The Best Summer Skincare Ingredients and Routines for Dry Skin
If you experience dry skin, you likely notice a few changes to your skin during the summer months. While dry skin types are usually thirsting for moisture during the winter, once the weather begins to heat up you might find yourself not reaching for your heavy creams and oils as often. The warm weather and humidity causes our bodies to sweat more and sometimes produce more oil, which might be a welcoming change for tight, dry skin.
If you’re looking to adjust your skincare routine to adjust to the changes your skin experiences this summer, we’ve put together a guide to some of our favorite ingredients and products.
What causes dry skin?
First, let’s dive into what causes dry skin in the first place. While many of us will experience dry skin only in conditions like cold weather or low humidity, some of us have dry skin year round. Dry skin can be genetic, but can also be caused by a number of factors like hot baths and showers, harsh soaps and drying skincare products or chronic skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis that make you more prone to dry skin.
Did you know some oily skin types are actually dry skin in disguise? As we discussed in our skincare routine for oily skin stripping dry skin of its natural oils using harsh products can cause an overproduction of oil to compensate, leading to oily feeling skin. The more you know!
Why does my dry skin disappear in the summer?
As we mentioned earlier, dry skin can be affected by factors like heat or humidity (or lack thereof.) So it makes sense that in times of extreme heat and high amounts of moisture in the air, like during the summertime, that your skin would feel less dry and more normal, even oily.
What types of ingredients should dry skin types look for?
Now that we know some of the causes of dry skin, let’s dive into what types of ingredients people with dry skin should look for when choosing a skincare product or routine. It’s important to keep dry skin both hydrated and moisturized to avoid flaky patches of dry skin or that irritated, tight skin feeling.
Hyaluronic Acid: To keep your skin feeling hydrated and plump, hyaluronic acid is a superstar ingredient for dry skin. Did you know this ingredient can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water?
Lactic Acid: If you think dry skin doesn’t need to exfoliate, you’d be wrong. A gentle chemical exfoliant like lactic acid will help clear away dry skin flakes and slough off dead skin cells, revealing a glowier, smoother complexion almost overnight. This amazing alpha hydroxy acid (or AHA) will help all your other products absorb into your skin, by clearing away all the gunk that’s sitting on top of your pores.
Ceramides: Ceramides are a class of fatty acids that are naturally found in skin cells. In skincare, this ingredient is amazing for dry skin because it helps hold skin together to help prevent moisture loss and keep your skin supple.
Natural oils: Where would a dry skincare routine be without an oil? There’s many different types of oils that can be used in skincare, but dry skin types will do best with oils rich in vitamin E, like avocado or olive oil - jojoba oil also works well.
Glycerin: A common ingredient in many hydrating moisturizers, glycerin helps to lock in your skin’s natural moisture and prevent over-drying. It acts as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin.
Dry Skin Routine for Summer
We’ve put together a simple and effective skincare routine with some of our favorite ingredients we previously mentioned above. With regular use, you can keep your dry skin feeling soft and moisturized with a summer glow.
Step 1: Cleanse
It’s important to cleanse your skin to remove dirt, makeup, pollution and grime, especially in the evenings. It also helps prep your skin for the rest of your skincare routine to start fresh. Dry skin types will do well with a hydrating and softening cleanser to not strip the skin of its natural oils. We love the Foaming Skin Milk for our dry skin pals because it has calming and softening ingredients like Bisabolol which is extracted from Chamomile.
Step 2: Treat
After cleansing, use a targeted skincare treatment or serum to address your dry skin concerns. You could use a hyaluronic acid serum or a firming or hydrating serum for this step. Two of our favorite serums, the Lighten Up, Brighten Up Vitamin C serum and the Demitasse Firming Facial serum would be ideal, thanks to their blend of powerful antioxidants and hydrating oils. Vitamin C will also help bring out a glow and target dark spots and lines.
Step 3: Moisturize
Dry skin’s BFF - you can’t skip a great moisturizer in a dry skin routine! We love our Whipped Moisturizing Cream for the summertime because it is lightweight, but still gives you softer, more hydrated skin. With ingredients like soothing aloe vera and green tea extract to quench and plump the skin, this product is a must have for hydrated summer skin.
Step 4: SPF
Can’t skip SPF! Make sure you use an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply as needed, especially in the summertime when the sun is at its hottest. For those with dry skin, it’s best to avoid sunburn as it typically leads to more dryness, peeling and irritation.
Step 5: Weekly Hydrating Treatment
At least once a week, dry skin types should do a hydrating treatment or mask to keep their skin plump and moisturized. The Perk Up Your Face Caffeine Dermis Mask gives dehydrated skin a boost with coffee extract and antioxidant rich green tea extract for smoother and more radiant complexion. P.S. Store in the fridge for a cooling, soothing effect.
Now that your dry skincare routine is settled for summer, let us know what your summer plans are in the comments below!
