Last year I started a tradition on this blog: at the beginning of every season I share my beauty routine essentials for the weeks to come. After my beauty essentials for winter and beauty routine for spring, it’s now time to get ready for summer!
We’ve had some very sunny days already so far. It actually feels like we skipped spring altogether and went from needing a scarf and gloves straight to summer dresses.
This also means I’ve had quite some time to test out my new DIY beauty routine. Where my other beauty routines looked pretty similar and I just switched out a few ingredients, this time I’ve been trying out some new DIY tricks!
Beauty routine for acne prone and sensitive skin types
The reason for this change is that my skin type seems to have changed as well these last few months. I’ve been experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety lately (mainly work related) and my skin is the first place it shows.
At the moment I have sensitive as well as acne prone skin. That has determined a lot of the product choices in my new beauty routine.
Follow your intuition
I have a very intuitive approach when it comes to my skin care routine. With all of the spots popping up on my skin a thorough scrub or microdermabrasion would seem the best choice. But I know that won’t sit well with my sensitive skin (isn’t all acne prone skin sensitive anyways?). It’ll look and feel good at first, but I know my skin problems will come back with a vengeance.
I have that same gut feeling about coconut oil by the way. I love it as a moisturizing lotion for the body. But when it comes to my face I’m not convinced. Coconut oil is said to have amazing anti bacterial properties, but at the same time it’s also comedogenic (meaning it can your clog pores). That’s a risk I’m just not willing to take. At the same time I’ve heard people say that it has done wonders for their skin. Don’t hate it till you’ve tried it, I guess?
Anyways, back to my current beauty routine. I’ve been keeping it very basic lately and it’s been paying off!
My beauty routine for summer
Cleanser: micelar water
This is the only ‘traditional’ drugstore product. It’s a staple in this list and I use it all year long. The reason why I love it so much is that it still fits in with my skin care philosophy.
The make up of micelar water is very simple: it’s basically water with micelles added to it.
These micelles attach themselves to dirt and makeup and remove them from your face.
I talk more about the benefits of micelar water in this post.
The most popular brand of micelar water is (was?) Sensibio H2O. It’s such an iconic product that a lot of drugstore brands copy the look of the packaging.
Since these drugstore brands have been coming out with their own versions I’ve been buying these cheaper ones and I’ve found they work just as well! Currently I’ve been using the Garnier micelar water and it gets the job done.
I soak a cotton pad with micelar water and then I gently rub my face with it. When I’m wearing a full face of makeup (especially when I’m wearing mascara) I use several cotton pads until my face looks and feels squeaky clean!
You don’t even have to rinse with water, all of the dirt just sticks to the cotton pad!
When I’m wearing waterproof mascara I use my coconut oil eye makeup remover pads first to make sure every last bit of mascara is removed.
ACV Face toner
After my face has been cleansed I like to use a toner. I’ve tried a lot of natural toners so far: rose water, witch hazel, corn flower water, orange blossom water … you name it, I’ve tried it.
The past few weeks I’ve been experimenting with a less coventional face toner: apple cider vinegar. And so far I love it!
I talk all about the use of apple cider vinegar as a toner in this post.
The basic idea is that you dilute the ACV with water and use a cotton pad to swipe your face with it.
It makes my skin feel squeeky clean and balanced. But it also smells of … well … apples mixed with vinegar. The choice is up to you.
Because of the smell I prefer to use micelar water or a different toner to freshen up my face in the mornings.
A great alternative for this DIY toner is witch hazel.
Aloe Vera Gel Moisturizer
I’ve rediscovered aloe vera gel as a moisturizer lately. It’s so simple yet effective. I love it!
A lot of the times I use pure aloe vera as my face moisturizer. Especially in the morning because it’s so quick and easy to apply. You can use the gel straight from the plant or buy the 99 % pure kind like I do.
Sometimes I mix in a dollop of Aveeno CC Cream for my morning routine. This CC Cream has quite a thick creamy texture. Mixing it with the same amount of aloe vera gel makes it light and airy instead. It’s perfect to even out my skin tone after a short night and makes any spots present less visible.
It also has an SPF of 30 which is ideal when I’m out and about. When I’m going to be spending lots of time outdoors I do like to use a proper sunscreen instead with an SPF of 50 or more. I take skin protection VERY seriously.
Other times I like to mix in a drop of sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil with my aloe vera gel. Especially in the evening or after I’ve taken a shower to give my skin an extra moisturizing boost.
Find out more about facial oils for different skin types here.
At night time I also apply my anti acne gel on top when needed.
Anti acne gel
My clean and simple beauty routine has kept my break outs to a minimum. But if one does pop up I like to keep it under control with my tea tree acne gel.
All you need is 2 simple ingredients: tea tree essential oil and aloe vera gel. I keep some premixed in a dropper bottle for instant use.
Tinted lip balm
Year round I need a lip balm within reach. In the winter it’s the harsh wind and cold temperatures that crack my lips. In the summer it’s the ever blazing air conditioning.
The sensitive skin around my lips is also VERY prone to eczema and there are very few brands that don’t cause flare ups for me. Even some of the lip balms of my favorite brands that use mostly natural ingredients are still too strong.
For a while now I’ve been making my own lip balm and it’s amazing! I can decide what ingredients, colorants and fragrances I put into my lip balm. Usually I just use a little bit of pink mica and maybe a drop of essential oil for scent.
The lip balm I’m currently using contains 1 teaspoon of beeswax, 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of grapeseed oil and a dash of pink cosmetic mica.
Both coconut oil and grapeseed oil are said to have some natural SPF in them which is a nice bonus!
Under eye treatment
I’m keeping my under eye treatment very simple this season.
To moisturize the delicate area around my eyes I filled a roller bottle with pure sweet almond oil. This oil is great to visibly reduce dark under eye circles.
I apply the oil by rolling the bottle underneath my eyes, over the crease where the dark circle begins/ends. This is about half an inch underneath your eye, but the oil will start to move up as you sleep so this way you’re sure it doesn’t all just end up IN your eye.
Other steps I’m taking towards a better skin care routine:
Sleep more
A good night’s sleep makes all the difference in my skin condition and overall appearance. Needless to say I’m trying to get more of it 🙂
Clean out my makeup collection
I had some pretty bad break outs after I wore a full face of makeup to my friend’s wedding. I don’t use a whole lot of makeup on a typical day, so my skin isn’t used to it. Not only does makeup clog your pores, it’s wise to replace your makeup staples with new ones every now and then.
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Wednesday 19th of July 2017
[…] the start of summer I shared my Natural Beauty Essentials. And as you can tell, a lot of my staple products are […]