The Best Summer Skincare Routine for Every Skin Type

My skin is naturally on the oily side. This will be a good thing as I age, since dryer skin wrinkles and damages faster, but it has its downsides. Winter air causes my skin to lose its balance. Some parts of my face produce even more oils to counter the dryness of the air, while others dry up. Add hormonal acne to this, and it’s hard to tackle the problem. For me, dry skin and breakouts happen like clockwork every year from December to February. Once the weather breaks, my skin clears back up. Over time, I’ve gotten better at treating these issues, and for the most part, they are much more manageable now.

With oily skin, the summer causes another set of issues: shininess and blackheads. However, compared to sensitive and damaged winter skin, these are simple to take care of! By using the right set of toners, moisturizers, and sunscreen, I keep my skin clear (save a few blemishes) all summer long.

The basics:

• Stay hydrated

• Cleanse your face twice daily

• Moisturize

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (even when it’s not sunny!)

• Wear sunscreen daily as a crucial step in your skincare routine, especially during the summer. Be cautious of certain skincare ingredients that can increase sun sensitivity and always wear sunscreen on top of them during the day.

A Clean Slate

During the summer, thanks to the heat and humidity, you’ll probably end the day with an oily face. If you’re out in the sun and heat, you’re probably also going to be sweating; combined with the oils of your face, this can spell trouble. You’ll want to use a gentle cleanser that won’t completely strip the moisture from your skin. It's also important to remove dead skin cells to keep the skin clean and well-prepared for nourishing products. Use a gentle cleanser that maintains the skin's natural oils to avoid dryness and irritation.

I always make sure to wash my face and neck twice daily (once in the morning, and then again when I shower at night). Remove makeup in the pre-cleanse phase with our winter butter, or with cleansing oil. I follow the pre-cleanse with our one of our handmade bar soaps.

Another product I rotate in once a week is our Sea + Tea Dry Mask, which is especially effective at this time of the year. I use raw honey as my target mixer for the full anti-bacterial effect of raw honey. The Sea + Tea Dry Mask is specially formulated to unclog pores, restore helpful nutrients, and slow the signs of aging with a luxe blend of seaweed, green tea, and clay. It’s food-grade and effective.

About Exfoliating Dead Skin Cells

I gently exfoliate about two or three times a week, which is especially important for acne-prone skin to avoid clogging pores and causing breakouts. Exfoliating dead skin cells helps keep the skin clean and well-prepared for other skincare products. If I overdo it, my skin gets irritated and unbalanced. Make sure to use something that is fine for your face (and avoid plastic bead exfoliants at all costs). I use our Bee Inspired Original Honey Body Scrub, free of any dyes or fragrance. For a face mask that gently exfoliates, I truly love our Calming Dry Mask mixed with greek yogurt to cool and soothe my skin. By lightly buffing it onto my skin and allowing it to sit for a minute or two, its masterful blend of oats, lavender, honey and clay, leaves my skin feeling moisturized, soft, and radiant.

Tone + Prep

After washing my skin, I always make sure to use a gentle toner to balance the pH of my skin and to blot any remaining cleanser or excess oils that might be remaining. Aloe vera is also excellent for soothing and hydrating the skin, providing relief and rejuvenation. Our Lavender Flower Water is perfect for this: A few spritzes across my face and chest, even my hair, does the trick. This also helps to calm redness and combat acne. I always make sure to tone my neck as well, just to make sure it’s as prepped as my face. After using the lavender flower water, I apply a few drops of tea tree oil onto areas that typically break out. This prevents future breakouts while also treating active spots.

Moisturize and Treat 

The next step in my summer skincare routine is to apply a lightweight moisturizer. Using products with hyaluronic acid can provide hydration without feeling greasy or sticky. I typically use a light moisturizer that doesn’t create issues with acne. Just a small amount of the moisturizer, accompanied by a gentle massage to all areas of my face and neck does the trick. Be gentle with your face, a gentle loving massage is much better than rubbing too hard!

 Facial Oil is a treat for the face. The fragrance will make your day and night.

Your summer skincare routine will greatly benefit from the addition of a light serum or facial oil.

After toning and moisturizing, I apply 5 drops of our Rose Facial Oil into my hands and gently pat it over my face, neck, and chest to quench thirsty skin. For additional hydration and soothing, I recommend using aloe vera gel, which is 96% pure and alcohol-free, to provide cooling relief and ease discomfort caused by sunburn. Made from a blend of oils like jojoba and rosehip and Amazonian lily extract, it reduces pore size as it nourishes and combats the shine that comes from an unbalanced face. Applying a light oil to your skin will actually help to counteract the excess production of sebum. Your face gets replenished, so it doesn’t pump out buckets of oil that leave you shiny and breaking out.

Although it was designed as a body oil, I use a very small amount of our Sea+Tea Oil around my eyes. I just dab a drop around my under-eye area to fight against lines. The sea buckthorn extract in this oil is packed with antioxidants that are perfect for the thin skin around the eyes.

Don’t forget the broad spectrum sunscreen!

The last step of my regimen is applying sunscreen all over my face to protect against the risks of excessive sun exposure. It's crucial to safeguard your skin to minimize the risk of skin cancer, especially during the summer months.

I try different brands designed for sensitive skin and really enjoy the ones that come with a tint to even out my skin tone.

I use the Bee Inspired Honey Lip Balm to finish so that my lips are nice and moisturized.