Pull out your sunnies and lather on the SPF—summertime is finally here! It’s the season for basking in the sun and spending time at your nearest beach. With all the outings and upcoming adventures, we need to get you and your skin ready! Let’s make sure that you stay radiant and glowing even under the harsh heat.

Your skin, or how it reacts to the weather, changes a lot during summer. With longer days and higher temperatures, your body is up against sun damage AND overheating. To maintain your temperature and skin’s moisture, you sweat more and produce more oil. These combined may lead to clogged pores, breaking out, or hyperpigmentation.

Your guide to getting summer-ready skin

Coming from the milder weather of spring, summertime skincare is all about reinforcing your sun protection and preventing clogged pores. Scroll down to read our round-up of the essential changes you need to keep your skin healthy and dewy as we enter the new season.

Step up your pore game

If you find yourself breaking out more during summertime, you can blame the faster and heavier build-up of sweat and oil in your pores during this season. It is important that you stay on top of clogged pores during summer.

Try to incorporate salicylic acid or niacinamide in your skincare routine to deal with this problem. Other ingredients that are great against clogged pores are LHA and BHA.

Say no to intense peeling and over-exfoliation

Summer is NOT the best time for chemical peels as they may make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage. We also recommend being extra careful in avoiding over-exfoliation. Too much in the summer may lead to stripping essential oils, which can then lead to either dry, flaky skin OR excess sebum. Try using PHA and LHA during the summer for a gentler, non-stripping exfoliation that also clears out your pores.

Say yes to the 7-skin method

Perfect for oily, combination, AND dry skin types, the 7-skin method is great for keeping your skin hydrated. Don’t be intimidated by its name! All you have to do is apply on 7 thin layers of toner to help your skin absorb your other skincare products—giving it a more radiant and softer feel.

Summertime skincare is all about keeping your skin hydrated. The right toners (without active ingredients) can help nourish your skin AND tighten and minimise your pores to make sure that less dirt and oil can settle in.

Squeeze in some Vitamin C

Adding vitamin C to your summer skincare offers a slew of benefits: it brightens your complexion, gives you a radiant glow, and helps you to be on top of fine lines and wrinkles. For summer, however, Vitamin C offers extra protection against the damages caused by UV rays AND boosts your sunscreen’s effectiveness!

Switch to lighter moisturisers and creams

Remember that moisturising during summer is essential to keeping your skin hydrated—we just have to make sure that your choice doesn’t give you that heavy, greasy feeling. Gel-cream, gel, lotions, and hyaluronic-acid based moisturisers work well for this purpose. If you have oily skin, however, it’s okay to skip this step and go straight to your sunscreen.

Be extra careful with your retinol/retinoids

You don’t have to stop using your retinol/retinoids as they promote skin cell turnover and prevent pores from clogging. Simply make sure that your SPF game is strong since these ingredients make your skin sensitive to the sun.

When I say summer, you scream SPF!

*Taps the sign* Use sunscreen every day. This is important all-year round but it is an absolute non-negotiable during summer since we spend more time outside, under the sun. Keeping your skin healthy and bright means stepping up your sun protection; make sure to apply at least 2 fingers’ or ¼ teaspoon worth of sunscreen AND to re-apply every 2 hours.

If you want a more accurate measurement of how much SPF you need to get the most sun protection for YOU, here’s a few simple steps from skincare connoisseur Glow by Ramon:

1. Get a tape measure and measure out the length (forehead to chin) and width of your face in centimetres.
2. Once you have those numbers, divide EACH by half. (ex. If the length of your face is 21cm, you get 10.5cm. then if you have a width of 23cm, you get 11.5cm)
3. You then multiply both these numbers by π (10.5cm x 11.5cm x π). Doing this gives you the surface area of your face.
4. You then multiply the surface area of your face by 2mg. The result equals the actual amount of sunscreen you need for the ultimate sun protection!

Sometimes it’s okay to stay shady

…and by this we mean to avoid staying out in the sun, especially when the UV index is really strong. UV rays cause a lot of damage and is the root of almost all skin problems.

Give yourself after-sun care

While we recommend staying out of the sun as much as possible, we know that summer is the best time to go out and have some fun. To make sure your skin stays in tip-top condition, give it some TLC after your outdoor adventures.

*Sizzle* Treat your sunburns

While preventing sun damage is key during summer, we understand that coming out completely unscathed is wishful thinking. If you get sunburnt, we highly suggest using chilled skincare products or skincare with aloe vera in its ingredients to help you recover and mitigate long-term damage.

Kiss cracked, dry lips goodbye

When we say summer is all about hydration, we also mean your lips. Keep a lip balm in your pocket for easy re-application while outside.

Hydration is key

Water truly is the unbeatable step in your skincare. Feel fresh inside out by making sure you stay hydrated at all times.

Crème’s Recommendations

Still pondering what YOUR skincare should be? If you have oily/combination-oily, dehydrated, acne-prone, mature skin you might want to peek Crème’s summertime skincare and faves!

Morning ☀️

1. Dr. Ceuracle 5a Control Clearing Toner - on the T-zone for a matte and oil-free finish
2. Isntree Fresh Green Tea Toner – has “astringent properties” without actual astringent as an ingredient
3. Beplain Multivitamin Ampoule - water-based vitamin C to avoid oiliness
4. Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel – light gel formula that easily absorbs into skin while locking in moisture
5. Klairs All-Day Airy Sunscreen – fresh, daily sunscreen that protects against harsh UV rays with no white cast or sticky residue
6. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Suncream Plus – used on top of the Klairs sunscreen as CC cream for a brighter complexion with extra sun protection
7. Beauty of Joseon Green Tea Matte Sun Stick – easy re-application of SPF and an oily-skin type’s best friend! 

Evening 🌑

1. Never skip double cleansing!
2. Round Lab Mugwort Toner – anti-inflammatory and soothing to prevent and treat breakouts
3. SKIN1004 Centella Ampoule – lightweight and non-sticky formula that also soothes and replenishes skin’s hydration
4. AXIS-Y Dark Spot Correcting Serum - brightens skin and fades dark spots
5. Innisfree Retinol Cica Serum – increases skin elasticity, smooths skin texture, prevents acne, fades scars, and moisturises skin
6. Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream – gentle spot treatment cream that rapidly calms and soothes skin
7. FRUDIA Blueberry Hydrating Honey Lip Sleeping Mask – ensures soft, plump lips in the morning

Shop Crème’s current faves and our summer skincare collection HERE.

Summer is a beautiful season of smiles, sunny weather, and exciting adventures. By ensuring that your skincare is prepped, you can keep glowing even through the highest of heats. Happy Summer, Peaches!