Here are our five favorite natural skincare ingredients for combatting summer breakouts.
This summer has been one for the record books. With eye-popping temperatures, smokey skies, and oppressive humidity, it’s no surprise that these stressors are showing up on our skin.
While we love to think of summer as the “carefree” season, the truth is, our skin may need extra TLC during these sweltering months. If you’re been dealing with summer breakouts, you’re not alone. But with the addition of some powerful natural ingredients into your daily clean skincare routine, you may be able to reclaim calm, carefree skin, after all.
Here are our five favorite natural skincare ingredients for combatting summer breakouts.
Manuka Honey
Not your average honey, manuka honey is cultivated from the manuka bush–a part of the tea tree family– that grows predominantly in New Zealand, along with some parts of Australia.
According to Byrdie, manuka honey contains “both hydrogen peroxide and another component called methylglyoxal. The nectar of manuka flowers contains a large quantity of a substance called dihydroxyacetone, which is then converted into methylglyoxal. The higher the concentration of methylglyoxal, the more antibacterial the manuka honey is.”
When you reach for acne prone skin products to combat summer breakouts, pay attention if you see manuka honey on the label.
Manuka honey helps to target and ease the skin inflammation caused by acne, and it helps to balance skin’s pH level. Manuka honey also acts as a humectant, drawing moisture toward skin as it simultaneously delivers powerful antibacterial benefits to skin, so your skin becomes more balanced overall.
If you are experiencing summer breakouts, it’s important to stick to simple, plant based skincare that won’t further aggravate skin by stripping it with harsh ingredients; this can cause skin’s oil glands to rev into overdrive, perpetuating the breakout cycle.
Reach for gentle skincare from MASK Skincare’s Spotless line, which is made up of a clean beauty skin serum that pairs beautifully underneath moisturizer, or the sheet mask that can be used once a week or more–it’s so gentle, you can even use it daily! These Spotless products contain soothing manuka honey that can help to relieve summer breakouts.
Helichrysum Essential Oil
When we hear the words “essential oils,” our minds may drift to relaxing lavender or eucalyptus. While we love these essential oils for their own unique benefits and relaxing scents, helichrysum oil is often an unsung hero–and a hero is exactly what this ingredient is.
The Helichrysum italicum plant–also known as immortelle– is found in the Mediterranean and southern Europe. For centuries, it has been a key ingredient in helping to heal skin.
Helichrysum essential oil is extracted from the green parts of the plant and contains arzanol, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory which helps to heal skin. Helichrysum may also help to promote cell regeneration and cell turnover, and with powerful antioxidants, helps protect skin from damaging free radicals.
As a key ingredient in MASK Skincare’s Spotless line of cruelty free skincare, helichrysum essential oil may help soothe inflammation associated with summer breakouts while encouraging healing– and helping to fade scars from past acne flare-ups.
Tea Tree Oil
Long revered for its calming benefits, tea tree oil is often used to help treat acne because it contains both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. When used in a gentle, non toxic skincare formula like MASK’s Spotless serum or face mask, tea tree oil may help to ease the redness, swelling, and overall inflammation associated with summer breakouts.
And, tea tree oil may even help to prevent and reduce acne scars. Together with powerhouse helichrysum essential oil, tea tree oil may be a formidable yet gentle way to remedy summer breakouts.
Clary Sage Oil
Well tolerated even by many of those with reactive skin types, clary sage oil is derived from the clary sage plant–Salvia clarea–that is native to the Mediterranean. Clary sage oil contains an organic compound known as linalyl acetate, which works to promote healing in skin, reduce inflammation, and soothe skin back to a calm, balanced state of being.
Found in MASK Skincare’s Spotless skin serum and face mask, clary sage can be easily incorporated into your daily clean beauty routine. Simply apply the water-based serum twice a day before moisturizer and sunscreen, and bolster the effects of these non toxic skincare products by adding a sheet mask once or twice a week. Bonus:
You can use your MASK Skincare sheet mask more than once, and you can also use any additional liquid in the pouch as an extra dose of serum.
If you’re experiencing summer breakouts, using these other powerful plant-based ingredients may help soothe your inflamed, irritated skin. What’s more, keeping your Spotless serum or sheet mask in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it can help deliver cooling relief to skin–and it just feels decadent in the heat of the summer. Here’s to calm, carefree skin–and days! –in the month ahead.