Sun, surf, and sand: the things Summer is known for can wreak havoc on your skin. Protect, soothe, and hydrate your skin with my favorite summer skincare for glowing skin. 

I almost never wear makeup, which means I prioritize clear, healthy, radiant skin. Summer is a great time to go “no makeup,” and these favorites of mine will help you feel confident in your own *skin.*

For Clear Skin: Hydrate from the Inside Out

It sounds cliche, but it really is true: for healthy, clear skin, give your body lots of water, eat a balanced diet with an emphasis on colorful fruits and vegetables, and work out! Every system in our bodies is interconnected; nothing exists in isolation. Working out promotes blood flow and release of toxins, contributing to clearer skin with better collagen production. 

In the summer, you’re likely sweating more which is great for toxin removal, but could leave you missing electrolytes if you don’t replenish them! Unfortunately, lots of electrolyte drinks come loaded with sugar at best, and colorings and flavorings at worst. Two better choices for replenishing electrolytes are coconut water and Skratch Hydration. Skratch is made from real fruit, and has the right proportions of electrolytes to match what’s lost from sweating. Skratch’s Sport Drink Mix has been my go-to post-run drink for years. It does have sugar, with a ratio of glucose and fructose to speed fluid absorption in the body. Lemon+ Lime is a classic, but Fruit Punch is another flavor we’re trying out and also loving. All flavors come from real fruit with only functional ingredients. It’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, kosher, and vegan.

Use their Everyday Hydration for a balanced electrolyte drink with zero sugar (and also zero sweeteners). Don’t expect it to be sweet, though; that’s the whole point! I’m currently drinking the Tangerine+Orange flavor. It also blends well into smoothies!

Coconut water is nature’s electrolyte beverage! I prefer the taste and ingredients of Harmless Harvest Coconut Water to VitaCoco, personally. Harmless Harvest contains only one ingredient: Organic Coconut Water! It’s got another, unexpected appeal: it’s pink in color! This is due to varying antioxidant levels that are present when you process the coconut water as naturally as possible.

Each of these also contains sugar (except for the Skratch Everyday Hydration!), so just watch your dosage, and only drink them when you’re thirsty. 

Get Bright, Glowing Summer Skin with Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient for bright, blowing skin, so it’s a staple in my summer skincare routine. My favorite for years has been Farmacy’s 10% Waterless Vitamin C Serum. Whenever I wear it, I get compliments on how healthy my skin looks! Vitamin C can sometimes be irritating, so if you’re trying a new one, keep it away from your eyes and test it out slowly, and definitely not before a big event. 

Another Vitamin C I’ve been trying lately is from innisfree. This Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum is fragrance free and has lots of other effective ingredients. It contains antioxidants such as Vitamin E and ferulic acid, green tea enzymes for exfoliation, and tangerine peel and niacinamide for extra radiance (“glowiness”).

Soothe Irritated Skin with Hypochlorous Acid

A surprising ingredient to add to your summer skincare routine is hypochlorous acid. Brought into the “mainstream” by Tower28, hypochlorous acid is essentially a sanitizer for your skin. It helps to kill bacteria and also reduces redness. If you’re about to get a break out, use the Tower28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray after cleansing and before the rest of your skincare routine. It’s even accepted by the National Eczema Association. On days when my skin is irritated, I apply the Tower28 Daily Skin Barrier Redness Recovery Moisturizer after active ingredients like Vitamin C serums, but before sunscreen. It calms, reduces redness, and gives my skin some extra hydration. Don’t let pool days, sunshine, and sweat irritate your skin. Keep it glowing by keeping it calm and hydrated!

Protect Your Skin to Keep it Glowing Without the Sun

You might be tempted to get a bronze “glow” from sun by tanning during the summer, but this is a bad idea. The sun’s rays may give you some temporary color, but in the long-term, they’ll contribute to dark spots, fine links, and wrinkles, and increase your risk of sun cancer. Stay sun safe and keep your skin glowing for decades to come by using a clean, mineral sunscreen. My post on How to Choose a Clean Sunscreen for Summer 2024 has my favorites to wear from workouts to weddings. Some notable standouts are: All Good Mineral Sport Sunscreen, Supergoop! Mineral Sheer Screen, and ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40.

That’s it: 4 simple summer skincare tips for glowing skin, all summer long. Time to get glowing. 

xx