Summer is my favorite time of year.
I love long days, weekends at the beach, afternoons by the pool, hiking, travel, and dining outside with family and friends. Summer invites us to spend more time outdoors and enjoy everything the season has to offer.
While all of that is wonderful for the soul, it can be surprisingly demanding on our skin. And while I would never tell you to skip a beach day or a vacation, I do want to encourage you to make time for your skin, too.
This time of year, I begin hearing the same questions in the treatment room.
"Why does my skin feel oily and dry at the same time?"
"Why am I breaking out more?"
"Why am I getting brown sports even though I wear sunscreen every day?"
If you've been asking yourself the same questions, you're not alone.
Heat, UV exposure, sweat, swimming, travel, and air conditioning all place additional demands on the skin. The good news is that healthy summer skin doesn't require a complicated routine. I encourage my clients to focus on three simple essentials: antioxidants, hydration, and broad-spectrum SPF.
Why Does My Skin Feel Oily and Dry at the Same Time?
If your skin feels shiny but also tight, rough, or uncomfortable, you're probably not dealing with dry skin. You're dealing with dehydrated skin.
There's an important difference.
Dry skin is a skin type that lacks oil.
Dehydrated skin is a temporary condition where the skin lacks water.
During the summer, heat, sun exposure, air conditioning, swimming, and travel all increase transepidermal water loss, allowing moisture to escape from the skin more quickly. As your skin becomes dehydrated, it may begin producing more oil as it struggles to maintain balance.
The result is skin that looks oily but feels tight at the same time.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is treating dehydrated skin like oily skin. Strong cleansers, alcohol-based toners, and over-exfoliating often strip the skin even further and can make the problem worse.
Instead, focus on replenishing hydration and supporting your skin barrier with gentle cleansing, hydrating skincare, and a moisturizer that helps keep water in the skin.
Why Am I Breaking Out More During the Summer?
Summer breakouts aren't always caused by excess oil.
Sweat, sunscreen, makeup, excess sebum, and environmental debris can combine to clog pores, especially after a long day outdoors. Add humidity, hats, sunglasses, frequent face touching, or forgetting to wash your face after a late summer evening, and congestion becomes much more likely.
The solution isn't to scrub your skin harder.
Instead, cleanse thoroughly at the end of the day to remove sunscreen and the day's buildup, avoid over-exfoliating, and keep your skin hydrated. A healthy skin barrier is one of your best defenses against irritation and breakouts.
Why Am I Still Getting Brown Spots Even Though I Wear Sunscreen?
This is one of the questions I hear most often.
The answer is that sunscreen is incredibly important, but it isn't a force field.
Most people don't apply enough sunscreen to achieve the SPF listed on the bottle, and many apply it once in the morning and never think about it again.
If you're spending time outdoors, sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours and immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
It's also important to remember that many of our daily summer activities expose us to more sun than we realize. Walking the dog, driving, gardening, outdoor dining, sporting events, and running errands all contribute to cumulative UV exposure.
Heat also plays a role. Research suggests that heat itself can stimulate melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing pigment. This may help explain why some people notice more freckles and hyperpigmentation during the summer, even when they're diligent about wearing sunscreen.
I recommend choosing a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen formulated with zinc oxide and making reapplication part of your routine. Sunscreen is your first line of defense, but it's even more effective when combined with a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, protective clothing, and seeking shade during the hottest part of the day.
What About the Pool and Ocean?
Whether you're swimming in a traditional pool, a saltwater pool, or the ocean, your skin benefits from a little extra care afterward.
Both traditional and saltwater pools rely on chlorine to keep the water clean. While effective for sanitation, chlorine can strip away the skin's natural oils, leaving it feeling dry, tight, or more sensitive with repeated exposure.
Ocean water, especially when paired with sun and wind, can also contribute to dehydration. As the water evaporates, it leaves salt on the surface of the skin, increasing moisture loss.
After swimming, rinse with fresh water when possible, replenish your skin with hydration, and don't forget to reapply your sunscreen before heading back outside.
The Three Summer Skincare Staples
Summer is meant to be enjoyed, not spent worrying about your skin. Fortunately, a few consistent habits can make a tremendous difference.
Antioxidants
I recommend using an antioxidant serum every morning underneath your sunscreen.
Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals generated by UV exposure and environmental pollution, reducing oxidative stress that contributes to premature skin aging. Think of them as another layer of daily protection that works alongside your sunscreen.
Hydration
Hydrated skin functions better.
Heat, travel, swimming, and air conditioning all increase water loss from the skin. Replenishing that moisture helps support a healthy skin barrier, improves comfort, and leaves your skin looking healthier and more radiant.
Hydration also comes from within. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day supports your body's overall health, while topical hydrating products help replenish moisture at the skin's surface. Both are important during the summer months.
Broad-Spectrum SPF
Daily sunscreen is one of the best investments you can make in your skin.
Choose a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide, apply it generously as the final step in your morning skincare routine, and remember to reapply throughout the day whenever you're spending time outdoors.
And don't underestimate the power of a great sun hat. A wide-brimmed hat provides additional protection for your face, ears, neck, and chest, helping to reduce cumulative UV exposure while keeping you a little cooler on those long summer days.
Final Thoughts
Summer is meant to be enjoyed.
Go to the beach. Take the vacation. Spend the day by the pool. Hike the trail. Enjoy dinner outside with friends.
Just don't let your skincare routine take the season off.
By making antioxidants, hydration, and broad-spectrum SPF part of your daily routine, you'll help protect your skin from the unique challenges of summer while keeping it healthy, resilient, and glowing all season long.
Your skin works hard for you every day. Give it the support it needs, and it will continue to reward you long after summer has passed.