The Ultimate Body Care Routine for Kiwi Summer
Let’s face it, we put our bodies through a lot in summer.
Whether you’re clocking up hours at the beach or sweating it out in nature, the combination of heat and sun exposure can make your skin prone to dryness, roughness, excess oil, and dirt buildup. Sound familiar? Well, let a body skincare routine be your saviour this summer.
There is a wealth of year-round body care benefits, but in this guide we’re homing in on a summer body care routine. Read on for our expert tips for nourishing sun-kissed skin.
Why is a summer body care routine important?
You’ve probably perfected a summer skincare routine for your face, but what about your body? We pour a lot of energy into nourishing our faces, but the skin on our bodies is often neglected in our self-care routines. While every season poses its own challenges, summer can usher in a unique set of skin concerns, including:
• Higher heat and humidity levels that can trigger more sweat and oil production.
• Increased sun exposure, which puts us at greater risk of UV damage.
• Dry heat and indoor air conditioning drawing moisture out of the skin: leading to dry patches, cracked heals, and a buildup of dead skin cells.
• Chlorinated water, which can rob the skin of its natural oils.
4 body skincare routine steps for summer
Prioritising body care in summer can be the key to unlocking smooth, glowing skin that’s soft to the touch. The ultimate summer body care routine comprises four steps:
1. Exfoliating in the shower to soften rough skin and slough dead skin cells.
2. Cleansing your body to remove dirt and grime.
3. Applying a body moisturiser post-shower to hydrate the skin surface.
4. Protecting your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen before any sun exposure.
Read on as we delve into these four pillars of body care for summer.
1. Exfoliate (in the shower)
When the temperatures and humidity are high, our skin tends to sweat and produce more oil, which can lead to clogged pores and a buildup of dead skin cells. A gentle body scrub or exfoliant is an effective way to combat this and reveal smoother, brighter, softer skin.
Kick off your body care routine in the shower with a loofa or body scrub of your choice. In most cases, exfoliating the body twice a week is more than enough, as over-exfoliating can lead to a damaged skin moisture barrier. Skip this step if you’re recovering from sunburn.
2. Cleanse (in the shower)
Summer in New Zealand necessitates more time spent outdoors, but this means our bodies can also accumulate additional daily grime like sweat, dirt, oil, salt water, chlorine, sunscreen and other external pollutants. A body cleanser can be a real asset in your boyd care routine to keep your skin feeling fresh and supple.
Apply the Crème de Corps Smoothing Oil-to-Foam Body Cleanser onto wet skin while showering. Infused with a nourishing blend of castor oil and grape seed oil, this cleanser produces a light, fine foam to gently remove dirt, sweat and other impurities.
3. Moisturise (post-shower)
Even with a string of hot days, the skin can still experience bouts of dryness in summer. While dry heat can be a culprit, dry skin can also be down to more sun exposure, swimming in pool and salt water, and the increased use of fans and air conditioning. Combined, these factors rob the skin of natural moisture – leaving dry, flaky patches in their wake.
The answer? Step three of your summer body care routine moisturise. Given the heat, we recommend reaching for a moisturiser that’s both lightweight and deeply hydrating – and Kiehl’s Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream is up to the task. There are many benefits of squalane for skin, including its status as a non-comedogenic ingredient. This means it won’t clog your pores – a blessing in summer!
The Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream also delivers up to three days of hydration along with fast absorption, so it won’t feel heavy on the skin – simply apply after your shower to slightly damp skin to seal in surface moisture.
If your hands need a little extra love too, reach for the Ultimate Strength Hand Salve for targeted conditioning of rough, dry hands.
4. Protect (before sun exposure)
New Zealand has some of the highest UV levels in the world1, and while you might adjust your summer body care routine based on your skin’s needs, you should always finish with SPF before any sun exposure. Make sure to always seek out an SPF 50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen – it provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
Kiehl’s Ultra-Light Daily Facial Sunscreen UV Defense SPF 50 PA++++ is a lightweight, non-greasy broad-spectrum sunscreen that delivers advanced sun protection along with skin-loving antioxidants. Apply it to fully dry skin at least 20 minutes before sun exposure, making sure to reapply every two hours or after swimming, sweating or towel-drying your body.
You’ve curated your summer body care routine, but your skin is likely to undergo different concerns once the cooler months take hold. Discover how to care for dry skin in winter next.
Shop this article.
Crème de Corps Smoothing Oil-to-Foam Body Cleanser
A body cleansing oil that leaves skin smooth and supple.
Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream
An ultra-lightweight and deeply hydrating body lotion infused with Squalane and powerful Pro-Ceramides. Its fast-absorbing formula replenishes, restores, and locks in moisture for up to three days, leaving your skin smooth and nourished.
Ultra-Light Daily Facial Sunscreen UV Defense SPF 50 PA++++
A lightweight, non-greasy SPF 50 PA++++ facial sunscreen that protects the skin from pollution and harmful UVA/UVB rays that cause photodamage and premature <a href="https://www.kiehls.co.nz/skin-concern/anti-aging/">ageing</a>.
Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
A rich, moisturising hand salve for active, dry hands.
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