Summer weather is here, which means we’re exposing more of our skin to the sun. For most of us, that means it’s time to lighten up the skincare routine! While colder weather calls for heavier creams that help nourish dry skin, the warm (or straight-up hot) weather calls for lighter formulations and lots of SPF. When it comes to choosing the best skincare products for summer, we depend on Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, Board Certified Clinical Dermatologist and Epionce Founder.

“Your barrier can benefit from switching formulas with the changing seasons,” says Dr. Thornfeldt. “A few simple skincare swaps can make a huge improvement.” Those swaps include lightweight formulas such as gels, lotions, and serums that hydrate and support your barrier without feeling heavy. Below you’ll find expert recommendations to add to your summer skincare routine, plus the proper order in which to apply them!

Skincare Order: When to Use Each Product

“The key to beautiful, healthy skin is a consistent skincare regimen that supports the skin barrier,” says Dr. Thornfeldt. “Using your skincare regimen correctly ensures the best results.”

Epionce products work best when used in order. Start with a cleanser, then apply correcting products, serums, and moisturizers. Finish your morning routine with sunscreen.

It’s always best to apply products one at a time, starting with lighter formulas like serums and ending with heavier creams. What’s more, Dr. Thornfeldt advises not to mix products. “A premium skin care product has been carefully and expertly formulated,” Dr. Thornfeldt clarifies. “To add something else could completely destroy its efficacy and activity of the key ingredients.”

Step 1. Begin with Cleanse & Prepare

You will experience best results using a cleanser for your specific skin type, but you can adjust based on your preference – whether a creamy, foaming or gel cleanser.

• Milky Lotion Cleanser is best for dry/sensitive or mature skin types. The creamy moisturizing cleanser leaves skin feeling clean and hydrated and soothes delicate skin.
• Gentle Foaming Cleanser is ideal for normal/combination skin and the go-to cleanser for most skin types. The lightly foaming face wash effectively removes dirt, oil and makeup without causing it to feel dry, tight or stripped of natural protective oils.
• Lytic Gel Cleanser is best for oily/problem-prone skin. The multiple NewBeauty® Beauty Choice Award winning gel cleanser is a fan-favorite for the cooling, calming feeling it leaves on skin and its effectiveness for blemish-prone and oily skin types.
• Purifying Wash prevents and treats the visible appearance of blemishes with a combination of spearmint, willow bark extract and salicylic acid that helps clean pores and prevent new breakouts from forming.

Step 2. Use a Toner

Toners are usually a skipped step, but this simple product can round out any skin care routine and prep the skin for the next steps.

• Balancing Toner is packed with humectants to help dry skin hold onto much needed hydration.
• Purifying Toner incorporates Willow Bark Extract to help control visible shine and clean out pores to prevent blemishes.

Step 3. Correcting Imperfections

Epionce Correct & Boost products address specific skin concerns like aging, visible redness and blemishes. When added to a regimen, these powerful treatment products speed up the effectiveness of the regimen.

• Lytic: Suitable for all skin types, this lotion-like product can be used in the morning and evening. It works like a retinoid cream to calm redness, reduce blemishes, and provide anti-aging benefits.
• MelanoLyte Skin Brightening System: This hydroquinone-free system helps reduce dark spots and even skin tone. It includes:
  • MelanoLyte Tx: A lotion for day and night use.
  • MelanoLyte Serum: A lightweight serum for evening use.
• Enriched Firming Mask: Use this hydrating mask in your evening routine one to two times weekly to enhance natural glow, calm redness, and rejuvenate skin.

Step 4. Moisturizer & Choosing a Renewal

The truth is that moisturizers are not all the same, and this step alone can help or hinder results.

• Epionce Renewal Facial Products: These products use active complexes to reverse imperfections and contain natural lipids essential for skin health. They include Epionce botanical ingredients to calm skin and reduce redness, and hyaluronic acid to improve elasticity and hydration.
• Intensive Nourishing Cream: For maximum hydration and anti-aging benefits, this cream reverses sun damage and retains moisture. Use it as a night moisturizer to reduce photodamage and achieve radiant, supple skin.
• Intense Defense Serum: Apply before Renewal products to improve signs of aging, dullness, and smoothness. This lightweight, multivitamin serum with botanicals and hyaluronic acid enhances youthful appearance and moisture retention for a healthy glow.

Step 5. Protect & Prevent Damaged Skin

Always include sunscreen in your morning regimen! Using sunscreen year-round protects against harmful UV rays and visible skin damage. For a tinted option or a primer under foundation, use Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 before applying makeup.

How to Choose the Best SPF for Summer Skincare

Sunscreens are a dime a dozen, so how do you know which one is going to do the most for your skin? Dr. Thornfeldt has some suggestions when it comes to buying the best SPF. Look for the following qualities:

1. Broad-spectrum protection: This means the sunscreen protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. While UVB rays are mostly what causes sunburn and cancer, UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are primarily responsible for photoaging.
2. Sun Protector Factor 50 or higher: SPF indicates how long it would take the UV rays to burn your skin relative to the time it would take to burn without any sunscreen at all.
3. Water-resistant: Even if you’re not swimming, a water-resistant sunscreen will be less likely to rub off in the face of humidity and other factors.

Best Skincare Products for Summer Skincare

Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser

Buy from Epionce:$40

• Description
• Pros

As you encounter more sweat and humidity, consider switching from a creamy, hydrating cleanser like Milky Lotion Cleanser to a gentle gel wash like Lytic Gel Cleanser, which removes excess oil and impurities without stripping. Plus it contains menthol, a calming and cooling ingredient derived from peppermint which provides a refreshing pick-me-up!

• Cleanses without irritation or over-drying
• Refreshes and calms problem skin
• Removes stubborn dirt, oil and makeup

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Epionce Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 Sunscreen

Buy from Epionce:$42

• Description
• Pros

Epionce Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 is a light, quick absorbing, anti-oxidant rich sheer formula that provides water-resistant and SPF 50 broad spectrum protection with a natural–looking, healthy glow!

• Broad-spectrum SPF 50 UV protection
• Light, quick-absorbing anti-oxidant rich sheer formula
• Water Resistant (80 minutes)

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Epionce Lytic Sport Tx

Buy from Epionce:$58

• Description
• Pros

The Lytic Swap: As the temps rise, try Lytic Sport Tx as an alternative to your usual Lytic Tx. Lytic Sport is designed for more humid climates and those living an active lifestyle.

• Helps reduce redness and problem skin
• Smooths skin texture and tone
• Visibly improves the appearance of imperfections

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Epionce Renewal Facial Lotion

Buy from Epionce:$102

• Description
• Pros

The Moisturizer: Instead of a richer cream like Renewal Facial Cream, go for the more lightweight Renewal Facial Lotion or even Renewal Lite Facial Lotion. While they all help to fortify the skin barrier for optimal hydration, the lightweight lotions may be all you need in the warmer weather.

• Active complexes help reverse visible signs of aging
• Hydrating formula for visibly smoother, tighter skin
• Improves radiance for a healthy glow

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Want more summer skincare tips? Keep reading!

This ‘Cool’ Thing May Be the Secret to Summer Skin Problems (Including Cellulite)

5 Ways To ’86 Sad Winter Skin and Glow Like It’s Summertime