Discover the Best Summer Skin Care Routine & Treatments for Your Skin Type
When temperatures rise and UV rays intensify, your skin care routine needs a warm-weather refresh. The key to healthy summer skin? Lightweight products, hydrating treatments, and strategic exfoliation that won’t compromise your skin barrier. At WIFH, we offer summer-safe treatments and expert product recommendations to keep your skin radiant and protected all season long.
Why Summer Demands a New Skin Care Routine
Skin care in the summer season isn’t just about SPF (though it’s essential). Heat, humidity, and increased sun exposure impact your skin differently than cooler months, often triggering:
- Increased oil production
- More frequent breakouts
- Heightened sensitivity or redness
- Dehydration or dry patches
A summer skin care routine should rebalance and protect your skin without clogging pores or causing irritation.
Does Skin Get Drier During the Summer?
Yes, for many people. While summer humidity can trigger excess oil, factors like sun exposure, saltwater, and chlorine can strip the skin of essential moisture, leading to dry, flaky patches, especially around the cheeks and mouth. A HydraFacial is a powerful way to reset the skin by deeply cleansing, exfoliating, and infusing it with hydrating, antioxidant-rich serums.
To extend those benefits at home, Obagi Daily Hydro-Drops are a smart addition, especially for oily or acne-prone skin. Formulated with niacinamide (vitamin B3), they help regulate oil production, reduce inflammation, and reinforce the skin barrier. The weightless formula uses Isoplentix™ technology to preserve the purity and potency of its active ingredients, delivering a smooth, non-comedogenic boost of hydration without a greasy finish.
For deeper, longer-lasting hydration, Skinvive is the next step. This innovative injectable improves skin smoothness and moisture retention from within, perfect for targeting areas that feel depleted after long summer days.
How to Soothe Irritated Summer Skin?
Between sweat, sun exposure, saltwater, chlorine, and constant air conditioning, summer can leave skin feeling dry, congested, and extra sensitive. If you’re experiencing irritation or discomfort, the key is choosing treatments that calm and support the skin barrier. Oxygen Facials are a summer favorite as they instantly hydrate, detoxify, remove impurities, and reduce redness, leaving your skin refreshed and balanced with zero downtime.
For ongoing recovery at home, Alastin Skin Nectar is a go-to. Originally developed to support the skin post-procedure, it’s now a favorite for calming inflammation, repairing sun damage, and even healing uncomfortable sunburns. Its patented TriHex Technology® helps clear out damaged collagen and elastin while supporting new, healthy skin regeneration, making it a must-have for revitalizing overexposed or irritated skin.
Why Does My Skin Break Out in the Summer?
Summer breakouts are often caused by sweat, sunscreen buildup, excess oil, and heat-related congestion. Humidity increases oil production, while heavy products can trap debris and bacteria, leading to clogged pores and acne.
To prevent breakouts, focus on treatments that cleanse deeply, exfoliate gently, and balance oil:
- HydraFacial Plus: Clears pore congestion and delivers targeted boosters with salicylic acid and green tea extract to treat acne and prevent future breakouts.
- Microdermabrasion: Gently resurfaces oily, textured skin, unclogs pores, and reduces the appearance of blackheads for a smoother, more balanced complexion.
- Dermaplaning: This facial gently removes dead skin, peach fuzz, and buildup from sweat and sunscreen, effective on its own or can be added to any HydraFacial boost results.
- Laser Genesis + VI Peel: A powerful duo that calms inflammation, kills acne-causing bacteria, and fades post-breakout hyperpigmentation for clearer, healthier skin.
All of these treatments are safe for summer skin when paired with proper SPF and thoughtful aftercare. Maintaining a consistent at-home regimen is key to extending your results, helping to protect your skin, prevent future damage, and support long-term improvements between visits.
Why is My Skin Better in the Summer?
Warm weather can give skin a natural boost, thanks to increased circulation, higher humidity, and more time in the sun. If you love how your skin looks this time of year, the right treatments and products can help you maintain that glow well beyond summer.
