Your Ultimate Guide To Summer-Ready Skin
With the seasons shifting, it’s time to refresh your routine. Here's our guide to resetting your summer skincare
I don't want to be that guy but it’s time for your bathroom shelf (or wherever else you keep your grooming products) to get its yearly overhaul.
The sun’s shining brighter, the days are longer and—whether you’ve noticed or not—your sweat glands are working overtime. Summer is here, and thanks to global warming, it won’t be an easy one—for you or your skin. Yes, I know your skin isn’t a separate entity, but it just reads better this way—so go with it!
First, take a good look at your face. Is it dry, or is excess oil creeping in? In India’s harsh summer, most people see their T-zone (forehead and nose) get oily while the rest stays normal to dry. For others, their entire face begins to feel like someone poured oil all over it. If that’s you, it’s time to clear your shelf of anything too heavy—thick serums and moisturisers that aren’t water- or gel based. Anything your skin doesn’t absorb instantly? Save it for cooler months.
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Second, and most importantly, stock up on good-quality skincare. Anything below SPF 50 should be illegal, if you ask me—the sun in these parts is practically a microwave. If you skipped sunscreen in winter (rookie mistake, but let’s not go there now!), this is the time to start. Like your serums and moisturisers, your sunscreen should be lightweight, non-greasy and leave no white cast. A good test is always the sweat test—if it comes off when you’re perspiring, you aren’t using the right one. Luckily, there are plenty of great water-based options (including my favourites listed here—mental thank-you note appreciated). Apply daily and reapply every few hours.
Third, start with mild exfoliation and build up to an optimal level. Just like you were cooped up indoors during the winter, so was your skin. Except, it was also busy storing dirt, grime and pollutants. We don’t want any of that, not just because it ages your skin but because a new season calls for shedding extra baggage (or am I being too philosophical?). Anyway, the point is that you need to get on with exfoliating your skin and keep it up through the season—summer means higher sebum levels, which attract all kinds of unwanted build up.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to drink your daily dose of water—and then some, especially if you’re out and about. The more you sweat, the more you need to replenish. Chapped lips? Drink water. Yellow pee? Drink water. Skin feeling unusually dry in summer? You guessed it—drink water. These are all signs your body (and skin) is parched, and no amount of skincare could ever help with that.
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Another useful tip to use as we’re stepping into a new season would be for those of you who have sensitive skin. Since it’s going to be hot and, in a few months, also humid, now might not be a good time to experiment with AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids), BHAs (beta-hydroxy acids) and Retinol if you haven’t already been using them as part of your routine. Save them for cooler months and stick to the basics to beat the heat.
It’s going to be a long summer—don’t let the sun get the better of you.
Whenever out, do not be SPF without
Our choicest picks of the best sunscreens
Allies Of Skin The One SPF 50 Invisible Sunscreen Gel
Since it’s gel-based, it absorbs instantly.
Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream
Possibly the lightest sunscreen out there—and it doubles as a great moisturiser.
Laneige Watery Sun Cream
If you want a sunscreen that adds a glow, this is the one.
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Clinique SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Fluid For Face
An absolute winner for those with sensitive skin.
d’You Unkissed Serum Sunscreen
It also soothes the skin and calms inflammation.
To read more stories from Esquire India's March 2025 issue, pick up a copy of the magazine from your nearest newspaper stand or bookstore. Or click here to subscribe to the magazine.