Here's How To Take Care Of Your Skin During The Summer, According To Dermatologists

From summer to winter, the seasons can impact how your skin looks and feels. With the sun shining and humidity flying off the charts, it's easy to neglect some important steps in your regular routine. Luckily, there are a few staples that you should continue with all year round, making things much easier.

One of those steps is exfoliation — it's important to remove dead skin cells in the summer too. Especially since, without exfoliation, you're likely applying expensive products to dead skin rather than the skin that needs moisturizers and serums. Hadley King, M.D. explains the importance of this step, even in the summertime, to Mindbodygreen, "Many people avoid exfoliation during the winter months because it can dry out the skin, but as the weather warms up and the humidity increases, we are better able to tolerate acids and stronger formulations of other active ingredients."

Essentially, because the weather is warmer and your skin can retain more moisture, it's the ideal time to slough off dead cells. However, if your skin is looking shinier than usual, opt for a salicylic acid-based exfoliant. This type of product clears pores and removes excess oil, leaving you with a clean, less shiny palette. From here, stick with lighter products made from ingredients like hyaluronic acid, the outlet suggests. Intense foundations or night creams can get sticky and suffocating in the heat, so find lightweight options for the warmer months.

You likely know the importance of sunscreen by now, but, when is the optimal time to put it on? Tiffany Libby, M.D., tells Mindbodygreen, "Start with a lotion or cream base for your SPF as the last step in your morning skincare routine. Then there are creative ways to reapply your sunscreen, which you should be doing every two hours."

Just make sure to reach for a sunscreen that's at least 30 SPF and apply it to every part of your body that the sun touches — not just your face. And, of course, reapply, reapply, reapply.

Protecting your skin from the sun's rays involves more than just SPF, however. Allure notes that using Vitamin C throughout the summer is pivotal in avoiding hyperpigmentation, fine lines and other signs of sun damage. Add a few drops of the antioxidant-heavy product to your face after you cleanse but before you moisturize for best results. "UV rays cause up to 90 percent of photo-aging that happens to our skin, so using antioxidants adds another layer of protection and helps prevent and treat unwanted pigmentation that shows up in the summer months," Libby tells Mindbodygreen. 

Furthermore, Allure recommends staying hydrated by drinking tons of water throughout the season, especially since we sweat more frequently throughout this time. But, instead of taking long, hot showers, keep them short. "Over-showering, or showering in water that is too hot, can lead to over-drying your skin, leading to inflammation and even summertime eczema," Omer Ibrahim, board-certified dermatologist, shares with the outlet.