To maintain healthy summer skin:
- Incorporate a vitamin C serum like SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic or Obagi Professional-C to brighten, firm, and even skin tone. These antioxidant-rich formulas also boost the effectiveness of your SPF and protect against free radical damage.
- Stay consistent with HydraFacials to deeply cleanse pores, remove buildup, and infuse the skin with hydration, keeping your complexion clear, dewy, and balanced all summer.
- Try Oxygen Facials to infuse the skin with a pressurized stream of medical-grade oxygen and antioxidants, calming redness, detoxifying sun-exposed skin, and delivering soothing hydration with zero downtime.
- Consider Skinvive, a microdroplet injectable, for deep, lasting hydration that smooths texture, boosts radiance, and helps skin retain moisture from within.
With the right routine, you can keep your summer glow going strong.
Building the Best Summer Skin Care Routine for Your Skin Type
Step 1: Cleanse (Morning + Night)
Cleansing is the foundation of any skincare routine. Start with a gentle yet effective formula that removes sunscreen, sweat, and impurities without stripping the skin.
- SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser: A refining cleanser that combines lipo-hydroxy acid, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid to unclog pores, smooth texture, and reduce breakouts, ideal for oily or acne-prone skin.
- Obagi NuDerm Gentle Cleanser: A soothing, lightweight cleanser that lifts away dirt and impurities without irritation. Perfect for sensitive, dry, or post-treatment skin in need of comfort.
- Revision Papaya Enzyme Face Wash: A rejuvenating cleanser infused with natural papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate dull skin, brighten tone, and support a youthful, refreshed complexion, especially great for mature skin.
- CosMedix Purity Solution Cleansing Oil: The ultimate first step in a double-cleanse routine. This nourishing oil effortlessly dissolves makeup, sunscreen, and excess oil, preparing your skin for deeper cleansing and treatment absorption.
Step 2: Exfoliate (2–3x per week)
Exfoliation is key for keeping pores clear, skin smooth, and your complexion bright. The right exfoliant encourages cell turnover and improves texture, but it’s important to balance frequency to avoid irritation, especially in summer.
- SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator (AM): A daily-use serum that delivers gentle exfoliation while replenishing hydration. Ideal if you want smoother skin without the dryness that traditional exfoliants can cause.
- Obagi NuDerm Exfoderm (AM): Lightweight daytime exfoliant that lifts away dull surface cells, brightens skin tone, and restores radiance. Best for normal to dry skin.
- SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight (PM): A concentrated treatment with 10% glycolic acid to accelerate skin renewal while you sleep, improving clarity and reducing visible signs of aging.
- Obagi Retinol + PHA Night Cream (PM): A multi-tasking night cream that combines retinol with polyhydroxy acids to accelerate cell turnover, smooth uneven texture, minimize fine lines, and support firmer, youthful-looking skin, all with added hydration to reduce irritation.
Step 3: Treat + Hydrate
Target concerns like dehydration, breakouts, or dullness with powerhouse serums and supportive hydrators. These products work beneath the surface to correct, calm, and restore balance.
- SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel (AM/PM): Lightweight serum with hyaluronic acid and botanical extracts to calm redness, hydrate, and soothe post-sun or post-procedure skin.
- SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier (AM/PM): A deeply hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid, proxylane, and licorice root to plump skin, smooth fine lines, and boost elasticity without heaviness.
- SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense (AM/PM): Oil-free serum with salicylic and glycolic acids that helps prevent breakouts, reduce excess sebum, and minimize signs of aging. Perfect for oily or acne-prone skin.
- Obagi Hydrate (AM/PM): Long-lasting, non-comedogenic moisturizer that provides immediate and all-day hydration while supporting skin barrier function.
- Alastin Soothe + Protect Recovery Balm (AM/PM, post-procedure): A reparative balm designed to speed recovery, lock in hydration, and protect compromised skin. Ideal after treatments like microneedling, laser, or chemical peels.
Always consult with a licensed medical esthetician to ensure your skincare products are tailored to your unique skin type and concerns. While these recommendations are excellent options to incorporate at home, nothing replaces a personalized plan. If your current routine isn’t delivering the results you want, now is the perfect time to meet with one of our expert estheticians. Together, we can create a customized treatment plan designed around your goals and help you achieve your healthiest, most radiant skin.
