These are a couple of tips and tricks to get your skin looking radiant for the summer and to hopefully snap a couple of those Insta-worthy pictures. After researching multiple sites and looking at the tips and tricks from beauty gurus, this is the list of some tips I was able to come up with. Enjoy!

1. Understand your skin type

Some skin types: oily, dry, and combination skin. Each skin type needs to be tackled differently. It may also be good to consider finding the best products that work for you and your skin type.

For oily skin, non-oil based products would probably be better for the skin. However, it is very important to remember not to dry out the skin because that will cause an excess amount of oil to be produced by the skin to prevent drying out. You can use clay masks, oatmeal masks, or honey masks to try to balance out the oils and protect and soften the skin. You should aim to use water-based makeup products and consider aloe vera moisturizers. In addition, if your skin type is prone to acne or clogged pores, use salicylic acid based products that help correct abnormal shedding of skin cells. However, keep in mind, these salicylic products must be used consistently to be effective.

For dry skin, keeping the skin hydrated is one of the hardest things to do. One must clean their face regularly with cleanser and hot water, moisturizer regularly, stay hydrated by drinking water, and always wearing sunscreen.

For combination skin (both oil and dry skin), general tips are to follow both skin care routines but only really use non-oil products for the T-zone.

ALL IN ALL, Different products work for different people, and it is very important to test these out to see if it gives you and your skin the best result.

2. Always properly take off that makeup, even before bed

One of the most important things that you can remember to do to make sure your skin remains nice and clear is to always take off your makeup COMPLETELY. I know it becomes really hard sometimes to take off your makeup especially after a long hard day. However, one of the worst things you and to your skin is to keep that makeup on, especially overnight. Overnight the skin repairs and renews itself. Therefore, it must do this after being cleansed completely from its makeup and pollutants gathered throughout the day. Without cleansing your makeup off, this clogs your pores allowing for the formation of acne, blackheads, and whiteheads to form.

In order to properly cleanse your skin, remember that only using a facial cleanser is not enough. With the beauty market being saturated with smudge-proof and waterproof makeup, facial cleansers will not always be enough. In addition, cleansing with just a makeup wipe may also be ineffective because it may leave behind residue on your skin and continue to pores. Always use makeup remover and properly cleanse your skin.

3. Cleanse your skin properly

Cleansing is one of the first steps to make sure your skin would look poppin' for the summer. In addition, understanding the type of cleanser you need for your skin. Therefore, you may want to consider either an oil type cleanser or a foam type cleanser depending on your skin type.

When you cleanse your face, use LUKEWARM water and gently massage the cleanser into your face in circular motions. Too hot water will try out the skin and damage it, therefore lukewarm is the way to go. In addition, Circular motions stimulate the skin like this and circulate blood at the surface of your skin. However, keep in mind not to OVER cleanse your face. If your face feels extremely tight and hard to move after you have finished cleansing, you have OVER cleansed your face and stripped off all of your natural oils. DO NOT DO THAT! This can cause your skin to overproduce oil and potentially clog more pores. YIKES.

4. Moisturize after you cleanse your skin

It is just as important to moisturize after washing your face. Although this seems contradictory if you have oily skin, it is just as important. When one cleanses their skin, they strip away all the natural oils that they produce on their face. These natural oils prevent the skin from drying out and protect the skin. However, without these oils, the skin will kick into overdrive mode and produce more oils once the skin realizes its too dry! This causes an excess of oil to be produced and can ultimately produce clogged pores. Therefore, if you replace the oils on your skin with proper moisturizers after you cleanse, you can replace your missing oils with good oils and prevent your skin from drying out or overproducing oil.

5. NEVER head out without slathering on that sunscreen

During the summer, the UV rays are particularly strong with longer days and more sunlight. Therefore, these UV rays are really harmful to the skin and make a note to properly apply that sunscreen. UV rays can cause premature aging, wrinkles, and sunspots. Furthermore, UV rays are carcinogens, which means their cancer-causing. Stay safe this summer, and remember to reapply once every 2 hours.