Your Ultimate Guide To Maintaining Clear Skin This Summer

Sweat, oil, melted makeup, and, of course, pimples. This is the reality for many of us during the summer days when keeping our skin clear of blemishes seems like an impossible challenge that makes us detest the season of sun, outdoor parties, and days at the beach.

However, while keeping pimples at bay can be complicated, it's not impossible, and adjusting your skincare routine to address your skin's needs during the seasonal changes can put an end to your struggles once and for all. So, if you're up for making a few changes, but aren't quite sure where to start or how to go about it, here are our best tips for keeping your skin clear all summer long.

Use a Gel Cleanser

During summer, our skin tends to produce more oil and sweat due to the heat and humidity in the air. These components are not only a nuisance that makes your makeup slide off your face by mid-day but can also exacerbate breakouts and blemishes. That’s why a gel cleanser is perfect for this time of the year. Its stronger surfactants are more efficient in removing the excess oil and sweat along with daily impurities that stick to our skin and clog our pores.

A gel cleanser is also more lightweight and refreshing than a cream-based formula, which makes it perfect for those hot summer days when all you want to do is quickly freshen up your skin.

With a refreshing gel consistency that lathers into a rich foam, the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel ($42) is our top pick for a summer gel cleanser. Infused with skin-soothing lavender and invigorating mint, the cleanser removes impurities and excess oils, leaving the skin smooth and clean all day long.

Spray an Antibacterial Mist

A refreshing face mist that contains skin-soothing and antibacterial components, such as tea tree, aloe, or green tea extracts, can be a fantastic way to keep pesky breakouts at bay by making sure the acne-causing bacteria that live on our skin won't have any chance of thriving in the heat. A face mist can also restore the balance of your skin's pH levels, which is one of the most important factors for healthy, clear skin.

Suitable for use in your daily skincare routine or whenever your skin needs a refreshing boost of hydration and protection, these face mists can also provide some extra comfort and a cooling effect that you'll surely appreciate during those hot summer days.

Infused with a floral bouquet of aloe, rose, and gardenia, the Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater ($12) leaves the skin refined, radiant, and re-energized. The addition of antibacterial thyme extract will also help prevent the overgrowth of bacteria on the surface, giving you smooth and clear skin through the hottest of days.

Apply a Hydrating Serum

Dehydrated skin during summer often shows signs of poor health by producing more oil to compensate for the lack of moisture. However, the issue with this attempt to heal itself is that the excess oil produced by the sebaceous glands doesn't always push through to the skin's surface, where it is supposed to create a barrier between the skin and the environment, but remains stuck inside the pores, clogging them, and causing an inflammatory reaction that manifests on the skin as a red, swollen pimple.

That’s why introducing a hydrating serum into your routine during the hot summer days is a must to keep the skin sufficiently hydrated and healthy. A serum made with skin-loving ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and antioxidants, will keep your skin hydrated and nourished and protect it from environmental aggressors that can damage the skin's delicate balance and lead to cell degradation.

Infused with oil-balancing niacinamide, the Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum ($39) has a lightweight consistency that sinks into the skin like a dream and maintains hydration and plumpness so your skin can look its best all season long.

Opt for a Gentle Retinoid

Retinoids are fantastic antioxidants that protect the skin from cellular damage by binding with retinoid receptors in the deeper layers of the epidermis and encouraging cellular turnover. This action "teaches" the cells to behave in a younger and healthier way and gives them the ability to renew themselves rapidly, leading to visibly improved signs of premature skin aging, hyperpigmentation, and other skin abnormalities.

Additionally, retinoids are also fantastic for those dealing with occasional blemishes and frequent breakouts because they encourage the sluggish skin cells to travel to the skin's surface faster instead of remaining stuck inside the pores where they serve as food for the acne-causing bacteria.

Although efficient for almost every skin concern under the sun, retinoids are known for their side effects, including initial skin shedding, flaking, redness, and irritation. That’s why introducing a mild, gentler retinoid during summer is always a better idea, as this will be enough to maintain clear, healthy skin without experiencing the unpleasant side effects their more potent counterparts can cause.

Gentle, oil-free, and suitable for beginners, The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion ($12) is a lightweight serum with a velvety matte finish and the ability to target signs of premature skin aging, pigmentary concerns, and inflamed blemishes.

A Lightweight Moisturizer Is a Must

Many people are hesitant to use moisturizer in the summer – won’t it just make my skin extra oily? But the truth is the right formula for your skin will provide it with all the nourishment it needs to keep itself healthy and protected from environmental aggressors, without clogging pores and causing more of what you're trying to get rid of.

When looking for a summer moisturizer, opt for gel-based formulas that don't contain components such as oils, heavy emollients, waxes, and butters, but are instead composed of hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid and mild emollients that will help seal all that hydration into the skin without making its surface look greasy.

With a lightweight, fluffy consistency, the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hydrating Moisturizer ($23) contains a whopping 30% hyaluronic acid complex that will provide over 70 hours of hydration so your skin doesn't have to work harder to stay protected from the scorching heat.

Add Sun Protection to Your Morning Routine

Applying sun protection as the last step of your morning routine will not only prevent future blemishes caused by environmental pollutants but will also prevent old blemishes from scarring and turning into dark spots, known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Make sure to pick a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 30 or higher, as this will be enough to keep your skin from burning and prevent long-term damage and cell degradation caused by sun exposure.

Lightweight and with a mattifying finish, the Supergoop Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40 ($38) will keep your skin clear, protected, and free of excess oil all day long.

Closing Thoughts

While keeping blemishes at bay might sound like a mission impossible for many, there are a few simple tricks that, once you introduce them into your daily routine, can make a significant difference in how healthy and clear your skin looks throughout the season of excessive sweating!

Support our cause and help women reclaim their femininity by subscribing today.