How to Change Up Your Skincare Routine to Prevent Breakouts

As the season changes, so should your skincare routine—kind of like your wardrobe. Winter requires heavier, cozier things. Summer, on the other hand, calls for lightweight and oh so fresh. Why? The triple-digit sizzling heat, sticky humidity, and lots and lots of sweat can increase your skin’s oil production, which then clogs your pores and triggers breakouts. To prevent pimples from popping up and putting a damper on your summer fun, here are six tweaks to make to your summer skincare routine.

1. Load up on sunscreen

Summer and sunscreen go together like peanut butter and jelly. You can’t have one without the other. Like acne, sunburns are inflammations of the skin, so sunscreen will prevent your skin from getting inflamed. During summer, it’s best to stick to sunscreens that are lightweight and non-comedogenic, which is a fancy way of saying it doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients. Thicker ones can clog up your pores. Lighter sunscreens allow your pores to breathe. Be sure to reapply every two hours. Pro tip: set a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget.

2. Wash your face 2x a day

Sweat, dirt, and pollution can quickly build up on your skin, so washing your face more often (ideally, morning, mid-day, and night) will help prevent breakouts. If the mid-day wash isn’t doable, let’s say you’ll be hanging out at the beach all day, makeup remover wipes will work in a pinch to keep your skin fresh. That said, don’t go overboard with the washing either. That can dry out your skin and lead to breakouts. Acne prevention is a delicate balance, friends.

3. Go lighter on the makeup

Makeup such as foundation is another big pore clogger. So a full-face glow up isn’t ideal during summertime. Save time and money by paring down your summer makeup routine. Less is more is the vibe. Use lightweight tinted moisturizers instead and maybe a dab of concealer where you need it. And again, stick to non-comedogenic makeup only in your summer skincare routine. You can always add drama to your look by playing up your eyes with mascara and a bushy brow.

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4. Wear a skin-friendly mask

It's safe to say that due to COVID-19 the summer of 2020 is unlike any other. Wearing masks are essential for protecting our health and the health of others, so we’re totally here for it, but they’re not exactly easy on the skin (we’re looking at you, maskne). The combination of excess heat, friction, and rubbing can cause a unique type of acne called acne mechanica. So how do you deal? Use disposable surgical masks versus cloth masks as part of your summer skincare routine. They’re typically lighter and looser than ones made of cloth, so they won’t cause as much friction and won’t accumulate oil and dirt from reusing. And if you're worried about getting maskne or mask acne, just pop on some hydrocolloid patches underneath to prevent rubbing. Or get the Maskne Bundle to protect your face from all stages of the maskne cycle! 

5. Give dark spots some TLC

Although feeling the warm sun on your skin feels downright heavenly, sun exposure can make any dark spots on your skin darker and lengthen their life span. So a dark spot treatment is definitely a step you want to add to your summer skincare routine. Enter: Micropoint for Dark Spots. The brightening patch features 173 hyaluronic microneedles loaded with powerful ingredients that will visibly brighten your skin and smooth out your skin’s texture. It works great on sunspots too. Summer ain’t got nothing on you.

6. Rock breathable fabrics

Sweat pimples are a thing, and they can pop up in the most unexpected places on your body (butt, boobs, back, etc.). So here’s a summer skincare tip for you: keep it light with the clothes you wear. Stick to pieces that are loose and breathable and made out of natural fabrics like cotton or silk. Your skin will thank you.

The takeaway

All in all, your summer skincare routine is all about keeping things light, simple, fresh, and clean. If you do that, you’ll be golden and can go on with your bad self and enjoy the summer. But if all else fails, a Mighty Patch will save the day by zapping away that pimple real quick.

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