Is Summer Wrecking Your Skin?

Most people think summer is good for their skin.

Sun-kissed glow. Fresh air. Vitamin D.

And then August hits and they wonder why their skin looks tired, uneven, and suddenly reactive to products it never had a problem with before.

Summer isn't bad for your skin. But it does put your skin barrier through a lot.

Here's what's actually happening.

First — what is the skin barrier?

Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin. Think of it like a brick wall. The skin cells are the bricks. The lipids — oils, ceramides, fatty acids — are the mortar holding everything together.

When the barrier is healthy it does two things really well:

Keeps moisture IN.

Keeps irritants, bacteria, and pollution OUT.

When the barrier is damaged, both of those functions break down. Skin becomes dry, reactive, red, and sensitive. Products that never bothered you suddenly sting. Breakouts happen more. Skin just looks off.

Summer attacks that barrier from multiple directions at once.

What chlorine does to your skin

Chlorine is a disinfectant. It's very good at killing bacteria in pool water.

It's also very good at stripping the natural oils from your skin.

Regular swimming depletes your skin's lipid layer — the mortar in the brick wall — and leaves the barrier compromised. Skin feels tight and dry after swimming not just because of water evaporation but because chlorine has actively removed the oils that protect it.

What to do: rinse with fresh water immediately after swimming. Cleanse gently. Apply a ceramide-rich moisturizer while skin is still slightly damp to lock hydration back in.

What salt water does

Ocean water is dehydrating. The salt draws moisture out of skin cells through osmosis. Combine that with wind and sun exposure and you have a recipe for seriously dehydrated skin by the end of a beach day.

Dehydrated skin and dry skin feel similar but they're different. Dehydration is a lack of water. Dryness is a lack of oil. Beach days typically cause both.

What to do: same rinse-and-moisturize protocol as the pool. Add a hyaluronic acid serum before your moisturizer — apply it to slightly damp skin so it draws water into the skin instead of pulling it from deeper layers.

What sweat does

Sweat itself isn't bad for skin. It's actually slightly antibacterial.

The problem is what happens when sweat mixes with sunscreen, makeup, pollution, and dead skin cells and sits on your face for hours.

That combination clogs pores. Causes breakouts. And in sensitive skin can trigger irritation and redness.

What to do: double cleanse at night during summer. An oil-based cleanser first to break down sunscreen and makeup. A gentle water-based cleanser second to clear everything else. This step matters more in summer than any other season.

What heat does

Heat dilates blood vessels. For most people that just means some temporary flushing that goes away.

But for anyone prone to rosacea or redness — heat is a significant trigger. Repeated heat exposure can make redness more persistent and harder to manage.

Heat also increases inflammation in the skin generally. And inflammation, over time, breaks down collagen.

What to do: keep skin cool after outdoor time. Avoid hot showers in summer. Use a gentle mist or cool water splash when you come inside.

The summer barrier protocol in four steps

1. Gentle cleanser morning and night — nothing stripping, nothing foaming too aggressively

2. Hyaluronic acid serum on damp skin — hydration from the inside out

3. Lightweight moisturizer — ceramide-based, not heavy cream

4. SPF 50 every morning — the barrier can't repair itself if it's getting damaged again every day

That's it. Simple. Consistent. Your skin will feel the difference within a week.

If your skin has been feeling reactive, sensitive, or just off this summer — the barrier is usually where to start.

Come in and we'll take a look together.

— Sharona

Get Glowing · Century City

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