Restore the glow: a sensitive summer skin prep routine

Sun Awareness Week begins on 6th May, and as we all prepare for summer, most of us feel like our skin could do with a bit of a boost to shake off the colder days and restore our natural glow. 

The beauty minded amongst us may well already be familiar with a good summer skin prep routine - scrubs, nourishing moisturisers, maybe a tanning product and plenty of sun protection. However, that’s all easier said than done when your skin is more on the sensitive side. What if you’re looking for sun protection that doesn’t clog the pores or a way to exfoliate that’s still gentle?

Here are some of our favourite products for a sensitive summer skin prep routine:

Cleanse and exfoliate

Exfoliating is a wonderful way to cleanse the skin, create a feeling of rejuvenation, and get rid of dead skin cells, which can help skin look and feel fresher, but can also help to make your tan last longer. If you’re planning to use a fake tan, then exfoliating is a good way to minimise the chances of patchiness. 

However, some find body scrubs a little too harsh, so our Defiant Beauty Exfoliating Sponge is a great solution. It’s designed to gently remove impurities and provide soothing exfoliation. Use it in conjunction with our Defiant Beauty Cleanse & Moisturise for a particularly nourishing cleansing experience.

Nourishing moisturisers for skin prep and maintenance

Moisturising is an essential part of summer skincare, from preparation to maintenance. After exfoliating, a deep, nourishing moisturiser will help replenish any moisture loss and give the skin a boost. Our Smooth Skin Balm is perfect for restoring skin’s softness and helping to rejuvenate dry skin, thanks to the use of shea and calendula, both known for their soothing properties, as well as apricot kernel oil, traditionally associated with sensitive skin.

Sun exposure, being in the heat and all the activities that go with summer (swimming, beaches etc.) tend to dry out the skin, so a richer moisturiser at night, like our Defiant Beauty Shea Butter, is a great way to help nourish the skin. Equally, using a moisturiser in the morning before you apply sunscreen will help to keep skin feeling its best - our Defiant Beauty Mango Butter is a favourite, but you could always try our set of moisturisers to decide which one you like best!

Natural self-tanning mousse

Lots of us like to have a bit of a tan, but we don’t really want to overexpose ourselves to the sun. While fake tans have been around for a while, not everyone’s a fan - either because it doesn’t have the desired effect or because the application process is a faff and the smell is so unpleasant. If you have dry or sensitive skin, fake tan can also make things worse, which is off-putting. 

Our Defiant Beauty Self-Tanning Mousse is a gentle solution, using a 100% natural active tanning ingredient (DHA). It has a minimised self-tan smell, is quick drying, non-sticky and builds a gradual colour so you can control the effect by applying it in layers.

Sunscreen for sensitive skin

Sun protection is now an essential part of skincare, however lots of people find that they have reactions to the most widely available products thanks to chemical UV blockers, or simply find them very heavy, uncomfortable and likely to cause breakouts.

It’s for that reason that we love the Altruist dermatologist sunscreen - available for face and body. It’s a fragrance free and paragon free broad spectrum SPF (UVA and UVB protection), but it’s also designed to be non-sticky. It’s for sensitive skin, created to help reduce the risk of skin cancer and prevent premature ageing from sun damage. It’s also vegan, cruelty free and coral friendly. 

Top tips for summer skincare

• Buy new each year, sunscreen can go off
• Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which protects against both UVA and UVB rays
• Choose an SPF of at least 30
• Apply moisturisers generously and evenly to help them work their magic

If you want to take things up a notch, you can also supercharge your summer skincare by adding an anti-oxidising serum to your morning routine. Our Defiant Beauty Serum gently moisturises and rejuvenates sensitive skin with a combination of apricot kernel oil, balancing jojoba oil and macadamia, containing vitamin E which helps fight oxidative stress from exposure to everyday pollutants.
 
From 19th April you will receive a free anti-oxidising serum with orders over £70.
 
SHOP SUMMER SKINCARE