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8 Things You Need for Great Skin This Summer

The coming months call for upping your skincare game. We promise you’ll thank yourself later for it

Sun’s out, buns out! Catching some rays, getting a little color and donning shorter, sheerer everything are some of the reasons to love summertime. No other season suggests carefree days, leisurely nights and vacationing—tons of vacationing—anyway. But before we dive in, a mandatory pre-season reminder: summertime is all good and fun, but it’s extremely tough on skin. And you shouldn’t have to wait for a nasty sunburn to be reminded of that.

Now is the time to think of revisiting your approach to skincare. If not, it’s your chance to amplify your skin protection game plan. The catch is that this doesn’t merely start and end with SPF. When it comes to great (read: healthy, glowing) summer skin, there’s a lot more to it. What exactly are the things you need for great skin this summer? Scroll through to find out!

Cold Showers

Of all the beauty-related things Gwyneth Paltrow is known for, here’s one weird skincare ritual that comes to mind: before an important function or appearance, Paltrow dunks her face in a bowl of ice water. What this does is it invigorates the skin and calms it down all at once, improving its overall appearance. The same principle applies with cold showers, which not only serves as a way to make sense of scorching summer weather, but acts as a natural means to stimulate and wake up the skin.

Warm baths, move over.

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Sunscreen for the Face

This step in the daytime skincare routine is non-negotiable. Whether or not it’s summertime and whether or not it’s sunny outside, anyone with great skin knows that you never scrimp on or skip sunscreen. Here’s where it gets tricky: taking up the habit of reapplying sunscreen throughout the day. As you would on the beach in between dips in the ocean, there is merit in reapplying sunscreen (at around noon works best) every day to double your defenses.

VMV HYPOALLERGENICS Armada: Face & Body Shield 60, P1,723

Hand Cream with SPF

Hands, as it turns out, make the top three neglected body parts when it comes to sun protection. It’s no surprise that it is also one of the things that give a person’s age away. If moisturizing with a hand cream is already part of your routine, why not go the extra mile and opt for something with SPF?

SUPERGOOP! Forever Young Hand Cream SPF 40, P693

Retinol for the Evening

Already in your 20’s? Well, then! It’s time to take a more proactive approach to skincare. The goal anyway is not to fight aging, something exacerbated by sun exposure; rather, it’s about finding a way to age gracefully.

Using retinol-infused moisturizer in the evening can help achieve that. Retinol, which delivers a gentle yet potent dose of vitamin A, is one key ingredient that stunts the process of photoaging.

THIS WORKS No Wrinkles Midnight Moisture, P2,881

Vitamin C (on the inside)

Scientific fact: collagen is nothing without vitamin C to activate it. As the agent known to synthesize collagen, this key vitamin is best taken as a supplement or part of your daily multivitamin.

PURITAN’S PRIDE Vitamin C-1000 mg with Bioflavonoids, P650

Vitamin C (on the outside)

Sun spots, an uneven skin tone, freckles and fine lines: this is the aftermath of extended sun exposure displayed right on your face. One sure-fire way to combat these signs of skin aging is to secure a daily dose of vitamin C (typically comes in a serum): something you can conveniently add to your skincare routine.

DRUNK ELEPHANT C-Firma™ Day Serum, P4,715

Collagen

As already established, one other skin-saving agent that works from the inside-out is collagen. Since the body produces less and less of it as we age, it’s important to find an alternative yet safe source for the naturally occurring protein in the body. It works to promote skin elasticity and ensures it bounces back from damage. While others have it in them to religiously get collagen injections for this, a supplement from a reputable, DFA-approved brand is the ticket just the same.

NEOCELL Super Collagen+C, P1,500

Lots and Lots of H2O

You can’t cheat your way to great skin by cutting out the “unexciting” parts of a good skincare routine: You’ll have to eat right, make room for fruits and green vegetables and, of course, make sure you drink a lot of water throughout the day—hot summer days, most especially, where those eight glasses may not be enough.