As I was driving to a client meeting with my favorite “light” makeup application, and a skincare routine that had been working for me, everything seemed fine. That was until I checked the rearview mirror at the red light and did not see a “glow.” Instead, I saw melt. My skin appearing to give up before the day even started. “Wet” skin and radiant seemed nowhere to be found. Definitely not fun considering how the weather was 92 degrees.
And this wasn’t an isolated incident.
If you’ve felt like your employeed skincare actively fights against you during summer, then you know exactly what I mean. The lovely feeling of slick and sticky surfacing by lunch hour. Slip slop slap piling on excessive SPF. Pilled makeup and elbows where smoothness once resided. I would always blame it on the weather and hope for the best, piling on products—figuratively and literally.
But last year, I decided to break that cycle.
This is the tale of how I rebuilt my skincare regimen to withstand the heat, what worked, what flopped, and why I appreciate the former so much. No sponsored ads and magic creams. Just the authentic evidence from a woman who embarked on the path of trial and error, discovering how to love her skin again even in the midst of a heatwave.
It’s Shocking How Much A Single Layer Oftentimes Does Not Suffice
The first shocker to cross my mind: A sunscreen does not rectify everything.
It might sound over the top, but I was in denial. I genuinely thought I was taking care of myself as a skincare girlie. I strived to use SPF daily. I even kept some in my car and tote, so I reapplied (most of the time). But my skin was not adapting to my efforts and what seemed like suffocating sunscreen ‘shrouds’.
What I failed to grasp at that point was the fact that sunscreen, while offering protection, also acts as an additional layer. When it is added to an already burdensome skincare routine and makeup is applied afterward, it might just be the last straw for your pores.
The outcome coincided with a getaway to Palm Springs.
I made sure to bring my usual dewy moisturizer, a mineral sunscreen, and a nice outfit. I never should’ve packed my moisturizer. I looked like a glazed donut by the second hour. Not the best look. The evening came around and I decided to wipe everything off. My first thought was reaching for my SPH powder brush which I normally reserved for hiking. It didn’t perfectly do the job, but it felt a lot lighter. Most importantly, it didn’t clash with my foundation. Now I’m starting to wonder, what if in the summer, less truly is more?
That week, I tested out a cream gel SPF instead of my usual cream. With this one, absorption was a dream, leaving absolutely no residue. It worked so well, my skin felt…rk felt. Not suffocated. That’s when I knew I had to rethink every single step.
I Stopped Using A Cleanser – This is What Changed
This has been the most challenging change for me.
I’ve always loved the squeaky-clean sensation every morning. One quite satisfying part of my day is lathering up and rinsing with cold water. After washing my face, I feel incredibly productive, like I’ve pressed the reset button. Turns out that sensation was my skin saying “You’ve stripped me again” and, quite literally, begging for help.
And in summer, it hit harder.
Its dry, tight feeling made me overcompensate. I would add excessive amounts of hydration, calm serums, and additional primers to fix the flakiness. However, it was really just my cleanser being way too harsh, causing my skin to overreact and pump excess oil out.
So, I tried something crazy. I put cleansing oil on in the mornings.
Yes, I know, oil in the summer. My old self would have been shocked. But all I did was rub it between my hands, massage it over my sleeping skin, then rinse with lukewarm water. No foam and no stripping, just softness.
The weird patchiness disappeared in a week. No more clingy dry patches while wearing foundation, my face felt calm and not overstimulated. It was like shifting to silk pillowcases after years of rough cotton.
Sometimes, the most helpful action can be doing less.
Moisturizer or Sabotage? What I Didn’t Realize for Years
Moisturizer is something I’ve always considered non-negotiable.
Every skincare YouTube expert and guide warned: moisturize day and night, especially when oily. Dehydration means more oil, right?
But no matter what gel, lotion, or whipped cloud I tried every summer, I felt that all too familiar creeping weight by noon. Like the moisture was trying to escape and dragging my makeup along.
Look. I put in the effort. I skimmed. One day, I decided to take the leap and skip using moisturizer entirely. Instead, I misted my face with rose water, something intended for redness. It felt wrong – like venturing out without my phone – but my skin didn’t seem squeamish.
Now? Clearer skin. Dry, but softer. Less volatile.
With time, I understood something that transformed everything for me: summer skincare isn’t about increasing moisture, it’s about relieving overload. There’s no need to slather when my skin simply needs to breathe.
Now? I only moisturize at night and on summer mornings, all it takes is ultra-light hydration: essence → mist → SPF. My skin doesn’t feel under siege, it feels in flow.
Skincare That Passed The Melt Test
I constantly thought there was something wrong with my makeup.
Foundation fading away, blotting sheets filling up like lottery tickets. Mascara transfers to my lids before three PM. I’ve tried everything from mattifying primers to setting sprays that claim to hold better than hairspray.
But of course, it did not matter, that was only what lay over.
So I tried a little experiment: Two identical days, identical weather, identical activities, the same makeup. Only one difference—the skincare routine.
On the first day, I went with my usual routine consisting of a foaming cleanser, gel moisturizer and cream SPF. Midday, I was greeted with a hot yoga session on my face.
On day two, I swapped to my ‘bare-minimum’ base of an oil cleanse, soaking mist, zinc serum and gel SPF, and dare I say, magic happened—my foundation actually held, my blush retained its shape, and I no longer struggled with the urge to wipe my face every hour.
That’s when I knew… “good summer makeup doesn’t start with the makeup.”
“Good summer makeup isn’t about the makeup.” It requires a dry, stable base free of oil and pilling. Just balance.
It wasn’t perfect, but I started loving my reflection again, even at 5 PM.
The One Thing I’ll Never Skip Again
This is what now lives in every purse I own.
The smallest container possible. As Light as air. Even a single spritz, and it feels like my skin is breathing out.
Face mists once struck me as pointless gimmicks — “expensive water” sold in stylish packages. But one day, while parked on the freeway with the scorching sun shining through the windshield, I decided to use a travel-size spray I received as a gift, and it was really just to cool down.
One spray. No, two. And to my surprise, I felt as if my face was fully refreshed. It was like I had just washed my face, in a good way. The comforting tightness returned while the oil vanished without blotting. Of course, the best part being that my makeup stayed intact.
It is a ritual I follow religiously now.
Now, anytime I feel the heat building, around the dry office clock or post-lunch slump, nothing a little mist can’t solve. Sometimes, I daydream I’m at a spa and not trapped in my 2009 Toyota. Regardless, I get transported back to reality because that tiny bottle never fails.
It’s not optional anymore. It’s a sanity tool in confronting the heat.
This Summer, Skin Goes Breathe Mode
Last year, I thought I had to fix my face. Now, I understand that all I had to do was listen to it.
I stopped battling with summer and now I go with the flow. Somewhere, while trying to simplify my life or getting rid of half my skincare arsenal, I found peace.
I’ll admit my routine isn’t “flawless.” Sometimes I get the odd heat rash or shiny afternoon, but all in all, I feel like I’ve finally stopped chasing an unattainable perfection and started supporting my skin—especially when the air feels like soup.
If you’re standing at the mirror right now wondering why nothing seems to be working anymore, it might be worth asking yourself: What can I take away?
Allow your skin some breathing room this summer. Let it move, sweat, shine, and heal without barrier after barrier.
You might be shocked by what happens when you stop trying to hide things.
How about for you?
Does it feel like your skincare routine is working with you–or against you– for the heat?
If you are geared up and ready for your own summer skin reboot, then pin this.
Need help tailoring this to your skin type and budget? Message me—I’d love to help!
