Summer Beauty Tips to See You Through the Season

Summer wardrobe secured? Then turn your attention to the next item on your get-ready-for-summer agenda: your beauty routine. And with that, we can help. Think of the below as your useful checklist of summer beauty tips to help you beat the heat, swerve the humidity and maintain that glow right through to September.

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It’s a tale (almost) as old as time. You spend a good portion of your morning buffing and brushing on a perfect face of makeup, only to discover that come 3pm, it has slid halfway down your face. The solution starts with your summer skincare routine. Wait a good few minutes for your moisturiser and SPF to sink in before you start makeup application, use a grippy primer, as well as a powder or spray to set your face and if your skin is particularly oily, swap cream formulas for sturdier powders.

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There’s a delicate balance involved in learning how to get glowing skin. You want just the right amount of dewiness, without verging into ultra-shine. Skip the foundation if you can, and if not, opt for a matte formula mixed into an oil-free moisturiser as your first step to stopping shiny skin. And when it comes to highlighters, the ultimate glowing skin tip is to ditch the heavy balmy formulas in favour of lightweight powder textures that have reflective, illuminating particles to mimic dewiness without the physical slip.

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A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is able to shield skin from the destructive work of free radicals, those nuisance atoms associated with many harmful skin aggressors like pollution and UV rays, so it pays to add a vitamin C serum to your summer skincare routine. More than that, vitamin C can help brighten the skin, reducing the appearance of sun-caused hyperpigmentation.

Here’s an idea. Why not step away from your current signature scent and pick out a new perfume to scent the summer? It’s your chance to bank in on fragrance’s intimate relationship with memory and emotion. Wear one of the best summer perfumes all season long, and then in years to come when you smell that scent again, you’ll be reminded of what an incredible summer this has been.

Read More: Take note: The language of perfume, decoded

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As the rise of scalp care suggests, we’re finally wising up to the impact our scalp health can have on the overall appearance of hair. And so in the summer, when sun rays are at their harshest, it’s particularly important to keep your vulnerable scalp shielded. A big, floppy wide-brimmed sunhat is by far the best way to protect your scalp, but if your summer outfits don’t allow, invest in a scalp SPF and spray it on generously and regularly – if you only follow one scalp care tip, make it this.

Hair doesn't just have humidity to contend with in the summer: the extra heat and sun exposure can also dry out the scalp and strands and leave the lengths prone to breakage. Reducing heat styling and sleeping on a silk pillowcase will both help, but so will something as seemingly menial as changing your hairbrush. Worn-out or frayed bristles can cause already vulnerable strands to snap; instead look for soft, flexible bristles like those found on La Bonne Brosse’s collection of brushes.

Read More: How to get shiny hair, according to hair legend Sam McKnight

Ever noticed that your hair takes on a life of its own during the summer? Blame it on the humidity. Hair is hydroscopic, or moisture-absorbent, so it manages to soak up residual moisture in the air, causing fly-aways and a certain kind of puffiness. Now, it's your choice, but if you'd rather anchor down frizz, you'll love Olaplex's No6 Bond Smoother, £28. One of the best bond-building haircare products out there, it's a highly-concentrated leave-in cream that helps to moisturise and strengthen weakened strands, leaving you with softer, smoother hair.

Read More: The best hair treatments for a strand health-kick

We all know that regular SPF application (and reapplication) is a total non-negotiable, but if lumbered with a greasy, chalky, heavy-duty formula, it can feel like a chore. Thankfully, the new gen of sun cream formulas are nothing like their predecessors – and Ultra Violette’s are a case in point. Miraculously non-greasy, they sink in at record speed, smell delicious and there’s one for every skin type.

And another thing! While you’re no doubt already diligent with facial SPF, and can probably muster the energy to slather your limbs, too, don’t forget the places that often go neglected. We’re talking tops of ears, the back of the neck, plus the hands, feet and the lips. Trust us, future you will be thankful.

