There are a lot of misconceptions and rumors about what skincare essentials should be incorporated year-round; for example, that moisturizing is only necessary in the winter, or that sunscreen is only necessary when the sun is out. I’m here to tell you that that is not true! If you’re an individual who only uses sunscreen in the summer, this article is for you. Here are skincare essentials that you should be incorporating into your routine year-round:
Sunscreen
Just because the sun might not be shining bright every day does not mean you shouldn’t wear sunscreen! The UV rays that cause harm to your skin are still present in the winter. SPF should be incorporated into your skincare routine year-round; whether it’s a tinted moisturizer, built into your foundation, or built into your moisturizer. Check out this product by Black Girl Sunscreen — it was created as a sunscreen option for women of color that won’t leave the trademark white residue of other physical sunscreens. You can find it online here.
Moisturizer
In the summer, we tend to skip moisturizer because our skin isn’t as characteristically dry as it is in the winter time. However, moisturizers should be incorporated into your routine ALL the time! You should take care to treat the drier parts of your body (heels, knees, elbows) year-round; just because those parts aren’t crying for moisture now doesn’t mean they don’t need a little extra TLC.
Exfoliants
Exfoliating helps move our skin’s natural process of shedding skin cells along. Sometimes the process gets slowed down, causing dead cells to build up on the surface, and leaving skin looking dull and dry. Incorporating exfoliants into your routine two to three times a week all year long can help your skin look brighter and younger no matter the season!
Chapstick
Using chapstick all year long falls under the logic of using moisturizers year-round. Just because your lips aren’t painfully chapped in the summer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t incorporate lip balms or chapsticks into your beauty routine. Try using a lip scrub to help your lips feel soft and smooth. One of my favorites is the Honey Lip Scrub from Lush.
