Combination skin needs special care during the summer months because the heat and sun aggravate the already not pleasant situation with oiliness in the T-zone and increase dryness of the rest of the face. Today we will tell you how to take care of combination skin in the summer and what products to use.
Combination skin is arguably the most common skin type. It is characterized by an oily T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) and dry cheeks. The skin in the T-zone can suffer from blackheads and whiteheads, acne breakouts, enlarged pores, and oily shine, while dry areas of combination skin are at risk of flaking and premature wrinkles.
Taking care of combination skin is always harder than caring for dry, oily or normal skin, because you always have to solve several directly opposite problems at once. It becomes even more challenging in the summer, when you have to expand your standard beauty routine to include more thorough cleansing, sun protection, and fighting against increased sebum secretion and sweating.
Cleansing Combination Skin in the Summer
During the summer months, you should cleanse combination skin as if it were oily. This means that you should opt for cleansers with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients that prevent breakouts and control oily shine. However, you should stay away from products with harsh surfactants that can strip your skin of moisture and irritate it.
Moisturising and Nourishment
When you have combination skin, it can be very hard to find a moisturising and nourishing product suitable for both oily and dry or normal areas. In summer, it is recommended to use two different products: a light moisturiser during the day and a nourishing cream during the night.
For example, you can apply a moisturising serum combined with a light moisturising cream or fluid in the morning, and a nourishing cream before going to bed. Please keep in mind that you need to stay away from products with a heavy texture and comedogenic ingredients; even your nourishing cream should be light.
Masks and Peels
Combination skin needs light exfoliation once or twice a week during the summer months. You should also include mattifying and detoxifying face masks into your skincare routine. Try clay masks infused with sage, green tea, or eucalyptus extract; they will absorb excess skin oil and prevent inflammation. As for moisturising masks, you can use them once every couple of weeks, provided that you regularly apply moisturiser. However, you should skip nourishing masks with comedogenic ingredients in summer.
Sun Protection
Every skin type needs protection from the sun, and combination skin is not an exception. To keep your skin protected from UV radiation, you need a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 20 or 30. Depending on your personal needs and preferences, you can use a moisturiser with SPF or apply a sunscreen on top of your regular moisturiser. However, layering a sunscreen on top of a moisturiser with SPF for extra protection is useless because this isn’t how SPF works; more products don’t equal more protection.
What else should you keep in mind when planning your summertime beauty routine for combination skin? For example, you need to remember that aggressive mechanical exfoliation or using drying products with high concentrations of alcohol or salicylic acids won’t make your T-zone any less oily and will make dry areas even drier. Therefore, you should steer clear of alcohol-based toners and harsh scrubs with large abrasive particles; you won’t need them during summer.
