The 8 Worst Summer Skin Care Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Summer is here, and you’ve got better things to think about than your skin. Or do you? Before you toss out your worries, put on your skorts, and pop open the rosé, there are just one or two things to discuss. Make that eight. Avoid these summer skin care mistakes, and come fall, your skin will thank you.

1. Skimping on Sunscreen

UV exposure ages your skin faster than anything else setting off a cascade of free radicals that lead to age spots, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. Summertime means more sunny days and stronger rays, so do your skin a favor and start every day with an SPF moisturizer. Day Treatment Lotion SPF 15 is the perfect formula for lightweight moisture and sun protection in one. Non-greasy and non-comedogenic so even oily skin can benefit. You can blend it with a little mineral powder to make a light foundation. If you’re spending time outdoors, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen up to 50 SPF and reapply every hour, and after swimming or exercise.

2. Using the Sun as an Acne Treatment

While sunlight can increase cellular turnover and temporarily make blemishes less visible, it’s a poor trade-off for the adverse effects it brings—inflammation, oxidative stress, a proliferation of pore-clogging dead skin cells, pigmentation, and cellular damage. 

Instead, protect skin from the sun, and rely on a targeted acne regimen to clear and control breakouts. A benzoyl peroxide or mandelic acid wash will kill acne bacteria. A clarifying toner and corrective serum will do the rest. Use vitamin A if your goal is peeling impactions and retexturing skin. Use mandelic acid if you want to clear and brighten.

3. Spot Treating

Repeat after us: Spot treating is not treating. When you spot treat only the individual lesion, you allow bacteria in the surrounding skin to continue to grow and spread. To really clear your skin, you need to treat the underlying condition, and that means using your skin care product all over your face. If you are treating dark spots, the same holds true. Treat the dark spot and surrounding area to avoid brightening in patches. 

4. Not Exfoliating

Hot weather means more sweating, oil, and dead skin cells, therefore more opportunity for breakouts and impactions. Exfoliation, whether physical (scrubs or buffing pads), chemical (acids), or a combination of both, is essential to clear away pore-clogging dead skin cells, avoid breakouts and the inflammation scars that follow, and keep skin clear and healthy.

You can add Buffing Grains to any cleanser to turn it into an exfoliating scrub or try Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Exfoliating Cleanser is a great choice for clearing and brightening. BP 3% Exfoliating Cleanser is a slightly more potent acne-fighter to clear impactions and prevent future breakouts. 

5. Picking at a Sunburn

Somehow, despite your best efforts, you managed to get a sunburn. Damage control is your top priority. Though it’s tempting to peel flaking skin, don’t. The dead skin is still attached to living skin. When that gets pulled away, you will create a painful wound that can lead to scarring and hyperpigmentation.

Instead of picking and peeling your skin, soothe and heal it with Totaloe Calming and Hydrating Gel. This cooling blend of whole leaf aloe, niacinamide, sea algae, and green tea extract reduces inflammation, soothes redness and stinging, hydrates the skin, and speeds healing. 

6. Forgetting Your Sunglasses

Those oversized sunglasses are more than a fashion accessory. They’re a shield from the damaging effects of UV radiation. The skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate than other parts of your face. Damage will show up here more quickly than other areas. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses with UV protection to filter both UVA and UVB rays. Because the only lines you want to see this summer are the ones for the bar.

7. Ignoring the Décolleté

The skin of the décolleté area has fewer oil glands, less elasticity, and thinner tissue. It’s also frequently exposed to sun and environmental elements, making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of UV and pollutants.

Daily SPF is essential to protect this delicate area. But there’s more you can do to prevent and repair photodamage. Applying Pure C + E underneath sunscreen in the a.m. will magnify photoprotection to prevent UV damage, including excess pigmentation. Rejuv Rx morning and night will increase elasticity, guard against collagen degradation, and promote new collagen production to keep skin firm, smooth, and lifted.

8. Not Using a Vitamin C&E Serum

Vitamin C serums are good. Vitamin C & E serums are better. Research shows that together, Vitamins C and E have a synergistic reaction that optimizes their antioxidant and reparative strengths for maximum photoprotective effects, making the combination superior to either ingredient alone. Benefits include neutralizing harmful free radicals, repairing cellular damage, boosting collagen, brightening, and firming tone. Find this dynamic duo in Vivant’s Pure C + E to protect your radiant glow all summer and beyond.