The dewy, luminous, lit-from-within summer complexion everyone is after this season is not a filter. It is what skin looks like when it is genuinely hydrated and not fighting UV damage. Which means SPF is not the thing standing between you and a summer glow. It is what makes it possible. Here is what to use and when.
For your daily face routine: You want something lightweight, no white cast, that you will actually reach for every morning. The Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF50+ is exactly that. K-beauty's most decorated SPF: broad-spectrum SPF50+ PA++++, Birch Sap, Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid, doubles as a moisturizer.
For beach and sun days: A daily SPF is not built for real heat and water. The Saltee SPF 50 Face Sea & Sun Formula is botanical, broad-spectrum SPF 50, designed for skin in and around water. Lightweight, holds up, does the job properly.
For your body: The Oskia SPF30 Vitamin Body Milk is the body SPF that actually feels like skincare. Lightweight mineral formula, no chemical sunscreens, coconut-scented, Pro-Vitamin D3. Absorbs beautifully and leaves a finish that genuinely contributes to the summer glow.
For your tan: The Saltee Tan Enhance Formula deepens your natural color while providing SPF coverage. Not a fake tan, not a bronzer. A smart way to build a more even, gradual glow without compromising on protection.
On application: A quarter teaspoon for face and neck, reapply every two hours in direct sun, and be generous on the body. Most people use about a third of what they need. If it disappears instantly, use more.
After sun, always: cleanse gently, hydrate while skin is still damp, seal it in. Skip the actives that evening. Let your skin recover, and it will reward you.
Our recommendations this week
On a personal note...
This week's Sunday Self-care is a love letter. To London. I have lived here for over ten years, which means I have had ten London summers. I arrived as a student, then I was an intern, an employee, and the founder, building something from scratch. I have been single and in serious relationships here. London has held every version of me, and somehow it always has room for more. What makes it is the people. Curious, warm, from everywhere, always interesting. There is no city quite like it.
This summer has reminded me of all of that. The light, the parks, the evenings that just go on and on. It has completely reignited something in me, and I am so grateful for it.
xx, Diana
P.S. This is the first summer I haven't needed a backup jumper stuffed in my bag at all. I am aware this could change by the time you read this.