The Skin Nerd: How to mind your skin this summer — and the mistakes to avoid

You ask, Jennifer Rock answers! From the right SPF to my favourite products, here's what you need to know about caring for your skin in the sun

Pic: iStock

Do I need to change my skincare regime for the summer?

Keeping your skincare routine consistent is more vital when it comes to skincare in the summer. During the warmer months, you might notice that your skin gets oilier because of increased levels of sweat or congestion, but it is important to resist the urge to over-exfoliate or use oil-stripping cleansers to try and address this. What you need to do is be respectful of your skin by protecting it with sunscreen. 

Despite increasing awareness, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland and research has shown that many people don’t use enough sun cream, so it is important to be aware of how much you should use and reapply as instructed, whatever your summer plans may be!

We know by now that SPF is important all year round, but should you increase the protection level in the summer months?

Although you need SPF all year around, you do need more in the summer, as there are more UVB rays. The Irish Cancer Society recommends that the average adult should apply 35ml of sunscreen (the equivalent of two tablespoons) to their entire body. Begin by applying your SPF first thing in the morning (every morning) and top it up every 2 hours throughout the day to keep your skin as healthy as possible.

If the worst does happen and you do get burnt, what should you do?

The risk of skin cancer increases when you get sunburnt, so we should always take measure to avoid that where we can, by wearing SPF, covering up with lightweight clothing and wearing hats etc. Whilst you cannot stop the damage once your skin is burnt, you can minimise any soreness and discomfort by applying a cooling after-sun lotion rich including soothing ingredients like aloe vera. 

Make sure that you avoid hair removal, applying fake tan, taking hot showers and using any fragranced products until your sunburn has healed as they could further irritate your skin’s delicate barrier.

Many moisturisers and foundations have SPF in them now, can I just use one of these or should you wear a separate sunscreen?

Although the level of sun protection in makeup or moisturiser may be enough to protect your skin, we are less likely to apply enough to get the adequate level of protection we need. To achieve the Sun Protection Factor stated on your sunscreen bottle, you should use around two milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin.

 This means the equivalent of two tablespoons of sunscreen needs to be applied to exposed parts of the face and body. Research has found that when it comes to SPF in moisturiser, the application of SPF in moisturiser is inferior to that of standalone sunscreen, mainly due to missed facial areas during application. To sum up, moisturisers and cosmetics with SPF are great for additional, ‘bonus’ protection but should not be relied upon as your sole method of protection against the sun’s harmful rays.

 The award-winning Skingredients Skin Shield Moisturising and Priming SPF50 PA+++ is ideal if you want a dedicated SPF with added makeup benefits. It smooths on to the skin effortlessly and absorbs fast without any pilling. It also contains niacinamide, which evens out the skin, making it a fantastic base for makeup or ideal used alone for a radiant, healthy glow!

 Another favourite is Eucerin Sun Hydro Protect Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+ (€24.95, available at independent pharmacies nationwide) which provides High UVA and UVB protection combined with a new Hydro-Tech Complex containing Hyaluronic acid and natural moisturising factors for immediate quenching moisture and a fresh skin feeling.

What about exfoliating – should we be doing this more in the summer?

If you are noticing more spots and acne, this could be due to the humidity we can experience in the summer. Humidity can cause our skin to become more congested and sebaceous secretions can be more prominent, which can trigger breakouts. 

Exfoliation is important all year round but take care to avoid over exfoliation in the summer as this can damage your skin barrier and lead to irritation. Avoid gritty, mechanical scrubs and select chemical exfoliation via exfoliating acids such as AHA’s, BHAs or enzymes. This is a more skin-respectful way to exfoliate. If you do decide to use an exfoliating acid, you do need to be even more vigilant with the use of sunscreen. Also take care to read and follow instructions. 

Some exfoliating products are suitable for daily use, but in order to keep respectful to the skin barrier, I suggest that the exfoliation process shouldn’t be carried out more than three times a week.

Do you have any advice for mature skin - is there anything specific they should be doing for their summer skincare regime?

As UV exposure accounts for 80% of skin ageing as well as putting us at risk of skin cancer, above all ensure that you apply a high factor, broad-spectrum SPF every single day! Stay hydrated too! Our skin’s natural supply of hyaluronic acid and ceramides starts to deplete from our mid-twenties, meaning that mature skin becomes dehydrated more often. 

This means that keeping your skin moisturised is essential. Your barrier should be at the forefront of your skincare related decisions as a compromised barrier can highlight signs of ageing and make the skin more susceptible to additional external aggressors which can speed up accelerated ageing.

Take an inside, outside and on-top approach to your skincare by eating a balanced diet with plenty of antioxidants and vitamin C as well as drinking lots of water.