It takes more than your standard cleanser to get your skin through summer. While the prospect of hot sunshine warming your skin is certainly alluring, you have to make an extra effort to protect your complexion if you want to take advantage of all that the season offers. The good news is that revamping your skin care routine for summer isn’t a costly prospect. It’s simply a matter of navigating through a sea of products and determining the ones that best suit your skin type. Here’s what we’ve rounded up for the warmest months of the year—all for under $25 a pop.
Invigorate Your Morning
Even on a brilliant summer morning, it can be hard to wake up from a great night’s sleep. Jack Black Performance Remedy™ Turbo Wash™ Energizing Cleanser for Hair & Body ($23) is designed to kick start your day with an invigorating blend of eucalyptus, rosemary, and juniper berry. If you’re a go-getter who routinely goes for 5 a.m. runs, you’ll love this for its post-exercise benefits, too. And if you happen to be congested, it can even help clear that up as you run it through your hair and breathe in the addictive aroma. In other words, this is the do-it-all product your routine needs.
Minimize Excess Sebum
Out-of-control oiliness seems to go into overdrive during summer. If you don’t keep the shine at bay, you risk breakouts that threaten to overtake your complexion entirely. Add a product like Clinique for Men™ Oil Control Exfoliating Tonic ($14.50) to your arsenal to get a handle on excess sebum production and reduce the chances of developing clogged pores and buildup that leads to acne. Salicylic acid tackles the stubborn oil in your pores without drying your skin, while witch hazel sloughs off dead skin cells to leave your face smoother.
Cool Overheated Skin
If you have naturally oily skin, you already know just how much of a foe warm weather is to your complexion. In addition to using maintenance products to keep production levels low, you also need something that works on contact to reduce any sudden cases of shine that appear midday. Try Kiehl’s Since 1851 Men’s Oil Eliminator Refreshing Shine Control Spray Toner ($18), which is compact enough to tuck inside your desk drawer for emergency situations. It contains glycerin, which keeps skin soft, and menthol, which instantly cools and helps break down oil.
Cleanse Away Roughness
Dry skin doesn’t take a hiatus during summertime. If anything, you may find that it feels worse because the sun causes dehydration from head to toe. Prevention goes beyond your moisturizer! It starts with an appropriate cleanser like the Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge ($15), which is infused with konjac root and red clay. These nutritious ingredients work together to deep clean the skin, eliminate stubborn debris, and nourish your complexion. It’s ideal even for sensitive skin types!
Keep It Cool
The last thing you want to do is irritate your skin while shaving. The exquisite sensation of a sunburn on top of razor burn is not something you want to endure. Enter Lab Series Cooling Shave Cream Tube ($20), a genius, buttery thick cream that nourishes your skin on contact. Its goal is to provide you with a close, smooth shave without the danger of developing telltale redness and irritation. Coconut oil and shea butter work together to leave skin smoother, while peppermint oil is like a breath of fresh air for your complexion. The cooling sensation comes as sweet relief for anyone who knows the discomfort of shaving irritation!
Prevent Sun Damage
Consider it the first rule of healthy skin: Never forget the sunscreen. One of the most effective on the market is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin SPF 60 Sunscreen ($19.99), an oil-free formula that dries on contact and provides water-resistant protection for at least 80 minutes. This broad-spectrum product combats harmful UVA and UVB rays, which means your skin receives lasting protection from burns, fine lines and wrinkles, and skin cancer. It’s an exceptional choice for any skin type, especially if your experience with sun protection products has typically been miserable. Forget the greasy after-feel and shiny finish—this is stunningly dry natural to the touch.
