Dermatologist's Summer Skincare Advice

Tips & Recommendations

Where cold, dry winter air was previously a daily burden, warmer temps can leave your skin contending with increased sweat and exposure to the sun's damaging rays. That's why, with the start of the season just around the corner, now's the perfect time to implement some strategic changes to your daily skincare regimen.

Summer Skincare Plan

Dr. Blatnoy recommends the following battle plan for summer skincare:

1. Twice a week, scrub skin with a brush, an exfoliating scrub, or a salicylic acid wash to brighten it and allow lotions and serums to absorb more deeply. If your skin becomes irritated, exfoliate just once a week.
2. As the weather warms, switch from a cream cleanser to a gel variety, which is lightweight yet still soothing for summer skincare. If you have oily skin, try a foam cleanser. Be sure to wash your face every night in the summer. More time outside means more exposure to harmful air pollutants, which can attach to moisturizer and makeup and exacerbate signs of aging.
3. Heavy creams contain lipids that can cause clogged pores and pimples in more humid months. Instead, opt for serums, lotions, or hydrating gels.
4. In the morning, before you apply your makeup, slather on a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30. Reapply sunscreen every two hours if you're outside. If you're worried about smearing makeup, look for a mineral sunscreen powder that is easy to reapply throughout the day.

#1 Summer Skincare Advice: Use more sunscreen!

The sun's rays are more intense in the summer compared to the winter months, so you want to be extra vigilant about sunscreen. This means you should be vigilant about safeguarding your skin each morning—your face and your body—by applying sunscreen with at least an SPF 30.

Also, don't forget to protect your lips! Summer skincare includes making sure that you are correctly hydrated. Your lips do not create as much oil as the rest of your face and are prone to being dry. They also often go unprotected from the sun, increasing the likelihood of developing skin cancers on the lip—particularly the lower lip, which faces up toward the sun every day. Use a lip balm with a SPF15 sunscreen to combat this.