Summer is a time for beach days, pool parties, and vacations. With all the fun and long hours under the sun, UV rays can affect our skin, posing its own set of challenges. When it comes to summer skincare, understanding the difference between dry and humid summers is crucial to ensure your skin receives the care it needs & stays healthy and protected throughout the season. Dry summers are marked by low humidity and high temperatures, which can lead to dehydrated, dry & flaky skin. In contrast, humid summers have high moisture levels in the air, making the skin feel sticky and sweaty, often leading to breakouts. Thus, adapting your skincare routine to the type of summer helps maintain healthy skin. In this blog, we will break down the skincare challenges faced during dry and humid summers and the skincare routines best suited to each of them.

Dry Summer vs Humid Summer

Dry summers are characterised by low humidity, clear skies and quick evaporation of moisture that can lead to dehydrated and dull-looking skin. Humid summers, on the other hand, feature high humidity and moisture in the air causing the skin to feel sticky and sweaty. While the skin during dry summers needs increased hydration and frequent moisturising, during humid summers it requires oil control and lightweight skincare products to manage excess moisture and prevent breakouts. 

Dry Summer Skin Challenges

During dry summers, low humidity levels, high temperatures and intense sunlight can all impact your skin significantly. Below are some challenges your skin can face in this climate:

1. Dehydration: During dry summer, the skin can become dehydrated due to increased moisture evaporation caused by arid air. This dehydration can leave the skin feeling tight and lacking elasticity, making it more susceptible to signs of premature ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles.

2. Flakiness and Peeling: Increased moisture loss and exposure to sun and heat disrupt the skin's natural moisture barrier, making it more prone to flakiness, and peeling. 

3. Increased Sensitivity: The skin’s barrier can weaken during dry summers from dehydration if it doesn’t receive the right skincare. This can make the skin more vulnerable to irritants and can exacerbate skin sensitivity, making it more prone to irritation and redness.

4. Sun Damage: Strong sun exposure without adequate moisture can increase the risk of sunburn and long-term damage, including hyperpigmentation and sunspots.

Dry Summer Skincare Routine

While there are numerous challenges your skin can face during dry summers, following the right skincare routine can help prevent and combat them. The key is to incorporate hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine to boost moisture retention:

1. Cleansing: Start your skincare routine with a gentle, hydrating cleanser to remove impurities without stripping your skin of essential moisture. Look for cleansers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera. Gently massage the cleanser into your face using circular motions, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a soft towel. Sandiva’s Cleansing Bars gently purify the skin without stripping its natural oils and contain glycerin to lock in moisture. 

2. Serums: Hydration is key during dry summers, so opt for serums that deeply nourish your skin. Hydrating serums comprising ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and ceramides will keep your skin supple. Apply a few drops of serum to your face and neck, gently pressing it into your skin with your fingertips. For plumpled and bright skin, use Sandiva's Daily Hydrating Super Serum with Niacinamide, Patchouli, and Sandalwood to hydrate the skin during the day, and the Overnight Revitalising Super Serum with Vitamin E and Sweet Almond Oil to retain moisture and wake up with hydrated skin. 

3. Moisturising: Choose a moisturiser that offers intense hydration and barrier protection. Look for products containing shea butter, squalane, and natural oils like jojoba or argan oil. After applying serum, apply a generous amount of moisturiser to your face and neck and gently pat till it is fully absorbed. 

4. Sunblock: Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays. Skincare in summers requires addressing both hydration and sun protection. While sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage, hydration helps replenish moisture lost due to the arid climate. Make sure to apply sunscreen generously to all exposed skin, including your face, neck, and hands. Reapply every two hours if you're spending time outdoors, and immediately after sweating or swimming. Sandiva’s One and Done Tinted Sunblock is a broad spectrum, SPF 35 mineral sunscreen that protects from sun damage without drying your skin. For comprehensive protection layer it with the SPF Top-Up Loose Powder - its tinted mattifying formula gives your skin an airbrushed smooth finish while keeping it sun-protected throughout the day!

By following this skincare routine tailored for dry summers, you can keep your skin hydrated, nourished, and protected, ensuring it remains healthy and radiant despite the harsh conditions.

Humid Summer Skin Challenges

Humid summers bring its own set of skin challenges. Below are some challenges your skin can face in this type of climate: 

1. Excess Moisture and Sweat: High humidity levels and heat cause pores to open up and increase sweat production. This leads to the clogging of pores with dirt, oil and sweat, making the skin more prone to breakouts.

2. Increased Oil Production: Sebaceous glands on the face are responsible for producing sebum, a natural oil that helps keep the skin hydrated. Humid conditions stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil, resulting in a greasy and shiny appearance and potentially causing acne.

3. Disrupting Skin's pH Levels: During humid summers, increased sweat and oil production can disrupt the skin's pH level. Sweat, which is slightly acidic, combined with excess sebum, can alter the natural acidic shield of the skin. This imbalance can weaken the skin barrier, making it more prone to irritation, breakouts, and infections.

4. Difficulty in Maintaining Makeup and Skincare Products: A humid summer can cause makeup and certain skincare products to melt or slide off the skin, making it difficult to maintain a polished look and requiring frequent reapplication.

Humid Summer Skincare Routine

Skincare in summers when there is moisture in the air calls for lightweight hydration and salicylic acid to control oil and prevent breakouts. Below is a skincare routine you can follow to keep your skin healthy during humid summers:

1. Cleansing: Opt for a gentle, foaming cleanser that removes excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. A mild gel or foam cleanser with ingredients like salicylic acid or tea tree oil can help control oil production and prevent breakouts.

2. Moisturising: Choosing lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturisers that hydrate the skin without making it greasy is key to effective skincare in summers. Gel-based or water-based moisturisers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin provide hydration without clogging pores.

3. Sunblock: Select a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunblock that offers a matte finish and is sweat-resistant to prevent a greasy appearance. Look for formulations labelled as "oil-free" or "non-greasy” & apply a generous amount of sunblock to your face and neck 15 minutes before sun exposure.

4. Additional Protection: Use a translucent or mattifying face powder to set your sunblock and control shine throughout the day. Sandiva’s SPF Top-Up Loose Powder is a bestselling lightweight powder that instantly refreshes your face and protects it from the harmful effects of the sun. After applying sunblock, top it off with a layer of powder by gently brushing your face with a clean brush. Reapply powder as needed to maintain a matte finish and get rid of that mid-day shine. While the skincare routine for both dry and humid summers may look similar, it is the type of products used that will make the difference for your skin.

Thus, understanding the differences between dry and humid summers allows you to adapt your skincare routines effectively. Skincare in summers requires a tailored approach to combat challenges. In dry summers, focus on maintaining hydration while staying protected against the sun, whereas in humid summers, managing sweat and oil production becomes key. By tailoring your approach to a specific climate, you can ensure that your skin and overall well-being are cared for throughout the summer.