When the heat arrives, you might find that your usual cream no longer feels as comfortable.
Not because the skin stops needing hydration. In fact, it still needs water, antioxidants, and active ingredients to help maintain a healthy skin barrier. What changes is how the skin receives these ingredients.
With high temperatures, sweating and sebum production increase. And when a too-rich texture is added to this, it's common to notice the skin feeling heavier, shinier, or even more congested.
Therefore, in summer it's often not necessary to change the entire routine. Just adapt the textures.
Hydration is still essential
There's a false belief that when it's hot, the skin needs less hydration. But the opposite is true. Sun exposure, air conditioning, chlorine from pools, or seawater can contribute to skin dehydration.
The difference is that in summer, light formulas, fluid emulsions, and fast-absorbing watery textures usually work better.
This way, the skin receives what it needs without feeling heavy.
Signs that your texture might be too rich for summer
Your skin might be asking for a change if you notice that:
- The cream takes a long time to absorb.
- Your skin feels sticky for hours.
- More shine appears than usual.
- You notice your pores are more visible or congested.
- It's hard to reapply sunscreen because your skin already feels "heavy."
Change the texture, not necessarily the routine
Often, it's enough to replace a rich cream with a lighter texture while maintaining the same treatment goals. To maintain hydration, you can continue to care for your skin the same way you do in winter, but with fresher and more pleasant skincare formulas.
Because an effective routine should also be comfortable. And in summer, comfort matters.
My favorite light textures to hydrate skin in summer
If you're looking for hydration without a greasy feel, these are three favorite options of my clients during this time of year:
Hugs,
Mer 🖤
