Summer Essentials

Summer is definitely one of my favorite seasons. It is known that vitamin D acts as a stress buster, which means with the help of sun exposure (safely) it brings us happiness!

However with extra sun exposure and the more regular re-application of SPF throughout the day, your skin is more oily and prone to pimples in the summer.

My BFF came to visit me a few weeks ago, and she was surprised to see how smooth and even my skin was without makeup, she also commented on my natural glow.  

So instead I have decided to share with you my personal routine that I use in the Summer. Keep in mind that my skin is normal to oily, and it is sensitive to products that contain too much salycic acid. So I keep most of my products very natural. Also remember everyone's skin is different, so what works for me might not work for everyone.

1. Face wash: I wash my face with SANA soy bean face wash. It is colorless, scentless and it contains no oil. I use this product all year round, and so far I am on my 3rd bottle. It is very mild and it does a good job at removing dirt and oil after a day of work. 

2. Toner: I like to use a natural toner that contains rose water. A while back I read somewhere that the French women's best kept beauty secret is their obsession with rose water. I used to use Burt's Bees rose water, and before that I used rose water from Fresh, but then I found this at my local Italian store for $3, it is all natural and does a good job at hydrating my skin.

3. Lotion: In the summer I change from my normal lotion to one that is more water based, like the lettuce cucumber lotion that I use from Skin Food. I keep this in the fridge and I apply this at night because it contains no SPF.

4. Mask: Once a week I exfoliate my face with this rice mask that is also from Skin Food, I find that if I exfoliate more than once a week my skin gets irritated and little pimples appear, so once a week is the best for me. I keep this in the fridge as well so when I apply it on my face it feels nice and fresh.

I hope that was helpful, and just a tip I only use face wash at night, after I have removed my makeup with coconut oil. In the mornings I use a wet paper towel to rinse my face with luke warm water. Like I said my skin is sensitive, so over washing it strips away the oil my skin needs, which will cause me to break out. The reason I use a paper towel is because it removes oil better than my hands, and I dry it with a paper towel then I toss it away. Bacteria can build in moist environments, so if you still find yourself breaking out after doing everything right, make sure your face cloths and makeup brushes are clean and kept in a dry environment. 

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Cheeks