Skincare: Summer Edition

Today officially marks the first day of summer! With that in mind, I thought I’d share what I’ve been using as part of my daily routine. The hot, sticky weather makes my skin a bit more temperamental than usual – I would definitely consider my skin more combination sensitive this time of year…although I suspect the ‘sensitive’ part may be self induced from all the products I’ve been playing with. Regardless, I’ve been focused on keeping my face as balanced and calm as possible with some extra Yuli masque-ing action (1) to keep my pores decidedly blackhead free.

The routine starts with a quick wash with Osmia Organics Gentle Foaming Cleanser (2). I am obsessed with this stuff because it gets your skin squeaky clean without any stripping whatsoever. Post shower, I immediately rub in Osmia Organics Light Body Oil (3) on very damp skin. (Even though it’s humid, it’s still shorts season!) By the way, Osmia’s offering is probably the best body oil I’ve ever tried…it’s rich enough to get the job done but doesn’t leave my legs a sticky mess. I let that sink in completely before I (thoroughly) rub in Honest Company’s Sunscreen with SPF 30 on all exposed body parts – except my face, which I’ll get to in a bit.

Next, I spray on Yuli Skincare’s Cocoon Elixir (4) (which is finally available in a larger size) to keep my face cool, calm and collected. Then, I gently apply another new favorite, Osmia Organics’ Facial Calibration Serum (5). I’m very pleased to report that my T-zone is much less greasy since I started using this. For day, I’ll pat on Acure Organic’s Oil Control Facial Moisturizer (6). Since I’m extremely generous with the sunscreen use, I like to keep my day creams light.

Speaking of sunscreen, I’ve been using Suntegrity’s 5-in-1 Moisturizing Face Sunscreen (7) (think tinted moisturizer with SPF benefits). And if you couldn’t already tell from my Twitter feed, I’ve been on the hunt for a great sunscreen for face with a bit of tint (sans silicones) to combat the inevitable whitecast caused by physical sunscreens, but haven’t found any that I love…yet. So I’ve settled with this one, for now. At night, I use Dr. Alkaitis’ Nourishing Treatment Oil (8), which, given the many amazing reviews, appears to be a very versatile oil for all skin types.

With that, I’d love to get some recommendations for a new (gentle!) exfoliator, suncreen and face masque (I can always add to my collection).