Summer Skin Treatments Available at WIFH
These treatments are safe year-round, even in summer when paired with SPF and proper aftercare. Whether you’re looking to brighten, refine, hydrate, or rejuvenate, these options target a range of concerns from clogged pores to fine lines and sun damage, without increasing long-term sun sensitivity.
What Does a VI Peel Treat?
The VI Peel is a medium-depth, medical-grade peel that’s safe for all skin tones and can even be performed during summer months. Each formula is designed to target specific skin concerns with minimal downtime and noticeable results.
- VI Peel Original: Great for sensitive skin or first-time peel patients. Improves overall clarity, smooths texture, and restores a brighter complexion.
- VI Peel Precision + Peptides: Goes beyond pigment correction by reducing melanin formation, stimulating collagen and elastin, calming inflammation, and restoring skin function to look and act younger.
- VI Peel Purify: Designed for active acne and oily skin. Helps clear breakouts, reduce excess oil, and refine congested pores.
- VI Peel Purify with Precision + Peptides: Combines acne-fighting power with pigment correction. Treats active breakouts and post-acne scars while the proprietary peptide system supports healing, clarity, and barrier protection.
- VI Peel Advanced: Formulated for mature skin. Softens fine lines and wrinkles, firms skin, and stimulates collagen production for a more youthful appearance.
For enhanced results, VI Peels can be paired with treatments like Laser Genesis or Dermaplaning.
What Is a HydraFacial?
HydraFacial is a multi-step, no-downtime treatment that cleanses, exfoliates, and hydrates the skin using medical-grade serums and suction. It helps improve congestion, dullness, and dehydration, making it ideal for summer skin.
The HydraFacial Plus goes beyond the standard treatment by adding targeted boosters that address acne, discoloration, or dryness for even more customized results. Each HydraFacial Plus is finished with LED light therapy which calms inflammation, kills acne-causing bacteria, and stimulates collagen production to leave the skin healthier, clearer, and more radiant.
What Does Dermaplaning Do?
Dermaplaning is a gentle, no-downtime treatment that removes dead skin and vellus hair (peach fuzz), revealing smoother, brighter skin. It boosts product absorption and creates a flawless base for makeup. Dermaplaning can be added to any HydraFacial for enhanced exfoliation or paired with a VI Peel to maximize your results.
What Is Microdermabrasion Best For?
Microdermabrasion has been around for years and for good reason. It’s a non-invasive exfoliation treatment that helps improve oily skin, clogged pores, rough texture, and dullness.
At WIFH, we use the DermaSweep MD, it uses a bristle-tip handpiece to gently remove dead skin cells and can be paired with customizable serum infusions to address concerns like dehydration, pigmentation, acne, and uneven skin tone, making it one of the most effective and comfortable microdermabrasion options available. This treatment is especially helpful during the summer months when heat and humidity contribute to skin congestion.
Why CoolPeel is Safe and Effective, Even in Summer
CoolPeel is a fractional CO₂ laser treatment that delivers short, high-energy pulses to resurface the skin. It effectively treats fine lines, uneven texture, sun damage, and enlarged pores while minimizing heat buildup in the surrounding skin. This unique approach results in less redness, swelling, and downtime compared to traditional CO₂ lasers.
CoolPeel is safe for all skin tones and can be performed year-round as long as the skin is not sunburned or compromised. Patients with Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI may require pretreatment to ensure the best results. Sun protection is essential during recovery, and for optimal outcomes, it is recommended to avoid direct sun exposure for 2–4 weeks following treatment while following your practitioner’s aftercare instructions.
All CoolPeel treatments include AQ Recovery Serum, a human-derived growth factor that supports healing and enhances results. Patients who want to further optimize outcomes may choose to replace it with one of our premium regenerative topical add-ons, such as PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) or PureGF, which deliver a higher concentration of growth factors to accelerate healing, stimulate collagen, and boost overall skin rejuvenation.
Enhancement Options:
- PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma): Uses your body’s own plasma to speed up healing and maximize results.
