Hot summer days are just around the corner – it’s time to switch up your beauty routine and prep your skin for the sunnier times to come. After months of wrapping up warm, it is finally time to bare all and enjoy some short skirts and open-toe sandals. Because your skin and hair often change with the seasons, so should your beauty routine. Here are some tips on how to switch up your beauty routine for summer:
1. Treat your feet
Winter boots and thick socks means you’d be forgiven for neglecting your footcare, but summer shoes call for a foot intervention! If you have the money to spare, treat yourself to a pedicure and get semi-permanent nail gel that will always look pretty in your open-toe sandals. Bio Sculpture Gels (1) are 100% vegan and you can get your treatment at selected beauty salons that carry the brand. They will last for 2-3 weeks (until your nails grow out) and you won’t have to worry about the sea or pool water peeling it off, like it would normal nail polish. Plus – who wants to worry about chipping nail polish when you’re enjoying summer? If money is an issue, you can easily do your own pedicure at home- read Vilda’s pedicure guide for summer right here.
2. Lighter moisturiser
Usually, your skin is drier during the cold winter months and needs some extra TLC. For summer however, you’ll want something a bit lighter – and of course with sunscreen included (although make sure to use a sunscreen for the face if you’re out in the sun during 11-16). Try the Yes To Carrots Daily Facial Moisturizer (2) with SPF 15.
3. A new foundation
Whether you’re the kind of girl who only wears make-up during balmy summer evenings, or the kind who prefers to cover up blemishes on the beach, you might need a new foundation for hot-weather coverage. Many prefer a lighter formula, such as a BB or CC cream, or maybe you’d like to try a mineral powder foundation. Either way, get one with SPF (no, you can never have enough!). If you tan and/or get darker in the summer months, you might want to consider a darker shade than your natural one. One good, lightweight option is the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 -hour Primer (3), which also has SPF 30.
4. Exfoliate!
Want to know the secret to a beautiful and long-lasting tan? Exfoliation! Even if you don’t tan, exfoliation has a number of benefits like getting rid of dry skin and dead skin cells. Messed up with self-tanner? Exfoliation is the way to go. You can either use a store-bought scrub or make your own and apply it with a loofah, exfoliating gloves or a body brush while you’re in the shower. If you wax, exfoliating before a wax session makes sure you get no ingrown hairs.
Want to make your own vegan body scrub? Mix coffee grounds that you’ve used in your machine with either coconut or olive oil until you get a creamy consistency.
5. Protect your hair
The sun makes your hair colour fade so make sure to protect your hair with a nourishing hair mask with SPF in it and ideally wear a hat or a scarf to protect your scalp as well. Switch to a shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask with colour protection during the summer months to prevent fading and sun damage – even if you don’t dye your hair. Try the Luminous Colour series from Swedish vegan haircare brand Maria Nila, their Luminous Colour Masque (4) nourishes and protects the hair all the while making it shiny and soft. For more tips on protecting your hair for summer, here’s Vilda’s guide on how to heat-proof your locks.
Top photo via Pixabay
