthy.”

If you’re working in an air-conditioned office, you also have to deal with changes in temperature and air humidity.

“Air con is very drying and depletes water from the skin. To combat this, apply moisturising cream when you get home, even if you don’t think your skin needs it.”

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Beating breakouts

“The secret is not to pick. You’ve heard it a hundred times but picking really will make them worse, and then leave a scab. That makes the area of the skin weak and therefore more susceptible to other spots,” says Donna.
 
“If you do have a spot and it has a white head on it try and prick with a sterile pin at night. Put one drop of tea tree on a wet ear bud and dab on to the open spot.

“But don’t over do this as too much tea tree can cause other problems. The less you do with spots the better for the skin.”

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