Post-Beach Skincare Routine.

Today’s little beauty post comes from a reader request. I’ve been getting a lot of questions about my post-beach beauty routine and was extra-inspired to write this post this morning when I woke up with greasy skin, clogged pores on my nose, and the beginnings of a pimple on my chin. My skin is naturally on the dry side, but after a weekend in the Hamptons (and so much sunscreen), everything was totally out of whack.

First thing first: if you have a sunburn, do not follow the below advice. If you have a sunburn, pop two Advil, slather yourself in a layer of Aloe Vera and then Cocoa Butter, and promise me that next time around you will be better about sunscreen. (Pretty please? We only get one epidermis – protect it, por favor!!!)

This post is for those of us who religiously slather on the SPF, only to find ourselves with an entirely different set of beauty problems: sunscreen that won’t come off, clogged pores, and greasy skin. It’s like this… you really can’t win. You cover yourself in sunscreen, only to find yourself with a slew of other problems. Oof. Still, if you are going to go in the sun, you need a strong SPF. Nobody wants wrinkles and skin cancer.

So here it, is… my post-sun routine, also known as “how to get the sunscreen off.”

ONE // Take a warm shower. I like to use a deep cleansing shower gel with eucalyptus or something energizing. Right now my personal favorite is This Works’ Energy Bank Shower Gel. It gets skin ultra clean, smells amazing, and the aromatherapy oils really do leave you feeling energized. I’ll use a sisal wash cloth or brush all over my entire body to exfoliate. I’ll then do a body scrub. My personal favorite body scrub is this one from Clarins. For a more affordable option I have been using L’Oreal’s Bright Reveal Scrub (it’s meant for face) on my arms and legs with great results – I love the glycolic acid! You really need to work to scrub and get that sunscreen off. When we were on Cape Cod, my sister and I both forgot to pack body scrub and were in turn, rubbing layers of sunscreen off of our skin like dried glue. So gross!

TWO // After the shower (and all that exfoliation!) cover your entire body in a lightweight, hydrating oil. I actually really love just plain old organic almond oil from the drugstore, but May Lindstrom’s The Good Stuff is one of the most decadent, luxurious product I’ve ever tried. I save this for special occasions (or, since it contains a bit of shimmer) will apply just to my arms and legs. It leaves your entire body looking glowy and radiant.

THREE // Now we’ll move onto face. I’ll wash my face with a lightweight gel cleanser. Right now my favorite is this one from Tracie Martin. It’s all natural and really calming – if your skin tends to get flushed or red, this will help with that. I’ll also exfoliate gently. It’s a total cheapie but I really like using Biore’s Baking Soda Cleanser to exfoliate – it’s also gentle but sucks the dirt and oil right out of your pores.

FOUR // Apply a mask. If you follow me on Snapchat (grace.atwood), you’ll probably notice that after a weekend at the beach, I almost always do a mask. It’s important to do something that will suck up any residual dirt and oil here. I’m going to give you three options. For an all natural treatment, try Tata Harper’s Purifying Mask. I’ll apply a thick layer and leave it on for 20-25 minutes. I also love this treatment from Glamglow. It brightens the skin while also detoxifying and exfoliating. Lastly, for a drugstore option, try L’Oreal’s red clay mask. I wrote a longer post about L’Oreal’s new masks, but the red clay one is perfect here as it detoxifies and does a really good job exfoliating.

FIVE // After a mask, if my pores are still looking sad, I will use one of Biore’s pore strips. Remember those? I still swear by them.

SIX // Apply a bit of toner (I love this one!) and a lightweight moisturizer and you are good to go. Summer skin crisis averted.

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This post is not sponsored in any way, shape, or form, but I am obligated by FTC guidelines to inform you of my long term partnership with L’Oreal anytime I mention the brand. I was not paid or obligated to mention L’Oreal, I just genuinely like the products.