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Whether your summer travel goals include visiting each of the world’s best beaches before Labor Day or a few simple weekend road trips, you’re bound to be spending more time in the sun.
Be it long lunches with rosé, losing track of time on your afternoon walk or finishing an entire beach read in one weekend, you’re bound to be getting more than usual exposure to the sun’s harmful rays, which calls for a special summertime skincare routine that keeps you healthy, glowing, and sunburn free.
Hint: you’re definitely going to want all of the trendy summer products, but don’t forget to lather up on the sunscreen and find the best SPF for your face.
At Salt & Wind Travel, we’re all about living well while looking and feeling our best.  We’re also obsessed with skincare and make it a point to pick up skincare products and rituals from around the world when we travel.
Summer Skincare Tips
Here are a few of those hard-earned beauty pointers and our top 10 must-have products for an on-point summertime skincare routine.
Wake Up With Micellar Water
This may sound odd, but don’t wash your face in the morning. Assuming you’ve got a great night time beauty routine, there is no need to wash your face especially since most cleansers will strip your skin in the morning.
Instead opt for a gentle micellar water, which is made of tiny cleansing oil molecules called micelles that are suspended in soft water. Micelles are attracted to dirt and oil so they draw out impurities without drying out your complexion. Gently massage the micellar water into your face in the morning and move on. No need to rinse.
We love Caudalie Cleansing Micellar Water from France, where micellar water originated, because it’s packed with natural and organic ingredients including organic grape water and organic chamomile extract to soothe skin and moisturize.
Serums For Summer
Beauty sleep is a real thing as in your skin can repair itself while you sleep. The key to help it along is a strong nighttime beauty routine and a more gentle daytime routine.
We turn to multitasking products like Jouer’s Daily Repair Treatment Oil. This one-and-done skincare savior anti-aging oil contains Revinage™, a certified organic, plant-based bioretinol complex that mimics the positive effects of a retinol without any of the harsh side effects (as in no red skin or peeling). Packed with rose hip oil, starflower oil, chia seed oil and vitamin C, this treatment oil is full of antioxidants and super hydrating.
Oh, and a reason it made our list of essential summer skincare tips? It reduces dark spots and hyperpigmentation caused by overexposure to sun, helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and is clinically proven to increase hydration. It’s one of the best beauty oils we’ve ever tried, and, though we wouldn’t dare do summer without it, it’s actually part of our beauty routine year round.
Become BFFs Wiht Sunscreen
You’ve heard us say it before: sunscreen needs to be part of your year-round beauty routine routine, especially in the summer when you’re more exposed to the the sun’s harmful rays.
We use Coola’s Mineral Face SPF 30 Matte Tint Moisturizer as a makeup primer or all on its own. First, it’s reef safe, which means that the ingredients won’t damage coral reefs if it washes off in the ocean (key if you’re traveling to Hawaii where reef-safe sunscreen is going to be a law!). Second, it’s natural and full of healthy moisturizers like shea butter, cucumber fruit extract and rosehip oil. It’s also got a little tint to it so it doesn’t leave a white cast making it great for all skin tones.
For body, we turn to the reef safe Natural Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Body by derma e. Chock-full of amazing ingredients including vitamin C and green tea, two mega-nutrients that offer an additional layer of UV protection, it even helps your skin recover after sun exposure and reduce signs of aging. Plus it’s hypoallergenic and 100% vegan.
Sunscreen For Your Eyes
Eye cream is an obvious essential in any skincare routine since the delicate skin around your eyes needs extra attention to keep you looking alert, rested, and youthful. Shiseido’s Sun Protection Eye Cream SPF 34 hydrates, prevents the appearance of wrinkles, and protects against UVA/UVB rays to fend off sun damage around the eyes. It’s also water and perspiration resistant making it a must have for summer!
Exfoliate & Rejuvenate
Your skin takes a beating during the day from over exposure to pollution, sun and products, which is why mastering your nighttime skincare routine is so important.
Now you could go down a skincare rabbit hole that includes toners, essences, serums, creams and a slew of other fun things, but we’re sticking to the essentials here. It’s essential to exfoliate. Essential. Product build-up and dead skin collected on your complexion leave skin looking dull, rough, and dry. Plus the build-up can cause excess oil, clogged pores, and blemishes.
We use Microdermabrasion Scrub by derma e daily (use 3 times a week if you have sensitive skin). Dead Sea salt gently smoothes the look of fine lines, wrinkles, roughness and acne scars plus it gets any product build up out of your pores. It’s also enriched with natural astringents like lime and lemon peel and natural antioxidants like grape seed and vitamin E. This single skincare item could change your life.
Night Cream To The Rescue
After a good cleanse, revisit the Jouer Daily Repair Oil before adding a generous layer of good-for-your-skin night cream.
When it comes to night creams for summer, we’re loving Saturday Skin Waterfall Glacier Water Cream for it’s patented concentration of the CHA 7 es complex™, a mega anti-aging complex that improves moisture level, texture, and tone.
And that’s not all. Alaska glacier water protects the skin from free radicals while promoting hydration while XPERTMOIST’s fusion of ferments and amino acids further hydrate and Iceland moss extract reduces inflammation. What that means for you? You’ll wake up noticeably hydrated and radiant.
Revive The Eyes
Don’t forget your eyes at bedtime. The delicate skin around your eyes requires special care and attention because it’s most prone to fine lines and wrinkles. Try Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye to combat signs of aging. It’s made with squalane, a highly-refined botanical lipid derived from olives that replenishes skin to keep it supple and moisturized.
Evening primrose oil contains essential fatty acids that the body can’t produce on its own that help to repair skin and promote hydration and elasticity. It also contains butcher’s broom, a natural plant derived nutrient that improves microcirculation and reduces inflammation. You’ll wake up looking rested and refreshed!
At-Home Spa Treatment
Regardless of how often you visit your facialist, you should indulge in an at home mask treatment one to three times a week to keep your skin glowing and fresh.
We find masks a must-have as a way to combat jet lagged skin and super key during the summer, especially if you get a little too much sun exposure. For summertime mask treatments, try the Purlisse Coconut + Rice Nourishing Sheet Mask.
This natural fiber mask is infused with coconut, rice and restorative Asian botanicals, antioxidants and minerals. Relaxing under this mask for 20 minutes before bed will allow this powerful blend of ingredients to fight free radicals, lock in moisture, brighten and improve skin texture.
Must-Have Multi-Tasker
Last but definitely not least, one extra special multi-tasking skincare product you need for summer is kukui nut oil. This miracle oil contains high levels of poly and monounsaturated fats plus vitamins C, D, E and powerful antioxidants. It’s native to Hawaii and has been used by Hawaiians for centuries to cure every skin ailment there is including eczema, stretch marks and sunburn.
It’s a superpower moisturizer that fights signs of aging, repairs damaged skin and also relieves dandruff and improves the health of your hair when massaged onto the scalp. This is the one beauty item you’d want if you were on a deserted island and the ultimate summer tip for skin we can give. Use it all summer on your face, body and scalp for healthy, glowing skin and hair.
Have Us Plan Your Next Trip
Did you know we’re also a boutique travel agency specializing in vacation planning? If you’re looking to plan a trip, our trip planner services are here to help you plan your perfect itinerary.
Photo Credit: Opening Photo by Pete BellisÂ
