Summer skincare routine: the best products to protect and moisturize your skin

Main goals: protect your skin from UV rays, preserve its radiance, and maintain optimal hydration. Here’s how to take care of your skin in the summer, when temperatures rise.

Why Should You Adjust Your Skincare Routine in the Summer?

Summer tends to disrupt the skin's balance:

• UV rays cause the skin to thicken, which prevents sebum from draining properly.
• Excessive sweating and sebum can clog pores.
• Sun, air conditioning, seawater, and chlorine from the pool are all factors that weaken the skin barrier and contribute to dryness.

In addition to skin that is often weakened and dehydrated, all of this creates an environment conducive to acne and breakouts (even if they don’t start to appear until the end of summer, when the skin returns to its normal thickness—see “What Is the Rebound Effect"). Hence the importance of a targeted, preventive summer skincare routine.

How to Take Care of Your Skin in the Summer in 5 Steps (+1 Bonus)

1. Cleanse the skin without further weakening it

In hot weather, the skin sweats profusely and sebum production increases. The risk? Pores can become clogged, allowing bacteria to multiply. Throughout the summer, it’s therefore especially important to thoroughly unclog your pores by carefully cleansing your face morning and night.

Since your skin is already weakened by UV rays, we recommend using a gentle cleanser tailored to your needs:

• The Dermo-Purifying Gel Cleanser is specially formulated for combination, oily, and acne-prone skin.
• The Gentle Cleansing Foam to restore your skin’s radiance.
• The Vitamin C Cleansing Foam to revitalize the skin.
• TheCleansing Micellar Water for quick and refreshing cleansing—no rinsing required.

To perfect your summer skincare routine, we recommend following up your cleansing 1 to 2 times a week with a Gentle Scrub or, if you have breakouts, with an enzymatic exfoliant such as the Purifying Radiance Mask.

2. Moisturize thoroughly to prevent dry skin

Exposure to the sun, air conditioning, and high temperatures weaken the skin’s barrier and contribute to dehydration. This results in drier skin, which can feel tight, lose its radiance, and—paradoxically—produce excess sebum. Therefore, a moisturizer is essential to your summer routine to compensate for water loss and keep your skin supple and comfortable.

In the morning, opt for a lightweight, non-comedogenic, mattifying moisturizer, especially if your skin tends to get shiny: the Matifying and Unifying Fluid , for example. This will provide your skin with just the right amount of moisture without making it feel heavy.

In the evening, especially after a day in the sun, your skin needs some pampering. Don't hesitate to apply a cream that's richer in soothing and nourishing ingredients, such as the Pure Radiance Cream or the Replumping & Unifying Care, to strengthen, regenerate, and deeply rehydrate your skin overnight.

3. Take care of your body's skin as well

In the summer, your body’s skin also needs special care! Between salt, chlorine, and prolonged sun exposure, it can become drier and rougher.

Apply a moisturizing body treatment daily that absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy film, such as the 24-Hour Moisturizing Lotion or the Ultimate Body Treatment for the driest, most parched skin. It’s best to apply it right after you get out of the shower.

After a day in the sun, try the Intense Repair Body Balm. Unscented, it perfectly addresses the soothing and nourishing needs of skin weakened by UV rays. As an added bonus, you can also apply a few drops of beautifying oils like our Metamorphosis Skincare Oil (which also works wonders on dry hair!).

Finally, exfoliate your skin 1 to 2 times a week with the Radiance-Boosting Body Scrub, which you can use in place of your body wash. It helps remove dead skin cells, smooth your skin texture, and preserve the radiance of your tan.

4. Protect yourself from UV rays with a high-SPF sunscreen

Clearly, this is THE essential step in your summer skincare routine. Even in the city, even when the sun is hidden behind clouds, UV rays are still present and damage your skin. In addition to sunburn, they’re also the main culprits behind premature aging and dark spots. That’s why we keep telling you how crucial it is to apply a very high UVA and UVB sunscreen every morning.

For maximum protection, especially in the summer, we recommend applying an SPF of at least 50 as the final step in your skincare routine. It should be reapplied every 2–3 hours during prolonged sun exposure and after each time you go swimming. We recommend:

• The Invisible Cream that provides effective protection without leaving white streaks.
• Or the Tinted Cream SPF 50+ which offers very high protection while evening out the complexion.

5. Treating sun-induced pigmentation spots

Sun exposure can exacerbate hyperpigmentation or cause new dark spots to appear, especially on black and olive skin. To prevent this and even out your complexion, it’s a good idea to incorporate a dark spot treatment into your summer skincare routine.

The best daily anti-dark spot treatment is the Brightening Anti-Dark Spot Serum : it helps prevent and reduce hyperpigmentation caused by environmental stressors. To maximize its effectiveness, you can combine it with the Brightening Blemish Cream.

And to combat hyperpigmentation on your legs, arms, shoulders, back, or stomach, try the Brightening Anti-Dark Spot Body Milk.

Bonus: Smart Tips for Great-Looking Skin This Summer

✅ Drink enough water (1.5 to 2 liters a day): Proper hydration also starts from the inside.

✅ Sleep in a cool, well-ventilated room (between 16 and 20°C): your skin will sweat less, which will help prevent nighttime dehydration and the growth of bacteria caused by moisture.

✅ Avoid harsh exfoliants and skincare products containing photosensitizing ingredients (retinol, AHAs, BHAs, certain essential oils, etc.): they may make your skin even more vulnerable to UV rays.

✅ Clean your glasses, phone, makeup brushes, and pillowcase regularly to limit the spread of bacteria to your skin… and thus prevent breakouts.