Typical right? It's the one time you want to take ALL the photos
Think about it.
You've finally made it to that dream holiday destination you've had booked for ages and everything is sorted. You've got your holiday clothes with you, you're feeling smug after all you saved by doing these online booking hacks and you're more than ready to say 'vacay hey!' on your social feeds.
But, then it happens. Your skin flares up and you end up feeling less selfie-ready than before you boarded the plane over.
We feel you. It happens to the best of us. We spoke to cruelty-free make-up artist Justine Jenkins (who's worked with the likes of Alexa Chung and Fearne Cotton before) on just why this happens.
Why do we get spots on holiday?
Midday sun
'Skin gets oiler in the warmer weather as heat and humidity increases the oil production from sebaceous glands so be conscious when you’re on a summer holiday. Try to avoid harsh midday sun which can overheat the skin, stick to sunbathing in the morning and late afternoon. Use a tea tree-based product like Dr Organic's tea tree spot treatment gel to pop on if you feel a breakout coming on.'
Chemical sunscreen
'Always avoid chemical sunscreens as they can cause flare ups, so replace them with a natural sunscreen. If you choose a natural sunscreen with great hydrating ingredients, you can apply in the day instead of moisturiser to avoid overloading the skin.'
Dehydrated skin
'By not hydrating skin in the summer, you often end up producing more oil. The most common mistake made by people with spot prone skin is avoiding moisturiser. Oily skin still needs moisture and if you skip it, skin will become dehydrated and more prone to breakouts.'
Heavy make-up
'Skin gets oiler in the Summer as heat and humidity increases the oil production from sebaceous glands. So, when prepping the skin for makeup, it's always important to use products designed for your skin type. So, if you have oily skin, use ranges that contain ingredients like tea tree oil, grapefruit extract and salicylic acid, that balance and soothe oily skin. When choosing your make up, opt for a loose mineral powder foundation to prevent clogging the pores. Mineral make up is great for humid conditions, but choose a brand like Nude By Nature that doesn't contain bismuth oxychloride, which is a known irritant.
Unclean make-up brushes
'To avoid spreading bacteria from your face to the makeup and back to your face, regularly clean your make up brushes.'
Over cleansing
'We all like to give ourselves a good clean when we get back from the beach. However using harsh astringents on oily skin can feel like the skin is super clean, when these ingredients actually strip the skin and encourage the sebum gland to produce more oil effectively creating breakouts. I recommend sticking to natural ingredients in your washes that nourish and balance oily skin. Do not scrub at the skin or use harsh astringents and exfoliators.'
Cocktails
'Alcohol and in particularly cocktails have a high glycemic index which increases blood sugar levels and can cause a flare up of skin conditions like acne. After a wild night partying, try drinking zesty lemon infused water to stimulate liver function and hydrate the body. I would also recommend increasing your intake of leafy green vegetables and Vitamin D, which helps maintain the integrity of the skin, allowing proteins to be assimilated more efficiently. This will help detox the skin from the inside out.'
