Like most people, I love the summer months. I love that I don’t have to worry about bulky coats ruining my outfits, I love being able to be outside and actually enjoy it and, most of all, I love lapping up all of that vitamin D. However, that’s not to say that I don’t seriously struggle with the heat.
While the summer usually leaves my skin glowing and my hair subtly sun-kissed, withstanding the uncomfortable heat sometimes makes it feel like it’s not worth it. It makes me lethargic, agitated and flustered. On top of that, hot weather can really take its toll on our summer beauty routines, too. From melting foundation to sweat-inducing moisturisers, there’s nothing enjoyable about trying to beautify yourself in 25+ climes.
While some people might simply skip their regimen on hotter days, the very idea of forgoing my favourite beauty pick-me-ups for any length of time at all does not sit well. Instead, over the years I have actually managed to tweak and adapt my beauty routine in the summer so that I still reap all of the usual benefits while remaining as cool, calm and collected as possible.
Keep scrolling for all of the cooling, but seriously hardworking, beauty products I swear by in the summer months.
I have never come across a face mask quite like this. Sure, there are plenty of gel formulas around that offer deep plumping, hydration in a similar way, but this stuff is so cooling it’s almost like magic. For days when you need a serious refresh, pop this in the fridge for a couple of hours and slather it all over your face for next-level results.
This spritz has been a long-standing desk-side staple in the Who What Wear office. Not only does a face mist make for the perfect midday refresh, this stuff also works to balance and hydrate the skin unlike many of the cooling water mists around!
At first, a skin roller might not seem like the most refreshing product out there, but hear me out. The natural stones used in such rollers are naturally wonderfully cool, but if you store your roller in the fridge, they reach whole new levels of refreshing.
I take my skincare seriously and, without wanting to sound like a snob, when I first came across this eye treatment with a built in jade-rollerball, I thought it was a total gimmick. Having said that, it clearly intrigued me somewhat as something made me try it. I’m now six months into using it and it is without a doubt the best part of my whole skin regimen. The formula itself is lightweight and hydrating while the jade roller applicator is cooling and depuffing. I’m totally hooked.
While so many of the cooling face masks around are gel-based and therefore work on hydration, if you’re looking for a helping hand at unclogging your summer pores, this one’s for you. Not only is it jam-packed with acids to clear up troubled complexions and boost glow, it’s also unbelievably cooling. It’s like smothering your face with ice-cold water.
This moisturising jelly is quite possibly my favourite moisturiser of all time (definitely top five). It’s lightweight, making it great for oily skin like mine, but it is also wonderfully refreshing and glow-boosting.
The idea of using powder products in the summer makes me shudder. They’re heavy, cakey and drying. However, this new launch from By Terry helps to mattify shiny skin, and it also contains hyaluronic acid, making it strangely cooling and hydrating. It sounds weird, I know, but trust me on this one. It’s actually turned me into a powder convert.
Cloying lipsticks and tacky glosses are a fuss that I just don’t want on hot, summer days. This new lip tint from VB Beauty isn’t just the most beautifully subtle shade of rose, it is also a rather cooling stain formula that gives lips a bit of juicy plumpness, without feeling as though you’re wearing anything at all.
This tiny tube is the ultimate summer blush. No ifs, no buts. It’s sheer and glow-giving but also makes skin look and feel fresh and cool.
When this product first came out, I really didn’t get it. A stick that you rub over skin for a cooling shot of hydration? It seemed unlikely I would ever need such a thing here in the UK. But then the heatwave came and I unearthed it from the depths of my collection. Ever since, I haven’t been able to put it down. It’s basically an icy balm that makes skin look more alive in one swipe.
If you ask me, this stuff is a real unsung hero in the beauty world. It’s a super-cooling mousse with a slightly glow-giving tint to it. For days when I can’t be bothered with foundation, this is my go-to perfecter.
I know what you’re thinking. That price, right?! It’s truly eye-watering for a body lotion, I know, but I didn’t want to write this piece and not mention it, because it really has been my saviour this summer. Not only does it smell like a luxury spa, it’s also jam-packed with mineral salts and natural oils to not only offer up refreshing hydration, but also target deep tissue for instant inflammation relief, making it ideal for those that want to give their muscles an extra treat.
This scrub is the definition of invigorating. With peppermint, it’s seriously zingy and refreshing. Plus, it leave limbs impossibly soft and supple.
The Body Shop’s Body Yogurts are up there with my favourite body creams ever. They’re almost gel-like and naturally cooling and refreshing in their texture. However, this new addition really cranks things up a notch thanks to fresh and cooling cucumber.
The idea of climbing into a hot tub after an equally as warm day might not sound too appealing. However, this mint and eucalyptus bath foam is super-refreshing and makes for the perfect way to indulge in a summer bath.
Another peppermint number, this foot scrub is a true cooling wonder after a long, hot day on your feet. Plus, it’s one of the only foot scrubs I’ve ever actually found to soften the skin to pedi levels.
