Though I have a love hate relationship with the summer, it’s leaning more towards hate right now.

In order to survive the heat in the valley,(in Los Angeles), with no air conditioning in your home or car you must resort to many beauty hacks and tricks and spend many hours at work or any other air conditioned place, such as a coffee shop or mall in order not to wither into a pile of mush.

Honestly though…

Here are my 5 beauty essentials for surviving gross 100+ degree weather.

1. Cooling masks

Masks with ingredients like aloe, seaweed, and lemon cool the skin and leave it refreshed and plumped, which is much needed after spending time in the unforgiving sun. Plus they help you relax, which doesn’t hurt. Here are my favorites from the drugstore and one high end:

These two from CVS are amazing, considering they’re around $2 a pop. It’s the one I’m wearing in my snap above. I’ve seen a reduction of redness and sebum, and felt an overall cooling.

The Creme Shop’s lemon and charcoal fusion mask does exactly what it says: draws out toxins, helps soothe acne and reduce scars, as well as cooling the skin. It smells great too. For $3 this is a steal.

At $25, even on sale, this mask is expensive for me, but not bad if you use it sparingly and once in a while after only really bad skin days or stressful days. It’s instantly cooling, refreshing, and Boscia’s website calms “angry skin” immediately. I need this in my life as I have oily skin and hormonal breakouts.

2. Dry Shampoo

 In the thick of the summer, sometimes it’s impossible to shower enough. My hair gets oily and smelly within a few days. Since we’re all busy and sometimes you don’t want to damage your hair by over-washing it, dry shampoo is necessary. 

Avoiding funky hair smell easily is so much easier with dry shampoo. Don’t waste your perfume! Batiste is sold at Target for 5.99. It leaves hair refreshed, smelling clean, absorbs oil and adds texture & volume. It comes in a wide variety of scents, so there’s something for everyone.

3. Powder & Moisturizer with SPF

We all know we should be protecting our skin from the damaging rays of the sun. If you’re not already doing so, start wearing moisturizer with SPF of at least 15, and ideally 30. 

I’ve used the one above by Aveeno for years. The price went up a bit but it still brightens skins, smooths over dry patches, and protects you indoors & out. It’s vouched for by Marie Claire in this guide on moisturizers with SPF. (You need sunscreen even indoors BTW)

If you’re on a budget, the one by ELF above will do the trick. It soothes and moisturizes skin with Aloe & A, C, & E also. 

According to Elizabeth K. Hale, clinical associate professor of dermatology at the NYU School of Medicine, 30 is where you want to aim if you’ll be outdoors, as noted in this Q&A with her about sun protection.

What you might not know though is that SPF only works for about two hours or so, after which you have to reapply. Dermatologist and associate clinical professor at Yale, Mona Gohara, says 
“..SPF really lasts for only two hours…and this is one area of your life where ‘it’s the thought that counts’ does not apply.” as I read in an article about sunscreen myths and facts in Allure.

She recommends dusting a powder with SPF every 2 hours such as ColoreScience’s Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 30. 

4. Foot peeling scrubs & masks

Aside from smelling lovely all that gross skin on your heels actually gets sloughed off with this product.

Wearing sandals, flip flops, etc. for days on end can do some damage to your feet. Foot peel masks are a lifesaver. The almond smell on the mask above is delicious too. Your feet will feel soft even two weeks after using it. The price is way cheaper than a pedicure too.
5. Cooling facial sprays/primer waters

The spray above by Mario Badescu is unrivaled for it’s cooling powers in my opinion. It deeply moisturizes the skin without being greasy. If you’re acne prone like me, it will not bother your skin at all. It’s refreshing and a must in hot days.

Sephora

The Evian facial mist spray is a bestseller at Sephora. One reviewer on Sephora’s website claims it is so essential for her kids during the summer as the can keeps the water cool and it provides su relief during agonizingly hot days outdoors, etc. She also said it’s great for cleaning up cuts and scrapes in a pinch. If you’re on the go all the time and desperate for cooling, this can be really helpful.

Hope you enjoyed this list!! Maybe it’ll help you survive the rest of the summer. I’ll be pining for cooler days and can’t wait to wear layers and scarves again in the fall!