- PureGF: PureGF is a regenerative human-derived growth factor serum with no blood draw. It delivers consistent, powerful results with over 450 growth factors compared to the 7-25 in traditional PRP.
Is Microneedling Safe in the Summer?
Microneedling can safely be performed during the summer as long as you are diligent with sun protection and aftercare. It is an excellent treatment for improving skin texture, refining pores, and stimulating collagen production. Keep in mind that post-procedure skin can be more sensitive to UV exposure for a few days, so consistent SPF use and limiting direct sun are essential for optimal healing and results.
Types of Microneedling:
- Traditional (SkinPen) Microneedling: Creates micro-channels in the skin to stimulate natural collagen production. Great for fine lines, acne scars, and overall texture.
- RF Microneedling: Combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to tighten and firm the skin at deeper levels which is ideal for skin laxity and deeper rejuvenation.
Included in Every Treatment: All microneedling treatments include AQ Recovery Serum, a human-derived growth factor that supports healing and enhances results. Patients who want to further optimize outcomes may choose to replace it with one of our premium regenerative topical add-ons, such as PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) or PureGF, which deliver a higher concentration of growth factors to accelerate healing, stimulate collagen, and boost overall skin rejuvenation.
Enhancement Options:
- PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma): Uses your body’s own plasma to speed up healing and maximize results.
- PureGF: PureGF is a regenerative human-derived growth factor serum with no blood draw. It delivers consistent, powerful results with over 450 growth factors compared to the 7-25 in traditional PRP.
Both microneedling methods are effective and can be tailored to your skin goals—whether you want to treat scarring, smooth fine lines, or improve elasticity during the warmer months.
What Does an Oxygen Facial Do?
Oxygen facials are a favorite for summer skin. They help hydrate, calm irritation, and detoxify the skin, making them perfect after sun exposure, travel, or long days outdoors. This treatment infuses the skin with pressurized oxygen and antioxidant-rich serums to restore balance and reduce redness without any downtime.
When to book an Oxygen facial:
- After travel, especially flights
- Post-sun exposure, days at the pool or beach
- When skin feels tight, dry, or inflamed
- Before events for a refreshed, dewy look
Oxygen facials are gentle enough for sensitive skin and a great addition to any summer skincare routine to help keep your complexion calm, clear, and hydrated.
WIFH-Recommended Summer Skin Care Products
Best Sunscreens for Summer Skin
- Colorescience Brush-On Shield SPF 50: 100% mineral, brush-on powder sunscreen that makes reapplication easy throughout the day. Lightweight and mattifying, it’s especially great for oily or acne-prone skin.
- eltaMD UV AOX Mist SPF 40: A mineral sunscreen in a hydrating, antioxidant-rich face and body mist. Provides broad-spectrum protection with zinc oxide while nourishing the skin.
- SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening UV Defense SPF 30: A sheer, chemical sunscreen that protects against UV damage while brightening the skin and promoting a more even tone.
- eltaMD SPF: Available in mineral and hybrid formulas, with options designed for different skin types and tones, from acne-prone to sensitive.
Best Serums for Summer Skin
- SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF: A vitamin C antioxidant serum that defends against environmental damage while visibly brightening skin tone, improving clarity, and supporting a more even complexion.
- SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel: A lightweight hyaluronic acid serum enriched with vitamin B5 to deliver intense hydration, leaving skin plump, smooth, and refreshed without any heaviness.
- AQ Active Serum: An advanced growth factor serum that supports skin repair, improves firmness and elasticity, and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a smoother complexion.
- Obagi-C Rx Clarifying Serum (Norm-Dry/Norm-Oily): A potent serum that combines vitamin C with hydroquinone to both protect against free-radical damage and correct uneven skin tone. It brightens dull skin while targeting hyperpigmentation and discoloration for a clearer, more radiant complexion.
Book A Summer Skin Consultation with WIFH Today
Not sure where to start? Our expert estheticians can customize a summer skin treatment plan that aligns with your unique skin goals, lifestyle, and travel schedule. Schedule your complimentary consultation today and enjoy healthy, hydrated skin all summer long.
