Refresh your sun and sweat-ravaged skin

Aug 05, 2011 7:20 AM by Jessica Padykula

Posted in Beauty & Style / Makeup & Skin Care / Skincare

Mid-Summer
Skin Savers

It's August and your skin has seen several weeks of sun, sweat, sand and waterproof makeup aimed at keeping you gorgeous without looking like a wax candle left too close to an open flame. All of these things take a toll on your complexion, leaving it dry, lackluster, broken out and the opposite of its normal smooth, supple self. To help you recalibrate your summer-ravaged skin, we've put together a few simple tips that will have your face looking fabulous in no time.

Woman with moisturizing mask

Chill your products

Clear out a small area in your fridge and store your skin care products where it's nice and cool. Applying a chilled moisturizer to your overheated skin will feel great and give your complexion a brief break from the oppressive humidity. We also love keeping a spray toner in the fridge for a quick cooling spritz any time we're feeling too hot to handle. If you're going on a long car ride, freeze the bottle for a few hours to keep your heat-busting mist cooler, longer.

Indulge in a hydrating mask

Sun exposure can really dry out your complexion, but a good hydrating mask can be a savior for your dehydrated skin. Pop it in the fridge for a few hours before you plan to use it so it goes on nice and cool (an added burst of refreshment for your face). Here are a few we swear by at various price points:

Korres Yogurt Mask ($29): Let the soothing power of yogurt cool, moisturize and nourish your skin.
Kate Somerville Quench Hydrating Mask ($45): Give your complexion a hydrating boost with hyaluronic acid, which pulls moisture into skin cells, leaving your face smooth and supple.
Nude Skincare Miracle Mask ($62): A favorite of aestheticians and skin care specialists, this multitasking mask moisturizes and exfoliates for a brighter, smoother complexion.

Don't skimp on scrubbing

We would never advocate leaving exfoliation out of your weekly skin care routine, but we also understand summers get busy and you probably aren't going to take a bagful of beauty products on your camping trip. But if you've been avoiding exfoliation, you're probably dealing with less-than-stellar skin, which can be remedied by getting back on track where scrubbing is concerned. When you sweat, whatever is on your skin (makeup, dead skin cells, sunscreen, oil) slides into your pores (ick) with the potential to cause breakouts and an otherwise lackluster complexion. Take the time to exfoliate your skin at least once a week for the rest of the summer – the positive difference will be noticeable.

Sip and repeat

Staying hydrated in the summer is a no-brainer, but you also need to think about sipping regularly for the sake of your skin. You lose a lot of water through sweat, which means you need to drink even more fluids than usual. We suggest filling a pretty pitcher with H20, slices of cucumber and some lime wedges or orange segments and your favorite berries for a punched-up take on plain old water. You can also add those same accoutrements to your reusable water for flavored sipping on the go. Skin that's properly hydrated from the inside out will be firmer and more supple.

Give your skin a break

If you can, spend a couple days a week sans makeup to give your pores a chance to breathe. With all the sweating you've been doing (especially if you're outside a lot or don't have A/C), it's important to leave your skin bare once in a while. If you can get away with it, skip most of your products and opt for a simple swipe of mascara, dab of gloss and sop up shine with an oil-blotting paper (which you can keep in your purse for shine control throughout the day).