Summer has officially arrived! Which feels kind of odd given the amazing weather lately (excusing this washout weekend). And long may that continue… However, summer isn’t all ice cream and day trips to the beach. When temperatures soar and humidity rises there are some important things to think about when it comes to looking after your skin.

Clean, moisturised skin is essential all year long, but certain seasons require a little extra TLC. So, with summer in the air and our infamous British weather already looking pretty good (touch wood), let’s have a look at how a few skincare adjustments can transform a dull, wintry complexion into sunshine-ready skin. 

Herein, ten ways to get your glow on this summer…

1. Double Cleanse Before Bed

Double cleansing splits opinion. Some people believe it’s totally unnecessary and strips your skin of essential oils, while others wouldn’t dream of going to bed without their 10-minute double cleansing routine.

We’re somewhere in the middle. For most of the year, it’s true, you probably don’t need to cleanse your skin twice unless you wear very heavy make-up on a daily basis. But in the summer? Well, if you wear a lot of make-up, have oily skin or if your face tends to sweat (sorry ‘glow’), then double cleansing is a great way to ensure you remove anything nasty lurking on the surface of your skin. 

For an effective, yet gentle way to double cleanse, apply Crystal Cleanser to dry skin and massage it all over your face and neck with your fingers before rinsing. Then do the same all over again while your skin is still damp. Simple.

2. Regularly Exfoliate

Oil-production increases in the summer so your skin generally feels stickier and sweatier. This means now’s the time to ensure your skin enjoys some regular, albeit gentle, exfoliation. 

Exfoliation clears away dead skin cells and excess sebum that, if left on your skin’s surface, can clog your pores and make your skin break out quicker than you can say ‘pass the tea tree oil.’ It also boosts collagen production to increase radiance, clarity, texture and tone – four adjectives we’re sure you want your skin to be known for. 

Try our Natural Luminosity Scrub each evening before bed to deeply cleanse and whisk away all the impurities of the day.

3. Lighten Up Your Moisturiser

Summer = more humidity, which is good and bad news. On the one hand, more moisture in the air is hell for frizzy hair, but on the other hand it means your skin is far less likely to feel dehydrated. And, we don’t know about you, but we’ll put up with a bit of temporary frizz for softer, more hydrated skin…

That being said, summer skin still requires hydration and moisturisation, but as long as your skin type allows it, you can definitely go for a lighter formulation. If you feel your usual moisturiser is over-performing for you, dial it back a little and try our Organic Hydration Gel instead. Pumped full of hydrating aloe and glycerin, it’s the perfect summertime moisturiser – lightweight, but still super effective. 

4. Never Skip On Sunscreen

Hopefully you’re less likely to forget your sunscreen when that big ball of fire in the sky is so glaringly obvious, but still, we can’t fail to mention the importance of applying broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning. Lest you forget, the sun is the number one cause of external skin ageing and is accountable for 90 percent of visible changes to your skin. Yes, 90 whole percent!

Thankfully, our Organic Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 25 makes this step SO much easier. It’s like your perfect moisturiser, primer, sunscreen and BB cream all rolled into one. And we don’t say that lightly.

5. Get Your Vitamin C

Did you know, sunscreen isn’t the only way to protect your skin from the damaging rays from the sun? Topical antioxidants like vitamin C are also essential. 

Vitamin C helps inhibit melanin production which makes it especially useful in the summer. How so? Well, sunlight causes your skin to produce more melanin – which is why you tan. Too much exposure, however, causes melanin production to go awry, creating patchy, uneven blotches on your skin, otherwise known as dark, age or sun spots.

Vitamin C helps reduce these dark spots and brightens your skin while also combatting free radical damage. Research also shows that when you combine vitamin C with sunscreen, it makes it even more effective at protecting your skin and neutralising damage.

Yes, there is a beauty god and it comes in the form of vitamin C! To get your daily fix, apply Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum every day before moisturising. 

6. Combat ‘Allergy’ Eyes

For some of you, summer means one thing: hay fever and the annoying symptoms that come with it. If you suffer with red, itchy eyes due to annoying pollen allergies, there are many things you can do like keep your windows closed and invest in some oral antihistamines or eyedrops. 

Imperial Eye Gel is also very effective at reducing redness and puffiness caused by touching and scratching the area around your eyes. And if you keep it in the fridge? Bliss.

7. Don’t Shower Too Much

When you’re sweating from top-to-toe, it’s tempting to want to jump in the shower a couple of times a day. But too much showering (especially if you like it hot) can dry out your skin. And nobody wants to expose flaky skin when the weather is screaming out for sundresses and sandals.

Instead, stick to one, lukewarm shower a day (in the evening if you can’t bear going to bed dirty) or, if you must shower twice, limit each one to three minutes max. Use gentle cleansers rather than harsh soap and always moisturise with Natural Luminosity Body Butter immediately after patting your skin dry – preferably while it’s still moist.

8. Go Natural With Your Makeup

Summer beauty trends are always centred around minimal foundation and glowy skin, so  embrace this by enhancing your skin with Organic Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 25 instead of hiding behind heavy foundation and powder. 

A touch of mascara and a pop of lip colour thanks to one of our Organic Lip Glosses and you’re pretty much sorted for the next few months. 

9. Look After Your Lips

While we’re on the subject of your lips, don’t forget to give yours some TLC during the summer months when margaritas, salty barbecue food and too much sun can cause them to become dry and flaky.

Slather Superior Lip Butter all over your lips before bed and we guarantee they’ll feel and look brand new by the morning. 

10. Finally, Don’t Forget Your Bod

If your thighs or the tops of your arms have been hidden away for the past six months, chances are they’re going to need some major help before you whip them out for summer. A great way to boost circulation, remove toxins and soften rough patches is to exfoliate with Natural Luminosity Scrub. 

Take a small amount – the size of a £1 coin should be plenty – and gently work this over troublesome areas, using circular motions with your hands. Do this for about a minute, then rinse and pat dry. 

Denim hotpants here we come! OK, maybe not, but still, it’s nice to know you could if you really wanted to, isn’t it? And on a final serious note, don't forget your sunnies and wide brim headwear to really keep those harmful rays from having a go at your glorious skin.