Summer Skincare

Peter Thomas Roth Max All Day Moisture Cream
Wearing sunscreen daily is a non-negotiable at this point in the game, especially so in the summer months! I just signed up for a half marathon in October so I’ll be spending much more time outdoors from now til then. When I put this on in the morning, I feel a sense of power. I’m like, “yeah! I got my suit of armor on now, sun!” Plus, it doesn’t feel sticky and gross like some sunscreens do. I like the thicker texture as a little goes a long way and though the color is bright white at first, it blends in seamlessly. Oh and if you’re worried, it’s oil-free. It also contains beta glucan which gives your skin a bit of a glow that I can truly attest to. I have definitely found my daily sunscreen moisturizer du jour. I win, sun.

Kaia Naturals Bamboo Tapioca Beads
When Kaia Naturals asked if I’d like to try out this product, I responded that it simply sounded too interesting not to try! Tapioca, huh? I loved tapioca pudding as a kid, but now it gags me to think about it. This product sounded intriguing to me in that it could be used as both an exfoliating cleanser or a mask. You mix the powder, made from bamboo silica, white clay, tapioca and chickpea powder and coconut amino acids, with any oil or water. You massage the paste in circular motions to cleanse, or leave it on for 10 minutes as a mask. I mixed with coconut oil. I enjoyed the exfoliating experience of using it as a cleanser, but I found it did not fully remove my makeup as there was residue on the towel afterwards. You can definitely tell it’s a natural product as it’s scent is like that of drywall.

However, when used as a mask, I found it to be particularly amazing for one slightly gross purpose-making blackheads basically slide right out! I used it as a mask after a shower one night. I always have tons of blackheads on my nose and cheeks and when I rinsed the mask off, I noticed they appeared brought to the surface more. So, I did what any normal woman would do and I squeezed them out, duh. They came out so easily, which is great as you shouldn’t be putting much pressure on your skin anyhow. I know you’re not supposed to squeeze them but I do it and I think a lot of girls are with me on that. Even clogged pores that felt like a bump under my skin for months slid right out with little effort. I’m sorry if this is grossing you out, but I was kind of shocked at the results. I now know that the white clay is responsible for that decongestion and I can’t wait to seek out that ingredient in other products too! I use this as a mask just in my t-zone on days my pores feel particularly icky and as a cleanser if I’m not trying to remove much makeup. The powder is travel-friendly, vegan and cruelty-free. You get 1.5 oz for $30 and they do sell travel vials for $5.

Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleanser
Do you have any products that you can’t use in the winter but work great for you in the summer? This is one of those products for me! I always wanted to use this cleanser but my skin is dry and whenever I tried it in the colder months, I got a hint of that tightness afterwards that’s no good. But I recently tried it again and this time, it’s a go! My skin has become significantly less dry with summer’s arrival, dare I say-oily, and this cleanser has been effective and refreshing to use. I love the peachy scent and that it contains both glycolic and salicylic acid for cell turnover and keeping pores clear. I use this with my beloved Clarisonic Mia and Acne brush head and feel perfectly clean but not at all dry. I’ll enjoy using it as long as my skin allows for it. A great budget alternative is Trader Joe’s All-in-One Facial Cleanser that I’ve talked about here.