San Francisco does not have your stereotypical California summers. We often have nicer winters and falls than we do summers, as Mark Twain famously pointed out, it can get down right cold and foggy here in the summer. But you never really know. Starting in about April, it could be 75 degrees one day and 55 the next. It sounds frustrating, but it is also exciting in some ways. I am always on my toes…and always wearing layers.
Being a self-professed product whore, there are a few items I reach towards and keep on hand as the weather heats up and then randomly cools back down, in this fair city of mine.
1. ME! Bath Shower Sherbet Exfoliating Sugar Scrub:
This body scrub is perfect for sloughing off my dead skin cells that winter left behind to reveal a smoother, sweeter me. I love the scent Summer Rain, it is very fresh and clean. It is hard to describe really, a bit citrusy I guess. It is one of those sugar body scrubs that leaves a bit of oil behind on the skin, which I love. It leaves my skin feeling super soft and subtle. Plus, it comes in an adorable little sherbet pint container and looks good enough to eat… but I recommend sticking to eating ice cream flavors at Bi-Rite.
2. Body Shop Body Butter:
This has been a favorite of mine for years and it will continue to be forever more, like a first crush. I swear by these body butters for daily moisturizing, especially after the shower, and I especially love the heavier ones like Coconut for after-sun moisturizing. It is so much better than sticky aloe. I will always love Grapefruit for daily use but my newest favorite is Moringa, a pretty floral scent that almost doubles as a perfume. I hear zero complaints from the Italian waiters as I walk by the cafes on Columbus Ave. Of course.
3. L’Oreal Sublime Glow Body Moisturizer + Skin Tone Enhancer:
With the frenetic weather, comes the need to fake a little glow on my skin. But most self-tanners are so impossible to get right and often turn out terribly streaky or make me look like a pumpkin. Not a good look. This gradual self-tanning lotion by L’Oreal is almost fool proof. It works slowly, so some prep is needed, but after 3 days of continual use my legs have a touch of “summer” glow, even if I’ve been inside all week behind a desk. Because as soon as the sun is out on a Saturday, I will be outside sporting one of my rarely worn sun dresses, lounging in the park or socializing at a roof deck BBQ.
4. You’re a Pisa Work by OPI:
I don’t care how long I’ve been wearing those rain boots, the minute the temp gets warm enough for sandals, my toes are ready, and generally with a cute red-pink polish like this one from OPI. This was my go-to toe color for many years, and continues to be a favorite to get my toes pretty-n-pink for summer sandal wearing. I always get my toes in shape at one of the nail salons on Polk st before meeting friends for Sunday brunch. A naked toe is not acceptable in my book.
5. Stila illuminating tinted moisturizer SPF 20:
I am always wearing an SPF, regardless of the temp or the sun’s existence in the sky, since it’s the only sure way to keep my skin protected and healthy. But in the summer I like to combine my SPF and my foundation into one simple step. The matte face is out, so I have embraced the glowly, dewy look with this tinted moisturizer. It gives me a bit of coverage, lots of protection, and a sweet subtle illumination. I love it for an impromptu summertime outing to Ocean Beach, which is only bearable on the hottest of hot days because of the intense and usually very cold ocean breezes. It’s oil free so it doesn’t clog my pores, which is key to my dewy complexion clear from breakouts.
6. Coola Sport SPF 35 Citrus Mimosa Sunscreen Spray:
If you ask me, the invention of spray sunscreen was better than the invention of the automobile, but what do I know. I just really hate putting on lotion sunscreen, the mess, the spreading, the waiting for it the dry, ugh! This sunscreen spray not only has a high SPF, but it smells really, really good. It contains a whopping 97% of certified organic ingredients such as aloe, cucumber, algae, strawberry extracts, and red raspberry seed oil. Yum, sounds delish right?! I spray it on my body before hitting the all day outdoor concert in Golden Gate park at the end of summer when it actually starts to become consistently warm… in about October. Strange, I know.
Well, there you have it, a few products I love to have around to keep my skin soft, healthy, and sun-kissed. I could sit here all day and tell you more, but I’m going to throw on a sundress, my favorite flat leather sandals, and a pashmina (for when it cools down tonight) and go chill in Washington Square Park with my friends. It is 75 out, finally! And who knows how long it will last!
Summer SF style, Lovely!
Beth Hamiton, from beautyjunkieinsf.com