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Summer Skin Saviours

How to revive for your skin after a long, hot summer

WHERE — St Tropez and Costa Brava
PHOTOGRAPHY — Sam Flaherty and Jessie Bush, all 35mm

The best at-home resurfacing peels, exfoliators that’ll leave your skin perfectly polished, gentle, deep cleansing masks and long lasting sunscreen revive and to protect your skin after a long hot summer

The season of balmy nights, lazy days on the beach and dousing yourself in SPF50+ are almost over. Your skin may be sporting a dewy glow and a few more freckles, but underneath it’s crying out for a little SOS. These are the products that will help you renew, revive, hydrate and basically just rescue your skin after a long, hot summer.

Resurface and Renew

Provided you don’t have weekend plans at the beach, now is the time to rid your skin off dry, dead cells that have built up over summer.

A gentle peel once every 1-2 weeks (depending on the strength) is the best way to get your skin glowing. I always do my peels at night (to avoid sun exposure immediately after), and I usually check the weather and do it when it’s forecast to be grey.

After so much sun exposure this summer the last thing I want to do is a peel (which increases the chance of sun damage) and then walk out into harmful UV rays.

My favourites include Herbivore’s Brighten Pineapple Enzyme + Gemstone Instant Glow Mask which is a potent, yet gentle 20 minute mask. Or if you’re lazy like me, Herbivore’s Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment is great if you’re time-poor as you just slap it on and hop into bed.

For a retinol hit, Kate Somerville’s RetAsphere Micro Peel can be used every other night for super fresh looking skin.

SPF Every Day

Just because the hot days may be almost behind us, that doesn’t mean you can relax on SPF usage. I swear by Glossier’s Invisible Shield for every day use, it’s more of a gel than a cream which makes for the perfect dewy base under sunscreen (or worn alone).

Dr Barbara Strum’s Sun Drops are pretty special, it provides SPF50 coverage, and you can mix a few drops with your moisturiser, meaning you get the consistency and hydration of your favourite moisturiser with the benefit of full sun protection.

De-clog and Decongest

After applying generous layers of sunscreen for months on end (I wear face skin 365 days of the year, but on holiday when I’m swimming etc I often put it on 5+ time a day) my pores feel super clogged.

I love a good clay mask, although it pays to use them in moderation as they can be super drying. Niod’s Mastic Must is gentle while still deals to congestion and blackheads.

I’ve used Aeseop’s Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque for years and it leaves my skin feeling tight (in a good way), fresh and clean and is gentle enough for my sensitive, red-prone skin.

De-clog and Decongest

After applying generous layers of sunscreen for months on end (I wear face skin 365 days of the year, but on holiday when I’m swimming etc I often put it on 5+ time a day) my pores feel super clogged.

I love a good clay mask, although it pays to use them in moderation as they can be super drying. Niod’s Mastic Must is gentle while still deals to congestion and blackheads.

I’ve used Aeseop’s Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque for years and it leaves my skin feeling tight (in a good way), fresh and clean and is gentle enough for my sensitive, red-prone skin.

Scrub That Skin

There’s nothing more satisfying than a good exfoliator on skin clogged up with makeup, suncream and pollution. I always have to remind myself that I can’t exfoliate more than once a week, although it feels so cleansing the skin can’t actually handle too much exfoliation.

Caudalie’s Deep Cleansing Exfoliator is a favourite of mine, although for a next level exfoliation to polish the skin to perfection, m/f’s Super Face Scrub is magic too.

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