I have a personal theory about beauty. I think everyone is beautiful. I think what is beautiful about us is our uniqueness, our differences, and our natural human-ness.

I’m not saying we have to be au naturale necessarily, what I’m saying is we get to be ourselves and that is what is beautiful. Being comfortable in our skin, being true to ourselves, being authentic.

Maybe for some of us that is being totally natural or maybe it’s the complete opposite. Maybe it’s dyed rainbow hair and a full face of make-up, for many of us it’s somewhere in between. We are a little bit natural, a little bit painted, and maybe a little bit accessorized. 

Whatever and whoever we choose to be, the key is that we get to choose and own it, that is what makes us beautiful.

I also think there are a few other things that make us beautiful. Things like self-care, skincare, hygiene, cleanliness, fitness, health, and kindness. Self-Love my friends, is so beautiful.

Luckily for us all - these things are available to us if we want them. 

Today I want to talk about skincare, especially summer skincare. The reason I want to talk about summer skincare is because I tend to get a bit lazy in the summer with my habits and I notice skincare is one of those habits falling by the wayside. 

Instead of just letting it happen, I decided to stop and address my lack of skincare enthusiasm and get it back on track. I think the easiest way to address this is to notice where I’m slacking so I can bring my attention to it and make adjustments. 

The following list is simply what I have noted about my summer skincare, what I’m doing well, where I need work, and what I’d like to do differently. It’s in no particular order just as things came to mind.

My goal here is to get myself back on track and in the process maybe you can find inspiration and motivation for your own skincare routine. If you are nailing it already then yay you!

Let’s dig in. 

1. I find I let my skincare routine slide in the summer because I get busy.

Running from event to event keeps us busy all summer long. You’re running from bbq, to summer camp, to work, to the grocery store, to your family functions…and everything else is getting very little attention.

~Slow down or at the very least make self-care (skincare) a non-negotiable. I need to make myself get back into routine. It just feels amazing taking care of yourself (skin).

2. I stay up later so I don’t always wash my face at night.

I hate that I have to admit this. I have been lazy about taking my make-up off every night. In my defense I haven’t been wearing a ton of make-up but really there is no excuse especially because I‘m getting clogged and enlarged pores to prove why it’s so important to keep your skin clean.

~Wash my make-up off each night.

3. I’m getting more sun on my face and forget-ish to use sunscreen every day.

Try sunscreens until you find something that works for you. I have to say my skin hates sunscreen. I have a collection of sunscreen that rivals the department store. We do live on a lake so surely we will use it up but let me tell you, I have tried them all. Sunscreens can really irritate the skin on my face especially but I do have one now that I’m pretty settled on, La Roche Posay Tinted Mineral SPF 50. 

I haven’t always been concerned about sunscreen. I have an olive skin tone and tan quite easily. But now in my mid-forties I do see the damage my sun loving ways have caused. I have dark spots on my face and on my chest (décolletage). I know that the damage I’m seeing now is from the forty plus years prior and not from this summer alone but I would like to be more disciplined with sunblock.

That being said I still love the sun and also really like being tan. So to have my cake and eat it too, I will use sunscreen and this sunless tanner by Isle of Paradise on my face and chest.

~Use a good sunscreen on my face and chest.

~Use a sunless tanner on my face and chest.

4. My skincare products can cause photosensitivity so sometimes I avoid them in the summer months.

As I mentioned above I love the sun and know I will be outside a lot in the summer. So I find I begin to avoid products like my Retinol and CE Ferulic by Skinceuticals Vitamin C Serum. I use them religiously in the winter but in the summer I begin to avoid them because if I’m not careful about sunblock it can make me sensitive to the sun.

Retinol is great for anti-aging and Vitamin C Serum is excellent for fading dark spots AKA sun damage…but only if you use them. It’s ironic that I avoid them because I want to be in the sun, which causes aging and dark spots.

~Use the Retinol and other products AND Sunscreen religiously.

5. I purchased a lighter version of my face cream for summer.

I use a pretty heavy cream in the winter because my skin really dries out with the forced air heating systems used here in Michigan. But this cream is just too heavy in the summer so I switch to a light version as soon as the furnaces are turned off for the season.

~I use Hydraphase HA Rich Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream in the winter and the Light in the summer, same product just different formula.

6. This year I purchased a scrub for exfoliation.

Probably because I haven’t been diligent with my nightly face washing and retinol routine, not to mention, peri-menopause hormones raging, I’m getting acne on my chin and my pores on nose are getting enlarged. To combat this I purchased an additional scrub to use in the shower. I picked up Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian Facial Scrub and it seems to be helping.

~Use a physical exfoliant a couple times a week to help keep skin clear and smooth.

7. I have spent way more time this year in the shade than in the sun. (And I’m still tan)

Something I have been doing rather well at is spending time under an umbrella and not in the direct sunlight. Last year we put umbrellas near our beach so we can avoid the glaring sun and the heat of the day. This has been great for my skin too.

Another excellent way to shade your skin is to wear a hat. When I’m out walking, boating, or other outdoor activities I do try to wear a hat. It protects your eyes and skin from the sun and looks cute too. 

~Find the shade.

8. Use less make-up and let your sun kissed skin shine through.

In the summer my skin needs less make-up. My olive skin is pretty forgiving and I don’t have dark circles or too many dark spots to cover up yet so take advantage and use less make-up if you can. This also helps combat the clogged pores I tend to get from the sunscreen.

~Use less make-up.

9. Keep hydrated

The final piece to this plan is to drink more water. This is not only good for your skin to maintain moisture and clear your pores but it does your mind and body good overall.

I am hit or miss on my water habit. Sometimes I’m awesome, sometimes not so much. I did buy this water bottle to assist my memory and shame me when I’m not getting enough water. It has helped.

~Get in my 8 glasses of water.

Well that pretty much wraps up my summer skincare routine. I have motivated myself by writing this and hopefully inspired you as well. Healthy skin is beautiful and sunscreen is safe. 

Happy Summer You All!