Summer Skincare Essentials – Face

As I pack for my trip abroad, I have been thinking of the summer beauty essentials that I want to bring with me. My skin is oily and acne-prone, but I also try to find products that are gentle. Here are some of my summer facial skincare essentials.

Cleanse:

In the morning I have been cleansing with Lush’s Coalface. I love this soap. I think the charcoal works really wells to absorb oil and lightly exfoliate. But this soap also has rosewood oil, sandalwood oil and licorice root.

At night, I’m usually too lazy to wash my face and am thankful for the creation of facial wipes. They make it super easy to remove makeup and Yes To Tomatoes gets the job done and gently treats acne.

Tone:

Some use toner and some don’t and I am still unclear if this is a universal skincare necessity. I think that anyone with oily and acne prone skin can really benefit from using astringent because it has made a great deal of difference in keeping me acne free and less oily throughout the day. Witch hazel is gentle, effective and a multi-tasker. Plus these wipes will be perfect for traveling.

Moisturize:

During the day, I have been using L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Miracle Blur cream. I wanted to try this pricy, drugstore product since if debuted and I’m pretty happy with the results. The texture is primer-like and leaves my face matte. It is pretty hard to find affordable, MATTE sunscreen and this fits the bill. Cetaphil Dermacontrol Oil Control Moisturizer is another safe bet during the summer months. It’s light and gentle but still has SPF 30. But it doesn’t give me a matte finish 😦

At night, I use Ambi Fade Cream. It is amazing at evening out my skin-tone and is incredibly affordable. Another great option that is hydroquinone free is Clinique’s Even Better Dark Spot Corrector. I used it for a couple of months last year with superb results. The serum texture works well during the hot months and layers well under sunscreen, making it easy to use twice a day (for more effective results).

Eye Cream:

As I have gotten older, eye cream has become increasingly important. During the day, I love using Clinique All about Eyes De-Puffing Massage. The roller ball feels cool and refreshing on the skin and the packaging makes it easy to bring with me in my makeup bag and use throughout the day.

At night I have been using Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum. This stuff is amazing on dry skin. I have been using samples of this when I had a period of very dry skin around my eyes in early July. Constant use of this eye serum helped to moisturize the dry skin around my eyes without irritation or any greasing feeling. I am now convinced that I need to buy a full bottle.

Lip Balm:

I have written before about my love for lip balm and now you will hear it again. Lip balm is an essential to my daily life. I love Burt’s Bees and Nivea, but a cocoa butter stick makes a great lip balm too. I use them interchangeably throughout the day.

What skincare items are a must for you during the summer?

My Love for LUSH

I fell in love with LUSH ever since I stumbled upon their store in London in the summer of 2004. I was studying abroad for the first time and while I was there, I spent my free time wandering around the neighborhoods of London. The LUSH product that made me a true believer was Buffy, a moisturizing body scrub bar. It gets the job done and leaves your skin soft and moisturized.

If you don’t know, LUSH is a store that makes homemade cosmetics. All of their products are 100% vegetarian and they don’t test on animals. They offer an array of bath products as well as skincare, makeup, haircare and other random goodies like toothpaste and perfume. I love that they use fresh ingredients like fruits, essential oils, cocoa butter, honey and beeswax. LUSH is such a treat because their products are so unique and indulgent, so I though I would share with you what I have been using lately from LUSH!

Ro’s Argan is a body conditioner. Slather some of this on before you get out of the shower and PAT dry, and this will leave your skin with a slight oily sheen and super moisturized. I used to do this trick with baby oil before getting out of the shower, and Ro’s Argan is a more indulgent version of this trick. It smells wonderful, has a creamy consistance, making it easier to apply than baby oil and you don’t need to use a lot to get the job done.

Turkish Delight is a what LUSH calls a shower smoothie. It is a whipped body wash/scrub that has a thick and creamy texture.  This smells like your nose is buried in a dozen roses. The fragrance is one of the reasons that I love Turkish Delight! It makes showering an experience. Scoop a small amount of this on a loofah or wash cloth and this works itself into a thick lather. Unfortunately, the scent doesn’t stay on the skin when you leave the shower.

Ocean Salt is a scrub with real salt, lime, and vodka. My first thought was that this was going to be too rough for my skin, but I was wrong. The salt dissolves as you use it and helps to dry up imperfections. It’s also great at a body scrub.

Coco Lotion and Sympathy For The Skin are lotions. Coco Lotion is made with coconut oil and fresh pineapple but is nearly fragrance-free and is suggested for sensitive skin. Sympathy For The Skin is made with bananas and cocoa butter. I love these lotions in the summer, when I want a moisturizer that absorbs quickly and has no tacky feeling. I am currently using Sympathy For The Skin.

I have used up all of the products mentioned except for Sympathy For The Skin. When I am done, the lotion will be my fifth empty container from LUSH and then I can go to a store and recycle them for a FREE fresh face mask. I have never used the LUSH face masks, so I checked the website to learn more about them.

First off, they have to refrigerated at all times because LUSH uses fresh fruits and vegetables in their face masks. The masks that appeal most to me and my skin concerns are:

Cosmetic Warrior, made of grapes, honey and tea tree oil, and

Cupcake, made with cocoa powder and butter and tons of mint.

I am sure the associates at LUSH will help me make the best decision between the two.

If there are any readers that can recommend their favorite LUSH products, please let me know and leave me a comment. I’m interested to know what other people love at LUSH.

See ya soon,