Want to travel light this vacation season but still want to take care of your skin? Here are the basic 4 necessities for your summer skincare kit.

The Non-Negotiable: SPF

Sun protection is by far the most significant necessity in your routine for the summer. The sun emits ultraviolet radiation, categorized into UVA and UVB waves. While UVB rays are partially absorbed into the ozone layer and can burn your skin, UVA rays aren’t absorbed into the ozone layer at all and age your skin.

Regardless of their differences, both types cause skin cancer, so it’s imperative that you pick out a sunscreen for your summer skincare kit that is labeled as “Broad Spectrum,” which protects against UVA and UVB rays.

When picking an SPF, you should lean towards sunscreens that are water-resistant or waterproof. While both are better than sunscreens that don’t have either, water-resistant products usually lose their SPF after about forty minutes of coming into contact with water, while waterproof ones lose their SPF after ninety minutes.

Whether you’re spending a day at the beach or running a marathon, sweat and water will wash off your sunscreen, so pick one that will combat that. Reapplying sun protection throughout the day is still necessary, no matter what sunscreen you have.

Our dermatologists highly recommend the SPF options in our online shop, so browse through our sun protection page and pick the best formula for your skin and lifestyle.

Our Super Sheer Cream Sunscreen has broad-spectrum SPF 50, a perfect sun protection product for the face when you’re at the beach or poolside!

Removing SPF: Oil Cleansing

In case you haven’t noticed, SPF is really popular these days. More and more brands are coming out with new sunscreen products, and more consumers are aware of SPF’s importance. But too often, consumers become unhappy with using SPF because they were never informed on how to properly remove SPF, resulting in clogged pores and breakouts. This is why we highly recommend double cleansing, ensuring a more thorough clean. Cleansing your skin once with a regular, everyday cleanser doesn’t properly remove sunscreen buildup.

Studies show that SPF and makeup are best removed with the 2-step oil/water cleansing process, as the oil can break down the products more effectively. But how exactly does one double cleanse their skin? If you prefer not to use an oil cleanser, you can use a basic, regular cleanser twice. However, the most effective form of double cleansing starts with an oil-based cleanser and follows up with a water-based cleanser.

One of our best oil-based cleansers is the XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil.

Avène’s award-winning daily cleansing oil gently lathers with an oily texture that seals moisture and restores the skin’s barrier.

Some oil cleansers will lather up with water and create an emulsion on the skin that you can rinse off. Other oil cleansers will not create this effect, but will still break down any SPF or cosmetic products you’re wearing.

Simply wipe away the remaining oil and products with a gentle, clean facial towel. No matter what oil cleanser you use, you should follow up with a gentle water-based cleanser.

Follow Up With a Water-Based Cleanser

One of our best water-based cleansers is our Sensitive Me Cleanser. This foaming, non-drying formula effectively cleanses while delivering moisturizing and skin softening benefits. It’s enhanced with liposome-encapsulated Vitamins A, C, E, CoQ10, and Green Tea Extract to help quench free radicals and calm and soothe the skin.

A water-based cleanser will gently remove the broken-down products and leftover oil on your skin. After cleansing, you can apply any serums or masks you would like before following up with a moisturizer.

Hydrate and Calm the Barrier

Like with any other skincare routine, moisturizer is a must-have. You’ll likely want something lightweight, non-greasy, yet hydrating in the summertime. After long days in the hot sun, you’ll want something calming and soothing. Our “Ultra Lite” line carries two types of moisturizers, both suitable for the face.

Our Ultra Lite Facial Cream is an elegant facial moisturizer with antioxidants for all skin types. This sheer, oil-free hydration with soothing aloe vera and nourishing antioxidants delivers smoother, softer skin. Because it is so lightweight, we highly recommend it for those with oily skin.

If you have dryer skin but still want a non-greasy, summertime moisturizer, we recommend the Ultra Lite Moisture Dew. This sheer, oil-free, non-comedogenic cream combines the purest form of aloe vera with high-performance hydrators, glycerin, and squalane to soothe skin and help to restore its natural moisture balance. Both of these products contain aloe vera—a staple ingredient for the summer—because it has calming and soothing properties.

We highly recommend aloe vera gel for sunburns, so you should always have it in your summer skincare kit in case you get too much sun. Our skincare shop currently has the Epicuren Aloe Vera Calming Gel, made from the purest whole leaf of the Aloe Vera plant. This gentle formula contains an array of soothing ingredients that lightly hydrate while promoting cellular calming.

Create your summer skincare kit with more of our favorite products! Visit our online skincare shop today.