Flawless skin in summer isn’t an impossible dream.

Manjula Ramakrishnan

2019 being Year of the Vegan, it is indeed perfect timing for the debut of a e-boutique, Aspire Beauty Co, in Dubai with carefully curated products that are a mix of vegan, organic, high-end, affordable and cult brands. Launched by Founder and CEO Claire Gittus, a veteran in the beauty industry, the virtual shop presents an opportunity for customers to stay connected to the international “clean” beauty scene without any harmful additives.

“As a full-time working mum of two, I personally have very little time to actually go to the mall and investigate the ingredients on the label. So we wanted to create a solution to make the lives of busy mums, professionals and all-round beauty lovers a little easier. Our aim is to inspire women to live a more conscious tomorrow by thinking about what they use on their face, body and hair,” says Claire.

Claire offers Panorama readers some sagacious summer tips:

Claire Gittus, founder and CEO, Aspire Beauty Co.

Always use a sunscreen

With sunlight at its peak during summer, always keep in hand a sunscreen that will help prevent the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching your skin. There are two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB that damage the skin, age it prematurely and increase your risk of skin cancer. Sunscreens vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB and no sunscreen can block all UV rays. Also, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without re-application. A broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended, since this offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Use facial oils

You may think that moisturising your face during summer will make your skin extra oily; on the contrary, applying oils on your face will not cause oily skin or bad breakouts. Ancient Egyptians kept their skin vibrant and flawless using Moringa Oil; this very old beauty secret is making a big comeback. According to top dermatologists, facial oils may be the missing step in your beauty routine. The key is to recognise that not all facial oils are the same; some can nourish the skin, others can be potential irritants — choose wisely and check with your dermatologist.

Facial oils can reduce your wrinkles, and are good for dry skin and overall protection of skin. It is a perfect primer for makeup and can shrink enlarged pores, calm down rashes and banish zits.

How vital is skin toner?

It is important to use toners daily. Toner is both essential and mystifying. It removes last bit of makeup, removes excess oil, balances the pH of your skin and helps with summer breakouts. It also tightens your pores, can add another layer of hydration. But it is important to choose one based on your skin’s specific needs. 

Use a cleanser

Cleansing is the very first step in taking care of your skin. It is essential to remove makeup, exfoliate surface dead skin cells, remove excess build up of dirt, oil, sweat and also remove bacteria. Oil based cleansers clean the skin of grease and dirt; gels and foams also do the job equally well. Besides, there are also exfoliants that are appropriate for every skin type; we all have bacteria on our skin – we need to clean the dirt and excess oil that bacteria thrive on to keep things in balance. Any type of cleanser will achieve this.

People suffering from certain types of acne have a higher concentration of acne-specific bacteria deep in their pores. They can use any type of cleanser to remove the dirt, sweat and oil to keep surface bacteria in balance. It is then best to use a targeted treatment product that delivers anti-bacterial and exfoliating ingredients far down in the pore to target specific bacteria.

Water…the best hydrator

There are many claims that water is the secret behind supple and glowing skin. Your skin is 64 per cent water; it appears healthier, and wrinkles and pores look less prominent when it is hydrated. It is less likely to crack and result in possible irritations and blemishes. There is also less chance of clogged pores, breakouts and blemishes, and signs of aging are minimised.

It is recommended to have 8-10 eight-ounce servings per day, spread throughout the day; the body can only absorb so much water each hour. Moisturising your skin both internally and externally is an essential combination for healthy, beautiful skin; therefore, do not skip your moisturiser.