I love summer just as much as the next person. After all, I have a summer birthday (the fourth of July!) and I feel much more alive when I’m sitting on a beach in nice weather. With that said, I can’t think of a worse sensorial experience than having to spend time in the scorching heat after layering a bunch of thick creams, serums, and moisturizers on my face. With most parts of the northeast (namely, New York) experiencing record high temperatures this year, I’m turning to skincare products that are multitaskers. This means lightweight, do-it-all formulas that allow me to simplify my routine so that I can tone, treat, moisturize, and protect my skin from the sun without having to layer too many products on my face. It also means turning to products that provide me with instant relief from the heat.
Most cooling beauty products are typically marketed as those that can calm irritated skin, reduce redness, and get rid of puffiness on the face and under the eyes, but in the dead of summer, their chilly temperature can also be exactly what you need to get yourself through a hot day.
Read ahead to check out all the skincare products I'm turning to keep myself cool this summer.
Best Served Cold
These are products and face tools that are meant to be thrown in your fridge or freezer before use so that you can calm your skin and cool yourself off whenever you need it.
These little pods remind of when I'd pull ice cubes out of the freezer as a kid and rub them on my face and neck to cool down when it was unbearably hot out—except they obviously provide more skin benefits than that. They're made with glycerin and niacinamide, both of which are known for moisturizing and protecting the skin barrier. Just pop them in your freezer for a few hours and rub them across your face with a toning pad after cleansing.
Ice globes are cryotherapy tools that you can keep in the fridge or freezer before rubbing them on your face for a few minutes to help with lymphatic drainage. These are an inexpensive pair that'll cool you down while making you feel like you're in the middle of your own spa at home.
Pop this jelly mask in the fridge for a few hours and then apply it to your face. After a few minutes, you'll be much cooler and have brighter, less puffy skin.
Have you ever been so hot that you've stuck your face in a freezer or even a bowl of ice for relief? This strap-on, beaded, freezable face mask will give you the same effect with a little less effort. It's reusable so you don't have to worry about waste with single-use masks, and it has velcro straps that you can adjust to fit your face however you want to.
Soothing Serums and Moisturizers
Serums and moisturizers are most-often used to nourish the skin, but the right formulas can also provide a cooling sensation (and relief from heat and irritation).
My main gripe with certain serums is that they can feel a little sticky, which isn't fun to deal when in hot weather. This jelly stick is infused with aloe and niacinamide for cooling and reducing redness, but it's also hands-free and glides onto the skin without feeling heavy or tacky.
Another key to beating the heat is keeping a water-based moisturizer on hand, and this one not only comes in handy because it feels cool to the touch, but it also keeps my oily skin from feely greasy in the hot sun.
Cool Intentions
From depuffing and tightening skin to reducing redness and simply just helping you beat the heat, these masks will get the job done no matter your budget.
This LED mask is a splurge, but it's worth it. It uses red and blue light to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and acne, respectively, but it also features cooling technology that calms and depuffs the area under the eyes in order to tighten then skin.
This two-step treatment is meant to hydrate and reduce your skin's temperature at the same time. Just apply the hyaluronic acid ampoule before putting the jelly mask over your face. Leave on for at least 30 minutes to get the best results.
Midday Refresh
Cool yourself off with a simple spritz. These formulas help to alleviate dryness, redness, and more.
Whenever my skin is in need of a soothing refresh, this soft mist is the first thing I grab. It's made with antioxidants that protect the skin from environmental damage, and it provides an extra hint of moisture without adding any heaviness or grease to my skin.
The star ingredient in this mist is peppermint (among other things like energizing caffeine and hydrating hyaluronic acid), which awakens the skin by giving it a cooling effect. It's the perfect addition to your summer skincare routine.
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