Your Summer Skin Survival Guide To Sweat, SPF and Breakouts
- Emmaline Tsui
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
Summer is a beautiful time for your mood and social life, but it can be an absolute nightmare when it comes to skin. Sweat, sunscreen, humidity, SPF-related congestion, heat rashes, dehydration... it’s a whole situation. If your face is suddenly greasier than usual, or you’re breaking out in places you haven’t seen spots in years, you’re not alone.
If you can relate to this, here’s your survival guide for Summer skin.
What Causes 'Summer Skin' Concerns
When the temperatures rise, your skin’s oil production often follows suit. Add SPF on top of sweat and humidity and you’ve got a breeding ground for congestion, clogged pores, and irritation. It doesn’t mean you need to skip your SPF (please don’t), but it does mean your routine might need a seasonal tweak.
Step 1: Switch to a Gentle, Exfoliating Cleanser
Your face wash is your first line of defence. In summer, you want something that keeps pores clean without stripping the skin barrier.
I love the Revision Papaya Enzyme Cleanser – gently exfoliating with fruit enzymes, non-foaming, and leaves the skin feeling genuinely fresh.
Step 2: SPF is Non-Negotiable
You’re sweating, you're reapplying, and you need SPF that won’t break you out or leave a white cast. Heavy, greasy formulas are often the culprit behind summer congestion. I always say the best SPF is the one that suits your skin best (along with a great UVA and UVB protection as a minimum of course!)
A few of my tried-and-tested favourites:
Nimue Sun-C SPF 40 – Broad spectrum protection in a non-whitening, lightweight base that suits even the most temperamental skin. Packed full of antioxidants too for an extra benefit.
Nimue Environmental Shield SPF 50 – Offers added protection against pollution, blue light, and IR. Ideal for city dwellers, people working from a screen all day and those prone to inflammation.
SkinBetter Science ToneSmart SPF 50 – A silky, mineral compact that doubles up as a primer/makeup with tone-adaptive coverage. Great for topping up without ruining your makeup.
Revision Intellishade TruPhysical SPF 45 – A 5-in-1 daily moisturiser that protects, hydrates, brightens and conceals. Particularly lovely if your skin is normal to combination.
Step 3: Introduce a Clarifying Treatment
When SPF, sweat and sebum start building up, your pores might need a bit of extra help. This is where clever, skin-respecting exfoliants come in.
SkinBetter AlphaRet Peel Pads – a once or twice-weekly treatment that helps keep pores clear, supports cell turnover and brightens without causing peeling or irritation.
Nimue Exfoliating Enzyme – great in the evening after cleansing to gently remove dead skin cells and help your active ingredients work better.
Don't forget though, if you are going on holiday or it's super sunny outside then opt for the exfoliating enzyme. Peel pads are always my favourite option, but remember to stop them at least a week before you go somewhere sunny.
Step 4: Don’t Forget Your Barrier
I know I'm always talking about the barrier, but heat, air con and SPF reapplication can stress it out. If your face feels irritated or tight by the end of the day, it might be that your barrier needs a little extra support.
Try:
Nimue Pre & Post Serum – calms irritated and sensitive skin while strengthening the barrier over time.
Nimue Element Barrier – protects against extreme environments, perfect if you’re in and out of planes, trains or too much air con or extreme heat.
Step 5: Hydrate From the Inside Out
Dehydration is sneaky. You might not feel thirsty, but your skin is begging for a glass of water and a few skin-plumping actives.
The fix:
Skinade – delivers collagen peptides and essential micronutrients to help skin stay hydrated, resilient and glowy even in the heat.
A big bottle of water. Preferably glass. Ideally with slices of cucumber or lemon in it.
Bonus Tips
Cleanse immediately after exercise or laying in the heat. Sitting in sweaty SPF is not the move.
Use a clean flannel each time. Pat your face, don’t rub.
Avoid over-exfoliating. It won’t stop the breakouts, but it will destroy your barrier.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat. And sunglasses. And find the shade (and if you're like me, wear a full sun visor too)
Don’t skip moisturiser. Hydrated skin behaves better.
Still unsure?
If your skin is flaring up this summer and you’re not sure which way to turn, my free skin check-in is a great place to start. You fill out a form, I analyse your skin’s needs, and you get a personalised routine with product links and samples if I have them. No pressure to buy, just some product recommendations and a new routine to get you started.
Thank you so much for reading,
Emmaline
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