A simple bentonite clay mask for skin care in hot humid weather.[/caption] Australia has been sweltering with hot weather, and while exercising, at a festival, or simply on your commute, we've all experienced a sweaty, sticky face. So, how is the best way to keep your skin feeling fresh and clear? Here are our skin care tips for Summer, including the secret fixes the Biome team use. The good news is that sweat is nature's way of clearing out the grime and toxins from your skin. It is, however, important to wash off the sweat, and for men, women and teens to exfoliate gently once a week, and use a hydrating light moisturiser.
Cleanse as soon as possible after sweating
Your body is clearing dirt and toxins through sweating, so it is best to wash those off your skin as soon as possible to clear the pores and not allow bacteria to breed. After heavy sweating, it is ideal to do this while the pores are still open.
Our team's most popular skin care tip for humid weather is to use a Kuu Konjac cleansing sponge. On a hot day, rubbing one of these squishy, moist sponges over your face is divinely refreshing! As you wipe away the sweat and dirt, the naturally-alkaline Konjac sponge neutralises the acidity of the impurities and oils, restoring a healthy pH balance on your skin. And, because you use only the sponge, your skin feels light and not clogged by lotion. Keep one in your bag, run under water and then gently swirl the sponge over your face. Then of course, let the moisture evaporate naturally from your skin for nature's mini air conditioning effect. For acne prone skin, dab pure Witchhazel on a clean cloth and wipe over your skin. Witchhazel is a natural astringent that helps remove excess oil from the skin (and is available by weight at Biome's Naked Beauty Bar, BYO jar). At the end of the day, use the Konjac sponge, although, if you are wearing sunscreen or heavy make-up you will need a make-up remover or cleanser. A foaming cleanser, like Sanctum's purifying foam cleanser is a nice option to use in summer as it is lightweight, and purifies and tones without stripping the skin of its natural oils. Shop all natural cleansers here >
Exfoliate your face and apply a face mask each week
Firstly, it is important to not use harsh exfoliants or scrub too hard. This has the contrary effect of encouraging your skin to produce more oils. Exfoliate your face once a week to help the natural renewal process and to prevent clogged pores. For a particularly gentle choice the Tinderbox face scrub containing almond meal and oats. See all exfoliants and scrubs here > After exfoliation, a clay mask will help to remove dirt and unclog pores. Sally from our Balmoral store made her own bentonite clay face mask, mixing bentonite clay (available from our Naked Beauty Bars at our stores) to a paste with purified water and leaving to set for an hour. She then applies it as a face mask, leaving it on for 15 minutes before washing off. As an alternative to Sally's DIY clay mask, try Corrynne's French Limoges clay face block. This is such a simple product, yet so effective. Simply wet the block, apply to the skin and allow to dry. Rinse off with water and a face cloth. It will leave you with soft, smooth skin. Shop all face masks and treatments here >Hydrate your skin
A quick spritz with a gentle face mist or toner will keep the skin hydrated and feeling fresh. Charlotte from our Indooroopilly store loves the Acure facial toner, while Caroline from our Brisbane city store thinks the LaMav rosa damascena hydrating mist is extra special. Shop all facial toners and hydrating mists here >Moisturise
A good summer moisturiser should be easily absorbed and have soothing and hydrating properties. Nancy loves LaMav's hyaluronan daily moisture cream as it helps to restore moisture and suppleness to the skin. Michele chooses Sanctum's moisture balance, an oil-free gel based lotion that helps to guard against moisture loss while balancing oil flow. Shop all natural facial moisturisers here >Don't Forget the Sunscreen
Try and stay indoors, out of the sun during peak UV hours. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency have a great tool that shows real-time UV data for major Australian cities, including exposure risk throughout the day, peak UV hours and what you can do to protect yourself (see link in footer). In Brisbane at the moment, for example, UV levels are at their most damaging from 7.30am-4.30pm! If you must be in the sun during that period, wear a hat, appropriate clothing, sunglasses, and don't forget the sunscreen! Apply a natural sunscreen that will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays will penetrate deep into the dermis, and can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkling, while UVB rays will burn the superficial layers of the skin and plays a major role in the development of skin cancer. Eco Face SPF 30+ sunscreen is Michele's secret weapon. She loves it because it is light, non-greasy and sits really nicely under make up or on its own. Shop all natural sunscreen here >Drink lots of water
Try to drink at least 2-3 litres of water throughout the day. The easiest way to do this is to keep a reusable water bottle with you all the time - one that is practical for you, a design you love, and BPA and PVC free. For healthy water that tastes fantastic, a ceramic water purifier or a water filter bottle that removes impurities. If you don't like the taste of water that much, and find it difficult to drink enough water throughout the day, try adding seasonal fruit and herbs to an infused water bottle, like those from BBBYO. Watch our video for recipe inspiration.Further reading See the real-time UV chart of your city: www.arpansa.gov.au/uvindex/realtime
