Ah, summer. Long days full of sunshine, hot nights full of fun ¦ and a face full of pimples?! Alas, it’s true. Hot weather can cause an increase in breakouts, and busting out an arsenal of harsh products to wage anti-zit battle may do more harm than good. Here’s how to fight against hot weather acne the natural way.
Oiling Up
Believe it or not, oil itself doesn’t necessarily cause acne”in fact, natural oil production is the skin’s way of balancing itself out, and all too often we over-cleanse to get rid of oil, drying the skin and causing pore blockage and an exacerbation of breakouts, rather than relief from them. So in summer, understand that you may have a bit more of a glow than usual. Increasing the frequency of skin cleanses or skipping moisturizers will just sap the skin of moisture, since sun exposure is extremely dehydrating for the dermis.
The Toronto-based holistic spa Pure + Simple (pureandsimple.ca) makes a line of all-natural products focusing on encouraging the skin to do what it does best. And although it may seem counter-intuitive to apply oil to skin that’s already oily, it actually works. Try nurturing acne prone skin with the Balancing Kapha Face Oil (50 ml, $39.95) rather than petrifying it with drying anti-acne treatments. Combine this oil with the natural sunscreen (that is, one that has zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) of your choice for full-spectrum summer skincare.
The Right Kind of Clean
You’ll want to keep blemish-prone skin clean in the summer with cleansers and toners that address acne but don’t cause tightness and dryness. Look for products with antiseptic tea tree oil, an age-old acne remedy, and a nurturing ingredient, such as a vitamin concentrate. Derma e’s Tea Tree and E Face and Body Wash is great for summer because you can use it all over, which means back and chest breakouts can be addressed just in time to don that bikini and hit the beach. Also try Earth Science Clarifying Facial Wash (8 oz, $9.85), with natural hyaluronic acid and six herbal extracts”including lavender and rosemary” all designed to nurture and calm breakout prone skin.
Spotted
Uh, oh ” you’ve got a big date, and a big zit. Get it under control with a spot treatment that will stop the swelling, treat the redness, and not leave you with a big patch of peeling, flaking, dried out skin. Derma e’s Very Clear Spot Blemish Treatment (1/2 fl oz, $11.50) contains a blend of tea tree, willow bark, rosewood, lavender, and chamomile, all of which address acne, without doing any lasting damage that could lead to scarring.
