How To Treat Your Skin This Summer- By Concern
Hello Friends and Enemies,
It’s officially the season of SPF, sweat mustaches, and pretending you love being outside. Welcome to summer- the time of year when your skin decides to fully lose its mind if you so much as look at a margarita without sunscreen on.
And while most of the internet is busy screaming about “glazed donut skin” or telling you to exfoliate ‘til your face peels like a discounted banana, we’re going to take a minute to talk real summer skin by skin type, by concern, and by what your face actually needs.
Because not all skin is created equal. And summer? She plays favourites.
If You Have Acne-Prone Skin
Ah, acne…the ultimate uninvited plus-one to any beach day.
What to do:
Cleanser: Keep it simple and sulfate-free. You want something that cleanses without nuking your barrier.
Actives: Look for salicylic acid, niacinamide, or azelaic acid. All play nice with heat and humidity without starting a fight on your cheeks.
Skip: Heavy oils and over-exfoliating. Your pores are already working overtime.
SPF: Gel-based or mineral. No excuses. Acne loves inflammation, and UV rays are inflammation’s hype squad.
Hot Tip: If you’re sweating a lot, cleanse once mid-day and don’t forget to apply SPF after.
If You Have Melasma (aka pigment that refuses to chill)
Summer is not your friend, but we can make it less of an enemy.
What to do:
Topical heroes: Tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin C (if tolerated).
Avoid: Heat. Yes, even if you’re wearing SPF, heat triggers pigment.
Physical blockers > chemical SPF. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide don’t mess around with light scatter. We don’t want to absorb the heat and distribute, we want to block all together.
Double protection: Wide-brim hat. Sunglasses. Shade. Umbrella. EVERYTHING.
Hot Tip: Melasma is not just sun-induced. It’s also hormone and heat sensitive.
If You Have Sun Damage (Welcome to the club)
If your face has more “freckles” now than you started the year with, hi. You’ve met UV rays.
What to do:
Antioxidants, always. Vitamin C, ferulic acid, green tea extract, they help prevent and reverse damage.
Exfoliate lightly: Think lactic acid or polyhydroxy acids. Just enough to keep cell turnover steady.
Treatments: LED therapy or topical retinoids (at night!) can help fade damage over time.
SPF every damn day. And reapply. The damage you skip today is what you pay for later.
Hot Tip: A post-sun antioxidant mist in your beach bag? Elite. You’re healing and hydrating.
If You’re Sensitive (and not just emotionally)
Congrats. Your skin reacts to everything from wind to wellness shots.
What to do:
Strip it back: No 12-step routines in this house. Cleanse, treat, hydrate, protect.
Barrier support: Ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, panthenol, and ectoin are your summer soulmates.
Avoid: Fragrance, alcohol-heavy mists, and anything labeled “tingly” or “intense.” You’re not a daredevil.
SPF: Mineral only. Zinc is your best friend now.
Hot Tip: Keep a thermal water spray in the fridge. One spritz and you’re back in your soft girl era.
If You Have Rosacea
Summer can be a slow-mo horror film for rosacea. Heat, sun, alcohol, spicy food... basically, joy.
What to do:
Cool it- literally. Stick to calming ingredients like green tea, allantoin, azelaic acid.
Avoid triggers: Even your third iced coffee can be a sneaky flare-up.
Barrier health: This isn’t optional. Moisturizer first, always.
SPF: Physical sunscreen only. And wear it like you mean it.
Hot Tip: Consider wearing UPF clothing when you know you’ll be outside for long. Rosacea doesn’t care if it’s cute, it cares if it’s cool.
If You’re in Your Positive Aging Era
Or as I like to call it, the “I will not be gaslit into believing 30 is old” era.
What to do:
Antioxidants: Give your skin the tools to fight free radicals.
Peptides + growth factors: Look for signal-boosters that support collagen production.
Retinoids: If you’re not using one yet, now’s the time. Start slow, build up, use at night.
Hydration: Think hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and a rich-but-breathable moisturizer.
SPF: Your most affordable anti-aging product.
Hot Tip: Positive aging means you decide what matters. Don’t let a 23-year-old on TikTok convince you your face needs fixing.
Final Thoughts
Summer is short. Your skincare routine doesn’t have to be complicated to keep up. Choose ingredients that work smarter, not harder and don’t forget the best advice and most simple there is: cleanse, treat, hydrate, protect.
And remember: the glow is real, but so is the UV index. Be hot, not burnt.
See you in the sunscreen aisle,
xx Samm