When the air is thick and sticky, a ten-step routine is a recipe for congestion and a shiny face by 11 am. Most skin does best in summer with three steps done well.
Step 1: Cleanse gently
Use a mild, low-foam cleanser morning and night. If your skin feels tight or squeaky afterwards, the cleanser is too harsh. Oily and acne-prone skin can use one with salicylic acid a few evenings a week.
Step 2: One targeted treatment
Choose one active for your main concern and give it eight weeks:
- Oil and enlarged-looking pores: niacinamide 4–5%.
- Breakouts: salicylic acid or azelaic acid.
- Tan and dark spots: vitamin C in the morning, or azelaic acid.
Step 3: Protect — every single day
Sunscreen is the step that does the most for tanning, dark spots and ageing. Use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and apply enough: roughly two finger-lengths for face and neck. Reapply every two hours if you are outdoors. Gel and fluid textures sit best in humidity.
What about moisturiser?
If your sunscreen or serum is hydrating, many oily and combination skins can skip a separate day moisturiser in peak humidity. At night, a light gel is plenty. Dry skin still needs one year-round.
Try it yourself
