How To Update Your Skin Care Routine For Summer

Sitting next to the pool, enjoying a backyard barbecue, playing a game of beach volleyball: The summer has its perks. But while we look forward to the sunny days of summer, our skin isnt as big of a fan.

“Summer puts a lot of stress on our skin: from the heat, the higher humidity, the sweating, swimming, sunscreen and the sun itself,” explained Dr. Peter Leo, a board-certified dermatologist and scientific advisory board member for the National Eczema Association.

You may notice your skin getting oilier in these warmer months. The heat and high humidity causes our bodies to produce sweat to stay cool. As a result, our bodies produce more sebum, which gives us an oily appearance. On the other hand, if you swim a lot in chlorinated pools or sit next to a powerful air conditioner, you may notice your skin is drier in the summer.

Or maybe your skin isn’t as clear. “In the summer our skin tends to see an increased buildup of sweat and sunscreen, as well as dirt and environmental residue from more outdoor activities. Because of this, some people may notice a flare in acne,” said Dr. Christina Wenga Harvard-trained and board-certified dermatologist out of Boston.

But the worst culprit of all during the summer is the sun. Apart from painful sunburns, the sun can have smaller effects you may not notice right away. “The melanocytes inside our skin cells get activated by the UV light and start making freckles and dark spots,” explained Dr. Jaimie DeRosa, founder and lead facial plastic surgeon of DeRosa Center Plastic Surgery & Med Spa in Boston and in Palm Beach, Florida.

That means we have summer to blame for oilier or drier skin, extra freckles, dark spots and potential acne. But you don’t have to sweat it, because we’ve gone to the leading skin care experts. Here’s everything you need to know about combating your summer skin care woes.

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EltaMD

It can’t be said enough: sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen

“The most important thing to do for your skin in the summer is to make liberal use of a high SPF sunscreen,” said Dr. Nadir Qazia board-certified physician and cosmetic dermatology surgeon in Irvine, California, “Granted, you should be using sunscreen year-round, but slather it on even more often during the summer when UVB rays have higher intensity.”

This wasn’t just Qazi’s advice. Every single expert we talked to made it clear: You cannot skimp on sunscreen in the summer (or really, ever). And that doesn’t just mean applying it once in the morning. According to DeRosa, “This means that you wear a good broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or higher every single day, rain or shine, and reapply every two hours.”

Which sunscreen are the experts recommending? A popular option among dermatologists is EltaMD’s UV Clear SPF 46.

“It goes on like a lightweight moisturizer, has lactic acid, which helps hydrate and gently exfoliate the skin, and has clear SPF 46 that protects your skin without any greasy residue that one often finds in other sunscreens,” said Dr. Tiffany Libbya board-certified dermatologist in Providence, Rhode Island.

Sephora

Banish the summertime breakouts

“The high heat and humidity of summer can trigger our sebaceous glands to secrete oils. Oily, sweaty skin can clog pores and cause acne breakouts,” said Dr. Elaine F. Kunga board-certified dermatologist in New York City and founder of Future Bright Dermatology.

She suggested getting out of your sweaty clothes as soon as possible and showering off the sweat. She also recommended, “You can use cleansers with chemical exfoliators such as low percentage BHA (1.5-2% salicylic acid) or AHA (5-15% glycolic acid) to prevent breakouts without stripping the skin.”

An online search will show you several options for these types of cleansers. We personally like Skinfix’s Acne+ cleanser for stubborn breakouts

Amazon

Try a sunscreen with a twist

To highlight the importance of sunscreen, we are saying it twice! If you’re not a fan of traditional liquid sunscreen that goes on white with an unpleasant smell, you’ve got options.

Sick of the messy application? “Powder or stick sunscreens are easy to whip out for reapplication when we are outdoors for longer periods of time,” Kung said. One of her favorites is Colorescience Brush-On Sunscreen Mineral Powder in SPF 50.

Which sunscreen will be best for you? Weng shared her sage advice, “At the end of the day the best sunscreen is the one you will wear!”