Top Tips for Summer Skincare
How do you prepare your skin to look its best over the summer? In this blog, we’re going to look at the steps leading Dermatologists advise you to take to make the most of your summer glow and what you should and shouldn’t be doing to keep your skin in tip-top condition.

You might be fooled into thinking that there isn’t much difference between winter and summer if you’re witnessing the same scene of waterlogged roads and rumbling skies as I am at present.
However, we couldn’t be more wrong – from a dermatological perspective, winter and summer are light years apart.
While we fight with the drying effect of central heating and dry cold air in the winter, in the summer our skin faces a different set of challenges and queries.
For example:
If your skin is oily and sweaty, do you need to moisturise?
If it’s boiling outside should you put anything at all on your face?
How do you minimise sun damage? We all know the dangers of exposing the skin to UV light, so how do we prepare for it?
Thankfully it’s a topic that dermatologists spend much time researching, and here’s what they have to say.
Go lightweight
Many dermatologists recommend that, in the summer, their patients adjust their skincare routine so that it is a little more lightweight, just as they would with their wardrobe.
For example, changing from richer creams or oils to a lighter gentle foaming cleanser are usually recommended for the summer climate.
Avoid products that block your pores and don’t let your skin breathe. Normal skin types might benefit more from water-based moisturisers, whereas gel-based moisturisers are preferable for oily skin types.
For extra oily or even acne-prone skins, use facial sprays. Sometimes adding natural moisturisers like glycerin or rose water to bathwater can do wonders for moisturising your body.
Make sure your moisturiser is dual purpose
One way to lighten up your skincare regimen is to make sure that your moisturiser is dual purpose. This would be a moisturiser with sunscreen protection. For example, a lightweight moisturiser with SPF30+ or higher may be adequate for most people.
Less is definitely more here - why apply two products when one will do? In fact, using more products in the summer can lead to clogged pores and possibly acne, so a single step moisturiser/SPF is ideal.
Make sure you keep moisturising
Skin in the summer can feel pretty oily and sweaty at times, let’s be honest, and people often wonder if they should moisturise at all - is there any need? Well, the answer is an emphatic “Yes”!
Moisturisers are essential for reestablishing the outer layer of skin, also known as the stratum corneum, which is crucial for protecting your skin from pollutants and chemicals, as well as preventing further irritation.
A moisturiser/sunscreen combination is useful for providing a lightweight texture that nourishes and prevents clogged pores.
So using a dual-purpose moisturiser/SPF helps both to nourish the skin but also protect it from damaging UV light.
Even if your skin is oily, you should always continue to moisturise.
Use a Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin C is well known for its properties in the fight against anti-ageing. This becomes more important in the summer months as it helps to prevent hyperpigmentation. These are the darker patches of skin that result from an overproduction of melanin, which is often caused by sun damage.
Vitamin C also improves the appearance of fine lines and can help with the production of collagen.
Dermatologists suggest applying Vitamin C serum after cleansing and before moisturising.
Don’t forget to exfoliate.
Despite the normal urges of restraint from Dermatologists, summer is a time when exfoliation can be increased, especially for those with oily skin.
For example, using alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) pads can help open up blocked pores and remove the oils that result in acne.
Keep in mind that you want to be kind to your skin, so rather than have a daily routine of exfoliation, you may want to slowly build up to a slightly higher summer time-frequency for your face.
Keep up the hygiene but don’t overdo the bathtub…
Warmer weather, workouts and sweat generated by the general hecticness of life means that many of us can shower more than once a day.
This can be not only refreshing but also invigorating. With this in mind, many dermatologists recommend keeping the time under the shower short - four to five minutes at most.
Too much showering, especially in water that is hot can lead to overdrying of the skin.
Using a cream rich in urea or Vitamin C after a bath or shower can be very helpful for the skin.
Wear make up that won’t clog up your pores.
Makeup that is made with non-pore-clogging ingredients is important for summer.
Use sunscreen powder, oil-free primer or a lightweight foundation to get best results.
Don’t forget to use sunscreen!
This is one of the most important aspects of looking after your skin in the summer.
Most dermatologists will agree that suitable protection against the sun is vital for summer. A broad spectrum suncream with SPF30 or higher is what they recommend.
It is the single most effective step you can take to protect your skin against UV damage and possible skin cancer. It isn’t a luxury or option, it’s essential, for all the family.
Sunscreen needs to be applied at least half an hour before venturing out, and, very importantly, must be reapplied regularly - every 2 hours or so.
Protecting your skin from the most harmful rays of the sun is potentially life-saving - which is why it is also wise to keep in the shade, as well as wearing sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves to protect yourself.
Conclusion
There is a lot one can do to help your skin look its best in the summer - changing to a dual-purpose moisturiser/SPF30 is a great way to continue to protect the delicate skin on the face.
Exfoliating helps to clear away blocked pores which is essential in preventing acne and irritation.
Vitamin C serum has a place to play in helping combat fine lines and helping the production of collagen, but the best advice of all is to always use sunscreen - no ifs and no buts - and minimise exposure to the sun.
Do you have summer skin tips? Let us know in the comments below.