Hello there! Summers are finally here. And with each season, our mood changes, our lifestyle changes, and our food changes so why not switch up our beauty products? The needs of our skin change throughout the year and it’s important that we recognize that. So, today I’m going to reveal my very own summer skincare routine for combination skin!
However, before I do that, I must tell you about my skin type and my skin concerns. Because without that knowledge, simply recreating anyone else’s routine or buying products that they buy, won’t do your skin any good. Today there are thousands of content creators sharing their skincare routine, though following someone’s routine blindly is certainly not the way to go.
Everyone’s skin is different, you may like some products that I don’t. You may HATE some products that are my absolute holy grail. The idea behind sharing my routine with you is simply, so that you may be able to identify how your skin is similar or different from mine OR how you may be bogged down by the same or different skin concerns as me. In either case, if you are able to learn or incorporate even a single tip or try out a product recommendation, it will be worthwhile. Okay, let’s get into it.
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My skin type:
Let’s start with my skin type. There is a simple test that you can do to know your skin type. Find out your skin type here. Keep in mind that skin types, skin concerns as well as your skin goals all matter tremendously while charting out the best course of action for your skin.
Coming back to my skin type, since it’s fairly common for our skin to react according to our environment and weather, For the context of this blog post, I’ll be talking about my skin type during the spring and summer months. In the summer months, I have combination skin leaning towards dry. Therefore, this is a skincare routine for combination skin. I usually have some dry patches on my cheeks although I’m also breakout prone.
My skin concerns:
My main skin concern is dry patches despite the fact that I have combination skin which brings me back to my previous statement that needs, and goals go hand in hand. You need to determine yours before looking for specific products. I like my skin to look radiant therefore my summer skincare routine leans more towards hydrating products in spite of having combination skin. In second place would be breakouts. While the third would be hyperpigmentation and old acne scars or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
So,
- Dry patches
- Acne breakouts
- Hyperpigmentation
Now that we have gotten that out of the way let’s talk about my routine and what I use on a regular. I have grouped it by morning and evening routines as well as by product type. you can skip to any particular part from the contents.
Morning skincare routine for combination skin:
Cleanser:
Most days I don’t use a cleanser in the morning. I was using it at some point but for the sake of experimentation, I stopped doing that and just splashed water on my face in the morning. And to my surprise, it made a great deal of difference to my overall skin hydration.
Although again, there is no hard and fast rule to anything in my skincare routine. I listen to my skin. I do according to what I feel, my skin needs at that particular moment. And I recommend you do the same. So, if for instance, on a particularly hot summer’s day, I feel my skin needs a cleanser in the morning, I cleanse my skin. No big deal.
Treatment:
The most important step of my skincare routine for combination skin is treatment. Treatments work as a bridge between your skin concerns and your skin goals. It’s all about prevention rather than cure. In order to achieve glowing skin this summer, I have incorporated antioxidants i.e., Vitamin C serum, followed by a Niacinamide serum in my skincare routine.
Product:
The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF serum
Shop here: US, India
What it does:
- Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. It helps fight free radical damage.
- It has anti-ageing benefits by boosting collagen production and preventing collagen degeneration.
- It prevents hyperpigmentation by acting against the tyrosinase enzyme that is responsible for the formation of melanin pigment.
Product:
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum
Shop here: US, India
What it does:
- Niacinamide is the active form of Vitamin B3. It has barrier protective effects as they help in the synthesis of ceramides in the keratinocytes. Read more about the barrier function of the stratum corneum in my Moisturizers 101 post.
- It has brightening effects as it blocks the transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to keratinocytes (A step in the formation of melanin pigment).
- It also boosts collagen synthesis which declines as we age.
Essence:
Product:
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Shop here: US, India
What it does:
- Mucins are glycosylated proteins produced by animals for diverse functions like hydration, adhesion, lubrication, etc. The one commercially available in skincare products is usually derived from brown garden snails and African giant land snails.
- It contains glycolic acid which helps with fading dark spots, improves skin texture, boosts collagen production and aids in hydrating the skin. A.K.A. hydrated plump skin, less fine lines and wrinkles.
- Another compound that is found in snail mucin is allantoin. This prevents skin irritation and soothes the skin. Not only that but it was also found that allantoin was hydrating and helped in the formation of new cells.
Moisturizer:
Product:
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
Shop here: US, India
What it does:
- It has skin-identical ingredients like glycerin, squalene, and urea. These are excellent moisturizing ingredients. Perfect for my dry to combination skin. Read my guide to picking the right moisturizer for yourself.
