I wrote about my Summer Makeup Picks last week, so it was only fair that I started off this week with my top skincare picks. I narrowed this down a lot - I'm having a moment with my skincare collection lately and there were so many more products I wanted to mention. If it's not too redundant I think I'll pop up a couple other skincare posts that are more in-depth to give all the products I want to mention some love.
My number one must-have when summer rolls around is a gel moisturizer. My skin is still a little too dry to use one as my sole moisturizer, but they really soothe, plump, and prep my skin for another moisturizer. I use them more as serums. My favorite one is the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel - it's the most hydrating one that I've tried, it's really lightweight, and it leaves my skin feeling incredibly smooth.
Speaking of smooth skin, I also love opting for a powder cleanser a few times a week in the summer. I just recently got the Origins Clear Improvement Exfoliating Cleansing Powder,* and it's been a godsend recently to help clear up my breakouts. Like the wildly popular Clear Improvement mask, the cleansing powder uses the power of activated charcoal to help clear out and clarify the skin. I found the mask a little too drying for my skin, but the cleansing powder is perfect. It leaves my skin feeling super clean and like my pores have been cleared out. It's great at the end of a hot summer day when my skin is feeling a little clogged up with melty makeup, and I like mixing it into my Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser.
I've been loving the Youth to the People Age Prevention Superfood Mask* a couple times per week to help keep my skin clear as well. It's a creamy mask and smells like fresh cut grass, and it doesn't dry down or crack on the skin. It leaves my skin super plump and glowing after I remove it, and it feels cleansing as well, though not like how traditional clay masks feel. You know how you get a clean but nourished feeling from a really good cleansing oil? This is what this mask feels like. It seems to be really helping my breakouts too.
To really hydrate my skin in the mornings, if I don't use a gel moisturizer I've been relying on a mist + serum + light moisturizer combination. My face mist of choice is the Saturday Skin Daily Dew Essence Mist. It feels like it really does something and refreshes and hydrates the skin. My new go-to serum, and a perfect one for summer, is the Dr Roebuck's Ultimate Hydrating Serum.* A hydrating serum is a must for me in the summer to provide some lightweight hydration - I rely on light layers to give me the same amount of moisture I get from a heavy cream in the winter. The Dr Roebuck's serum has a thick consistency out of the bottle, but it sinks in quickly and instantly plumps and hydrates. It's been my go-to in the mornings because it makes a perfect, smooth base for makeup. My favorite, holy grail moisturizer is still the Glossier Priming Moisturizer (20% off) (insert "it's been 84 years" gif here). I just love this stuff and have gone through countless bottles. It manages to feel super lightweight and yet keep my skin hydrated all day. It also gives my skin the best dewy glow out of any I've tried.
My last must-have for summer is a good everyday sunscreen. I've finally gotten into the habit of wearing sunscreen every day, and it's down to these two products. The Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen+ (review | 20% off) really changed the game for me - the clear watergel formula feels weightless and sinks into the skin right away. My issue with sunscreens was that they left my skin feeling clogged and greasy, but this just feels like another light hydrating product. I've already got two bottles on deck, because I really don't want to be without this. I've also really been loving the Farmacy Green Screen Daily Environmental Protector.* I use them interchangeably - the Farmacy is a light lotion texture that doesn't leave a white cast or feel thick despite being a physical sunscreen. It makes a nice base for makeup as well, although it does make my face a little matte. This will probably be the one I use as my base sunscreen when I'm at the beach next week (I top up with a higher SPF face mist every hour - don't worry!), just because it does have that slightly more matte finish on the skin. I'm working on a post talking about a few more of my favorite everyday sunscreens as well, because it's just so, so important that you use one every day.
What are your go-to summer skincare products? And would you still want to see a few more summer skincare posts? I'm thinking one focusing on more masks and one on sunscreens. Let me know!
*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. Please see my disclaimer for more information.
