This column is generally about problem-solving, so I set about trying to find the perfect summer shower routine for bedtime. While you may initially scoff at this – after all there are significantly more important problems in the world – with the recent heat we’ve experienced, showering up to three times a day isn’t uncommon, especially if you’re active.
WhatsApp has been notifying me every few minutes with messages from friends and family. “My moisturiser feels like cling film in this heat,” was the gist of it. “Everything I put on my skin is irritating it.” We’ve been a nation of trickling backs and rashy necks in the heat. The one intense relief on a really hot or humid Irish day is the pre-bed shower. Stepping under a stream of cool water, instantly alleviating that enduring hot-weather stickiness, is exquisite.
Before bed, I want none of your invigorating citrus or minty scents, but something soft, mellow and unintrusive. The sweet, comforting lavender of Lush Sleepy Shower Gel (from €9 at lush.ie) is more than ideal. It cleanses skin beautifully without stripping it, and you’ll emerge from the shower completely clean and relaxed. I enjoy it for a post-workout shower too – something about it just signals winding down.
If, like me, your body is kind of allergic to heat (there are hives and everything – it’s pathetic), curating the perfect evening shower to soothe skin and keep it moisturised without stickiness can make you feel significantly more comfortable. Life is short and challenging – we don’t need to add prickling, itchy sweatiness to our burdens if we can help it.
My one saviour product under these circumstances, whether you’re at home or on holiday abroad, is La Roche-Posay Serozinc (€10 at lookfantastic.ie). Much more effective than mineral water mists, this utterly gentle spray instantly cools you, but it contains zinc, which will soothe everything from heat rash to nappy rash, breakouts to razor burn. Anti-inflammatory creams can feel too heavy in the heat, so try this first on face and body if there are any irritated areas. I keep it with me during the day, but a full-body spray with it after an evening shower is gloriously cooling and effective.
Thick, rich body creams or oils can be unappealing in the heat for obvious reasons, so to prevent dryness or irritation by still keeping skin moisturised, try a serum. Necessaire The Body Serum Fragrance Free (€52 at Space NK) is a joy of a product. Ample in size, it offers no cloying fragrance to irritate or overwhelm, and skin drinks it right in so you can hop into bed unencumbered. It pairs beautifully with the La Roche Posay mist too.
The one area where a richer product won’t go awry in hot weather is your feet. If you’ve uncovered them recently to discover that they turned feral with neglect over the winter, you’d be surprised how much some intense hydration will help. CeraVe SA Renewing Foot Cream (€10 at pharmacies nationwide) exfoliates and moisturises so you’ll wake up to superior feet.