Sun-protection:
Summer equals more time in the sun; therefore, sun protection is a crucial step in the skincare routine. Without that, any money you spend on other products will be an absolute waste. If you still have doubts, read my post about why sun protection is so crucial. The sunscreen I use in my skincare routine for combination skin is sort of a substitute for makeup. It does need some getting used to, but it leaves a glowy finish behind. So, if you are not a fan, I highly suggest looking for mattifying sunscreens.
Product:
colorscience SUNFORGETTABLE® TOTAL PROTECTION™ FACE SHIELD GLOW SPF 50
Shop here: US
What it does:
- Mineral sunscreen with 12% Zinc oxide.
- UVA protection: PA++++.
- UVB protection: SPF 50.
- Water resistant for 40 minutes.
Evening skincare routine for combination skin:
At night, I basically focus on exfoliants, anti-ageing and hydration, each 2-3 times a week. I do not over-exfoliate my skin. The exfoliants, treatment and occlusive ingredients are divided and cycled throughout the week. The rest of the usual steps, cleanser, serum, and moisturizer remain consistent. This technique is called Skin cycling.
Therefore, my week looks a little bit like this; the sequence is salicylic acid on Days 1 and 5, break on days 2, 4 and 6, usually accompanied by barrier repair moisturizer and finally retinol on Days 3 and 7.
One mistake that I do see quite frequently is that people stop integrating retinoids into their skincare routine during the summer. Retinoids are meant to be used all year round with the exception of pregnancy.
| Ingredient | Day # |
|---|---|
| Salicylic acid | 1 |
| Barrier repair moisturizer | 2 |
| Retinol | 3 |
| Barrier repair moisturizer | 4 |
| Salicylic acid | 5 |
| Barrier repair moisturizer | 6 |
| Retinol | 7 |
Cleanser:
Product:
First Cleanse: Huda Beauty Wishful Clean Genie Cleansing Butter
Second cleanse: The Body Shop Aloe Calming Foaming Wash
Read my review for Wishful Cleansing Butter here.
Exfoliant:
Exfoliation is not required as a daily step in any skincare routine. I usually stick to 1-2 times a week as a part of my skincare routine for combination skin. But if I feel my skin needs some barrier repair, I skip it for 1 or 2 weeks altogether.
Product: (2x a week)
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant.
Shop here: US, India
What it does:
- The highest concentration of over-the-counter Beta-hydroxy-acid (BHA) or salicylic acid.
- Unclogs pores thereby reducing their appearance.
- Exfoliates dead skin cells.
Treatment:
Remember retinol also exfoliates your skin so it’s best to not mix it with other physical or chemical exfoliants.
Product: (2x a week)
The Ordinary 0.5% Retinol in Squalene.
Shop here: US, India
What it does:
- Potent anti-ageing ingredient.
- Boosts collagen production.
- Minimizes fine lines and wrinkles.
- Chemical exfoliant.
Essence:
Product:
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence.
Read why you absolutely need this essence in your routine.
Moisturizer:
It is an absolutely essential step in my skincare routine for combination skin. People think if your skin is oily, you don’t need a moisturizer, but as it turns out, your skin might be compensating for the lack of moisture by overproducing oil.
Product:
Occlusives:
Product: (1x a week)
Well, there you go! That’s my skincare routine for combination skin, especially in the summer.
The last step of the skincare routine is probably the most important, i.e., beauty sleep. I don’t go into the stringent 10-step or 20-step skincare routines. I do what feels right for my skin. You can surely try out some recommendations from my routine. Even I keep on trying new products, but only one at a time. The secret to good skin includes consistency and usually, consistency is pretty boring. It requires discipline, using the same products day in and day out. But that’s what will yield results.
If you are still struggling to start your skincare journey, I recommend checking out my simple guide to building a skincare routine. Let me know if you have tried any of these products and what’s your take on consistency in skincare routines.
And lastly, share this article with your friends!
Sources:
- Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications – PMC (nih.gov)
- Comparative Study of the Biological Activity of Allantoin and Aqueous Extract of the Comfrey Root – Savić – 2015 – Phytotherapy Research – Wiley Online Library
- HelixComplex snail mucus exhibits pro-survival, proliferative and pro-migration effects on mammalian fibroblasts – PMC (nih.gov)
- Advancing Discovery of Snail Mucins Function and Application – PMC (nih.gov)
- Bioactive ingredients in Korean cosmeceuticals: Trends and research evidence – Nguyen – 2020 – Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology – Wiley Online Library
