Most people, especially those living far from the equator, look forward to summer all year long. They can’t wait for the outdoor activities, longer days, and perfect tanning weather. From beachy hair to bronzed skin, so many of our favourite beauty trends are synonymous with summer too. This is why it sucks so much that the season also comes with some very annoying problems. As appealing as summer weather may be, it poses a huge risk to your looks, as well as your health. With that in mind, here are ten common summer beauty problems that we all face.
1. Burned Skin
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a healthy glow, especially in the summertime. However, you shouldn’t lay under the sun all day to achieve this look. Sunburn, while temporary, is very unsightly, not to mention painful. It can also contribute to serious skin damage over time. Because of this, you should avoid getting burned by wearing sunscreen and sitting in the shade. If you forget to do so, you can use anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling.
2. Streaky Tanner
Using a self-tanner is a much healthier way to give your skin a golden look. Unfortunately, getting a flawless faux tan is very rarely as easy as it sounds. Many people wake up the day after tanning with streaks and blotches on their skin. The cause of this tends to be dull and dry skin soaking up the formula unevenly. Luckily, there is a very simple solution. All you need to do is exfoliate and moisturize before you go in with the tanner. You can also use a self-tan remover.
3. Skin Chafing
Whether it’s from skin-to-clothing or skin-to-skin contact, chafing occurs because of friction between two surfaces. This can cause flaky, dry, and inflamed irritation, and sometimes even bleeding. The most common areas for chafing are on the underarms and inner thighs, as these are areas that tend to rub when you have your arms and legs out in the summer. There are many simple things you can do to prevent chafings, such as using body powers and balms.
4. Heat Rash
Most people think that heat rash and chafing are the same thing, but they’re actually very different issues. Although they’re both exacerbated by humid and hot weather, heat rash occurs when your sweat glands become blocked. This causes perspiration to build up under the skin, resulting in redness and itchy bumps. Heat rash will go away on its own over time, but a cooling treatment, like an aloe gel, can alleviate discomfort and soothe the symptoms away much faster.
5. Watery Eyes
Although you can face hay fever at any time throughout the year, it’s much more common during summer, when the pollen count is at its highest. This can cause red and watery eyes, which can ruin your makeup, as well as many other unappealing symptoms. As grass can make hay fever worse, you may want to look at some astro turf samples and install artificial grass in your garden. Putting balm around your nose and wearing sunglasses can protect you from pollen too.
6. Dry Lips
The combination of air conditioning and sunshine can dehydrate your lips, leaving them flakey and sore. As well as being painful, this makes it difficult to apply lipsticks, especially matte products, and make them look good. Thankfully, caring for your lips is as simple as exfoliating, hydrating, and protecting them. All you need to do is use a lip scrub to remove all of the dry, dead skin cells and then apply an SPF lip balm. Remember to carry this around with you for top-ups.
7. Melting Makeup
When temperatures rise, makeup seems just to melt off the face, leaving skin tones uneven and eye makeup smudged. Using waterproof formulas will help to keep your look intact, no matter how warm it gets or how much you sweat. However, you must remember to cleanse each night thoroughly to remove all of the grime of the day. Blotting away oil regularly can help a lot too. For this reason, you should carry blotting papers or clean tissues with you when you go out.
8. Frizzy Hair
Beach waves may be a popular summer look, but most people’s hair struggles to stay tame in the heat and humidity. Thankfully, there are a few things that you can do to fend off the frizz. Humidity-fighting styling products work well for keeping things under control, even as the temperature rises. You can also load up on conditioner every time you wash your hair. This helps to lock moisture into the strands so that they don’t take in water from the humidity in the air.
9. Body Acne
Just as they do on your face, oil and sweat can block pores on the rest of your body, with the back and chest being the most common areas affected. This can cause issues for those hoping to show off their skin in the sun. The good news is, body acne tends to respond to all the same treatments that you use to treat facial blemishes. To cover a larger area more easily, you could apply these treatments as a spray or use a medicated body wash when you go for a shower.
10. Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs are a year-round issue, but they’re particularly obvious when you’re lounging by the sea or pool in your swimsuit. These swollen and irritated spots are the result of hair getting caught on your skill as it’s exiting the follicle. This causes it to turn back in and grow into the skin. Regular exfoliation is the best way to fend off ingrown hairs. You should also use shaving cream and a fresh blade every time you shave. Switching hair removal techniques can also work.
Though summer weather is appealing, the problems that come with it definitely aren’t. Hopefully, with the advice above, you can tackle your summer beauty issues so that you can look and feel amazing all year long.