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How to optimise your body and skincare routines for summer

Cowshed therapists Andreea Dumitrescu and Federica Cesari share their tips on adjusting your beauty regimes for warmer weather

By Megan Murray

We're all excited about the arrival of spring, but with sunnier days come different demands on the skin.

Hot weather can irritate and inflame, cause swelling and even dry out non-porous areas. From the lips to the shins, care for different parts of the body needs to be adjusted as the seasons change.

Here, our Cowshed therapists, Andreea Dumitrescu and Federica Cesari, share some of the advice that often comes up when speaking to clients who are looking for skin protection hacks for summer. From storing products in the fridge to treating yourself to a foot bath, these simple tricks will cool, soothe and relax both the body and face.

Focus your routine on de-puffing your skin

Warmer weather can cause the skin to swell and feel inflamed or puffy. Adjust your normal skincare routine to counteract this by introducing cooling methods and products to soothe.

Cowshed's Essential Eye Balm is formulated with Neroli flower essential oil to calm the under-eye area, and this can be maximised by storing it in the fridge. It's a simple trick, but patting on this product with the added cooling benefits will really help to de-puff skin, especially when followed with a jade roller that's also been kept in the fridge.

Use the smaller section of the roller and start at the nose, rolling outwards. Do this four or five times to reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.

Use a cooling spray to refresh

Our Refreshing Toner does what it says on the tin - it's like a breath of fresh air when your skin is hot and bothered. Keep it in the fridge, so that it feels like a cool, soothing mist across the face, while removing surface impurities and preparing skin for moisturising.

Plus, it contains organic Aloe Vera, which doubles down on pacifying skin that feels irritated or inflamed by heat.

Shed dead skin cells

During winter, thin areas of skin such as the shins can dry out and a flaky texture can occur. Not only do most of us want to ensure that our body feels soft and well-cared for before summer, but if you don't treat this flakiness, it can get worse as the weather warms up.

Try body brushing once a week, starting from the ankles and always working towards the heart. In between this, use the Dual Action Body Scrub, which contains a balance of physical and chemical exfoliants to keep skin fresh. Post-exfoliation, deep hydration is so important, so apply a body oil while the skin is still slightly damp to lock in moisture.

Pay extra attention to summer lipcare

Any change in weather can have an effect on the softness and hydration of your lips. But if there's one time of the year to really amp up your lip care, it has to be summer.

We like Cowshed's Wonder Balm for everyday use, which glides onto skin and is super moisturising with cold-pressed Kahai oil and Avocado butter. A good once-in-a-while treatment to try is also SkinCeuticals AOX Lip Complex - it brings your lips back from a dry, chapped state.

Making footcare part of your regime

Hot weather can cause swollen feet and ankles, so at the end of a long day I advise clients to give themselves a cooling foot bath and treatment. Fill a bucket with lukewarm water and add bath salts to reduce inflammation and soothe tired muscles.

Let your feet soak for 10 minutes and use this as a moment of calm, too. It will help bring down your whole body's temperature and is good for your overall wellbeing. Then, apply some Mother Leg & Foot Treatment to the feet and back of the knees, as the witch hazel and green tree provide a cooling sensation.