Your Ultimate Guide To Summer Skin

Hey girl. Are you ready for summer? You better be – because all signs say it’s going to be a hot one!

I’ve put together your ultimate summer skin guide, to help keep your skin looking fresh, hydrated and most of all protected from the sun’s harmful rays for the next three months.

THE BODY

Three things are going to get you through summer: sunscreen, scrubs and moisturiser.

I do not want to hear about you leaving your house without sunscreen on. You need to find a great body sunscreen that works for you, and use it every day. Minimum SPF 30+, and make sure it’s broad spectrum.

Le Tan is a classic Australian brand, and I love their Coconut Sunscreen in SPF 50+. It smells amazing, it’s non-greasy, UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, 4 hours water resistant and moisturising. Le Tan products are available at Priceline.

wotnot makes a beautiful natural sunscreen which is gentle enough to be used on children and babies, while still protecting you from the sun and looking after your skin! This sunscreen contains micronized Zinc Oxide, is UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum and is enriched with all natural and certified organic ingredients. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

Priya Body Wash in Macadamia Oil will give you clean, nourished skin and make your bathroom smell amazing while you’re showering! It is infused with Kakadu Plum, Fresh Fig and Cassia Bark, and is great for dry and sensitive skin. It’s also dermatologically tested and vegan-friendly. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

Urban Rituelle Beachcomber Body Scrub comes in deliciously tropical scents which are perfect for summer. This scrub gently buffs away dead skin cells, and is enriched with aloe vera, coconut oil and kelp extract. It’s especially good after a long day at the beach when you need to scrub off all that sunscreen, salt water and sand. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

If you have keratosis pilaris or “chicken skin” dots and bumps all over your legs and arms, it’s time to get that under control. DERMAdoctor’s KP Duty is the product you have been searching for all your life. It helps to exfoliate, calm and hydrate dry and bumpy skin, and will help you to achieve the super smooth skin you’ve always wanted. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

Moisturise your skin and add a tiny bit of shimmer with Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Gold. This dry oil does a fantastic job at hydrating your skin while making it glow! It’s a multi-purpose product that can be used on your skin, hair and face. Your legs have never looked better. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

THE FACE

Your face also needs protection from the sun, because nothing ages you faster than a tan. Have a look at the skin of people who come from cold countries, and people who have been out in the sun all their lives. Those who have not been as exposed to the sun’s harsh rays always look younger.

If you’re looking for a serious face sunscreen, Germaine De Capuccini Excel Therapy O2 Urban Shield SPF 50 is exactly what you’re after. This UVA/UVB sunscreen works to shelter your skin from free radicals while boosting skin’s vital processes and functions. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

Ditch the heavy moisturisers in summer and go for something light. First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream uses a mix of botanical antioxidants such as white tea, licorice root and feverfew extracts, and is great for those with oily, combination and acne-prone skin. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

If you think your skin is looking a bit dull, aged or tired, you need a night treatment. Try Alpha-H Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum. This water-based serum combines the latest Peptide formula and 14% Glycolic Extract to radically reinvigorate collagen production; Vitamin A to accelerate cell turnover, and encapsulated Vitamin E to repair lipid damage and restore comfort, suppleness and flexibility. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

Another sunscreen I love is Indio Age Defence which is SPF 30+ and contains Vitamin E to keep the skin nourished and supple. It's your ultimate defence against signs of ageing. Buy it now in the bellabox store.

Palmer's Multi-Effect Perfecting Facial Oil was sampled in some of our November bellaboxes. This is the ultimate beauty oil, and it will really work hard to keep your skin looking fresh and soft this summer. It contains Argan Oil, Macadamia Oil, Maracuja Oil, Apricot Oil, Rosehip Oil, Coconut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Grapeseed Oil & Vitamin E, as well as Retinol (Vitamin A) to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help banish pigmentation!

THE TAN

I am a fake tanning advocate, and I am also one of the palest people you’ll ever meet – think lightest foundation in every range pale. I hide from the sun but I never hide from my bottles of fake tan. I never look orange, because I take care of my skin before and after tanning, and I only use the best quality tanners.

My favourite new tanning range is Salon Tan. We’ve sampled a few of their products in our bellaboxes this year, and they are a little more advanced than your average fake tan! They contain skincare ingredients that nourish and care for your skin while delivering a perfect olive toned colour. Salon Tan makes a Mousse, Lotion and Spray as well as a Face Lotion, so is you have a preference your favourite formulation will be available. Personally I like Mousse.

Make sure to exfoliate and moisturise in the days leading up to tanning session, and do your hair removal the night before your plan to tan. I like to fake tan at night, and I always have a shower about an hour beforehand to rinse off any deodorant or moisturiser. If you have really dry knees or elbows, you can apply a little bit of moisturiser to these areas before you start tanning.  I lay a towel down on my bathroom floor, put on some music (Taylor Swift’s 1989 is on repeat right now), and grab my tanning mitt or disposable rubber gloves.

I apply the tan in a circular motion, making sure that my tan is evenly blended and that no spots are missed.  After my whole body is covered I use a makeup sponge to apply tan to the back of my hands. Then I generally stand in front of a fan for 20 minutes before going to bed. I have a shower in the morning to rinse off, and then apply moisturiser to my whole body to keep my tan looking fresh.

If you’d prefer something that you can wash off at the end of the night, Salon Tan makes an incredible Wash Off Spray that will only last as long as you want it to. It won’t wear off while you’re out and about, but it will rinse off in the shower once you’re all lathered up with shower gel.

Salon Tan products are available from www.salontan.com.au

Stay tuned for my guide to summer hair, coming later this week!

What are you doing to look after your skin this summer? Let me know in the comments - Julia