Summer Skin Care Product Must-Haves

It's summertime!

I bet you have already planned your summer outdoor activities. But before you get out of your house, make sure that your skin is protected.

Yes, you've guessed it right! I will share with you 2 of my favorite summer skin care products - sunblock and aloe vera gel.

Let me talk about sunblock first because this is a MUST-WEAR product before exposing your skin to sunlight. I admit that I don't religiously use sunblock every day but when I know that I will be exposed to direct sunlight for a long period of time, I make sure to apply it on my skin before going out.

Experts say that you also need to use sunblock even if you are not directly exposed to sunlight because the rays that artificial lights produce can also damage our skin.

I am sure that you already know what sunblock or sunscreen is for. So, let's talk about the "UV A", UV B", "SPF" and "PA+" that you see when you buy a sunscreen.

1. UV A is long-wave ultraviolet rays and; UV B is short-wave ultraviolet rays. UV A penetrates on our skin deeper than UV B rays.
2. SPF stands for SUN PROTECTION FACTOR against UV B rays. The higher the SPF, the longer protection it can give you against UV B rays.
3. PA+ stands for “Protection Grade of UV-A”. The more "+" you see, the more protection you can get against UV A rays.

Since my everyday routine is just house-office-house and I am not really exposed too much to sunlight (except during those times that I had to do site visits due to the nature of my work), I am fine with my SPF50+ and PA+++ sunscreen.

I have tried several sunblocks before, but my main concern will always be my sensitivity to the product. I usually breakout on sunblocks that's why I rarely use one unless it's needed. Luckily, I came across this Natural Sun Photogenic Sun Blur sunscreen from The Face Shop and I haven't had any issues on pimple breakout for the past 2 months that I've been using it.

Natural Sun Photogenic Sun Blur
The Face Shop
I bought this sweetie for AED 100.00 and it comes in a 45ml tube that is easy squeezy.

What I love about this product:

1. It has just the right SPF and PA+ that I need for everyday use.
2. It has a nice flowery scent when you first apply it on the skin and it doesn't end up with a strong scent that a usual sunscreen has.
3. It doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky because it dries up matte.
4. It is a "photogenic sun blur. As I mentioned earlier, it dries up as a matte finish. It will look like you applied a BB Cream because it gives subtle coverage and you get a smoother-looking skin.

I'm not sure if you can tell the difference (since I have a bad lighting in my room), but on the areas I have encircled, you may see that the sunblock gives a little shimmer and ends up as a matte finish. Hence, making your skin look smooth and radiant.

Now, after a long day, I love pampering my skin with an aloe vera gel.

Benefits of Aloe Vera:

1. Soothes rashes and skin irritation.
2. Treats burns.
3. Heals cold sores.
4. Moisturizes skin.
   (source: https://draxe.com/aloe-vera-benefits/ )

Jeju Aloe 99% Aloe Vera Fresh Soothing Gel
The Face Shop

This is the Jeju Aloe 99% Aloe Vera Fresh Soothing Gel that I bought from The Face Shop. It usually costs around AED 35-40.00 but I bought it on sale for only AED 20.00. I honestly think this is a good buy since it comes in a HUUUUGE tub (300ml gel). I've been using this for half a year now and I have only used half of it.

What I love about this product:

1. I get a lot of product at a cheap price.
2. It is not sticky when it dries up.
3. It smells refreshingly good. It smells more like a cucumber rather than an aloe vera gel.
4. It has a cooling effect that calms down my skin after being exposed to sunlight.
5. I can use it for face and body.
6. I can use it as an overnight mask or just simply a moisturizer.
7. It doesn't break me out.

So these are my favorite summer skin care products. Let me know your thoughts when you use these. If you know better products than these, please let me know. I would love to try them too :).

Stay tuned, because I will soon share my favorite skin care products for removing pimples. Happy skin everyone and stay hydrated!