It is hot, dry, humid, sticky and exhausting all at the same time.

While this year we may be spared the sun’s full assault (that’s because you should stay at home), there is still something to be done while being home. Here’s some basic and inexpensive ways to look after your skin and remain picture perfect for that Zoom call.

Hydrate

We cannot stress this enough! This does not mean only drinking water but also means hydrating your skin. Water based creams are a quick way of hydrating your skin. Also, this does not mean that you skip moisturizer. A moisturizer essentially locks in the water and keeps your skin supple. Increasing your fruit and vegetable intake is also a great way to hydrate your skin. Remember - drink, hydrate, moisturize.

Exfoliate

There is no reason to skip on the exfoliation. Every often, our summer skin care routine becomes solely about avoiding the appearance of oily skin. While you should be exfoliating less in the summer, you must still do it once a week. It helps unclog pores and allows your skin to absorb skincare products better. I swear by The Speak Collective’s Oat and Lavender Cleansing Powder. It is a very gentle exfoliant and also doubles up as a mask.

Mask Up

Face masks are so beautifully indulgent. And while sheet masks are more trendy, I personally find them a bit wasteful because there’s all that product left on the sheet even when I am done using it. And while the 45 minutes of doing absolutely nothing sounds great, sheet masks require time that one may not necessarily have. I am a big fan of clay/mud masks. They work wonders for my oily summer skin. From the top-notch mud masks sourced from the Dead Sea to the more humble Herbion, I love both of them! The Herbion Seaweed Whitening Mud Mask is my pick for summer.

While these three should be an easy enough routine to follow, a good SPF day cream, a moisturise heavy night cream and a rose water spritz is absolutely essential.