Read More: Head into summer knowing, once and for all, which SPF is best

Between all that extra sun exposure and hourly dips in the pool (lucky you), there's a high chance you'll return from your summer holiday with limbs that feel a lot drier and scalier than when you left. That makes it a good idea to exfoliate regularly. Problem is: exfoliate too often or with a scrub too abrasive, and you'll end up worsening the dry skin in summer problem or even causing irritation. Grainy enough to flick away dead skin cells but soft enough so as not to scratch, Dizziak Body Scrub, £24 leaves skin gleaming, even with only once-a-week use.

Read More: All the summer body skincare tips you need for a killer routine

Isn’t it a pain when you take off your sunglasses, all too often they remove a big patch of your makeup from your nose, too? Thankfully, it’s easy to fix. Before applying foundation and concealer (should you wear them) lay down a little eye primer (Hourglass Veil Eye Primer, £29 works a treat) on the area of the nose where your sunglasses sit. Once followed up with your usual makeup, top it off with some translucent powder blended with a damp sponge or fluffy brush. Not only should it stay put, no matter how many times you take off and put on your sunglasses, it should remedy the risk of red marks, too.

When things are a little sweaty, it can cause makeup to move southwards, as we’ve already covered. But your mascara isn’t immune either, and the extra oil that gathers around the eye at this time of year can cause grey marks to transfer onto the upper and lower lids. Just like solving sunglass transfer, a combination of eye primer and lightweight powder (applied with a small fluffy brush) will help temper oiliness on the skin. But go easy on the powder: too much, and it’ll gather and go a little cakey.

Read More: Foundation or concealer first? This is the correct order to apply your makeup

On the topic of mascara, at this time of year many of us make the annual switch to a waterproof formula to contend with all the sweat and swimming of the season. So far, all good. But where waterproof mascara is more sturdy, it’s also harder to remove. Rather than rigorous rubbing that can potentially tear out of lashes (ouch) and leave your eyes red-raw, go gentle. Use an oil or balm cleanser, soaking lashes for a few minutes before gently swiping away with a (reusable) cotton pad or fluffy, microfibre face cloth.

Read More: The best mascara for every lash

June, July and August are perfect for adding body oil into your summer bodycare routine, but if you aren’t a fan of the slippery feel it can leave, tweak your application. Simply applying down the very fronts of shins and outside of arms can give the same glowy effect, but without running the risk that you might slide right off your chair.

If you do get caught out in the sun, go gentle on areas of sunburn. Rehydration is your main goal here, so slather on lots of non-fussy body lotion, something simple with a short list of ingredients. And no surprise: aloe vera is the gold standard for cooling skin down. Next time you’re in the sun, cover up with more SPF, and when the sunburn starts to peel, don’t even think about exfoliating the skin away if what lies underneath is still red, sore and hot to the touch.

If you attract mosquitos like, well, a moth to a flame, of course, repellent is a necessity, as is a reparative, soothing cream to dial down the sting. But if you want help with covering up the redness bites leave behind, be sure to add a green colour-correcting concealer to your holiday toiletries checklist. The green tone will counteract the redness of skin, making bites less visible to the naked eye.

Heat = sweat = a sticky scalp. But that’s nothing that can’t be remedied with a good dry shampoo. And ‘good’ is the operative word here. Subpar formulas will leave your hair feeling even dirtier than when you started. Thankfully, modern takes on dry shampoo are a lot lighter in texture, disappearing to almost invisibility soon after application.

Read More: Is your hair hormonal? Find out via our guide to hormonal hair loss

Sure, there is something flattering about a smattering of sun-induced freckles or even a little flush over the cheeks and nose. But rather than subject yourself to the real thing, fake it. A brown felt tip eyeliner (like Suqqu’s Nuance Eyeliner in 02 Brown) will draw on realistic-looking freckles: dot it all over, leave it to dry a little, then pat with a makeup sponge to soften and blur the edges. As for the flush? Brush a little of Jones Road’s The Best Blush, £27 onto the bridge of the nose and the highest points of the cheek, just below the under eyes.

And on the topic of faking it, what’s the safest way to tan? From the comfort of your own bathroom, of course. And luckily, new-gen self-tan formulas have come a long way from the orange-tinted, biscuit-scented products of yesteryear. By simultaneously plying skin with a generous dose of hydration by way of plant extracts and oils, these new-gen takes on tan conjure up a faux glow that looks just as convincing as the one you'd get after spending two weeks in the Greek islands.