It’s hard to believe we’re already almost a month into summer. The days are just flying by and blending together with all this time we’re spending at home these days. But on the bright side, staying home has given me a lot of time to work on my skincare and develop my summer skincare favorites!
In winter, I find myself reaching for thick, viscous serums and rich creams and facial oils. There is pretty much no limit to how much moisture my skin can take because I am so dry in the winter. But in summer, my priorities are much different. I’m all about sunscreen, light hydrating serums, and gel creams, at least for daytime. Because I have mild rosacea and my skin gets overheated easily, I also love anything with a cooling effect.
So without further ado, here are my summer skincare favorites!
I’m From Rice Toner*
Review: By now, you may now that I am a big lover of Laneige Cream Skin, a milky, watery toner that’s as moisturizing as a cream. However, even for my dry skin, Cream Skin can be a bit heavy in the summertime. That’s where the I’m From Rice Toner comes in — it is the perfect lightweight alternative. It is a watery, milky liquid like the Laneige, however it is lighter and less sticky while still being hydrating, moisturizing, and brightening. I think this could work well for all skin types! And I personally think the price is reasonable, especially considering the uniqueness and the quality of the product.
Rating: 5/5
Where to Buy: Wishtrend ($28), YesStyle ($28)
Belif Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera*
Review: This new version of the Belief Aqua Bomb contains one of my favorite soothing ingredients — aloe! I first tried the Aqua Bomb a few years back and I really enjoyed the dewy hydrated look that it gave my skin. It is a lightweight gel cream, that should work well especially for oily skin. Though I still find that it works really well for my dry skin in warmer weather. This product does contain fragrance and alcohol, which may not work for everyone, however I personally experience no irritation or dryness. Although I really enjoy this product, I do find it to be a little pricey and I think that there are comparable and more affordable options available.
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: Sephora ($38)
Dr. Brandt Cool Biotic Redness Relief Cream*
Review: This is the first product I’ve ever tried from Dr. Brandt and I was very pleasantly surprised! This product is another gel cream, although it is slightly thicker than other gel creams, such as the Belif Aqua Bomb Aloe. The wonderful thing about this cream is the soothing, cooling sensation it brings to your skin. It’s a slight cooling, but it’s noticeable and it lasts for a while. I’ve never experienced a product quite like this. The ingredients list is also very interesting; it contains Cannabis Sativa Oil, Prebiotics, Ceramides, Colloidal Oatmeal, and a number of plant extracts. This one is a bit pricey for me, but I think it’s worth it since I have yet to find anything else like this product!
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Dr. Brandt ($55), Ulta ($55)
Dear Klairs, Airy UV Essence SPF 50+ PA++++
Review: You may have heard of my love affair with the Purito Green Level Safe Sun. I thought it was my one and only favorite….until this one came around! The Klairs Airy UV Essence completely lives up to its name. It feels so light and weightless on my skin. It feels slightly moisturizing, not mattifying, but it looks and feels so natural. My beloved Purito is still my favorite for wintertime because it is highly moisturizing and gives me that dewy look I love. However, the Klairs is so much better for summertime, and would probably work better for combo to oily skin as well. It also contains Sea Buckthorn Oil, a lovely moisturizing ingredient, as well as Tocepherol (Vitamin E); Panthenol, beta-glucan, and allantoin (soothing ingredients; and Niacinamide for brightening. I also love how this comes in a slightly larger 80 ml tube compared to the Purito, although the Klairs still has a higher price per mL.
Rating: 5/5
Where to Buy: Wishtrend ($23), YesStyle ($23)
Hanskin Hyaluron Essence
Review: To me, this is a very basic hydrating essence. But sometimes, that’s just what your skin needs. The star ingredients in this essence are sodium hyaluronate and hydrolized hyaluronic acid which draw moisture to the skin. It also contains a few plant extracts, but the ingredients list is still relatively short and simple. It is fragrance free, paraben free, and dye free. I have really been enjoying this essence as a way to simply add hydration into my skin. The essence is slightly viscous, but not too thick or heavy. It’s just the perfect consistency for me. Again, there are more affordable options out there, such as Hada Labo, but I do find this product to be more cosmetically elegant and more pleasant to use.
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: Ulta ($25)
Peach and Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Review: I have seen a lot of people who believe that this product is over-hyped. Personally, I think it’s due to the name of the product, “Glass Skin Refining Serum” is a clever name for marketing reasons, however it does seem to give people unrealistically high expectations about the product. Sorry, but this product isn’t going to give you glass skin. However, I still think it’s a lovely product for what it does do. It’s so hydrating and has such a pleasant, non-sticky feel that I really enjoy. This contains some lovely ingredients including Niacinamide, Peach Extract, Peptide Complex, Hyaluronic Acid Complex, Madecassoside, and East Asian Yam Extract. Peach and Lily does tend do have moderately high prices, so if you don’t mind waiting, I highly recommend trying to snag this during a sale!
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Peach & Lily ($39), Ulta ($39)
Lani Tropical Super Serum*
Review: Lani is a UK-based vegan and cruelty-free skincare brand with great ethics. Not to mention, they have some awesome products too! I absolutely love their Tropical Serum, which is really just an oil blend. It contains some beautiful oils — watermelon seed oil, marula oil, camellia oil, jojoba oil, and passionfruit seed oil. And it has a lovely and relaxing scent from Jasmine Essential Oil. This is a lightweight oil that absorbs into the skin, which is why I love using it in summertime. It also works really well as a moisturizer for my hair, which is rather thin and easily weighed down. If you are on the fence about trying a facial oil because you think it might be too greasy for you — I recommend giving this one a try!
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Lani ($28)
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser
Review: Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser is another product with a whole lot of hype. In general, I tend to prefer Glossier’s makeup over their skincare, however, I absolutely love this cleanser. Gel or jelly cleansers are my favorite type of cleanser and I have tried a lot of them. This one has to be my favorite so far, just because I really love the way it feels on my skin. It’s a bit hard to describe, but it has a “grip” to it that no other cleanser seems to completely replicate. This does have a slight floral fragrance, which I don’t love but also don’t mind. It cleanses very gently and leaves my skin feeling clean without feeling stripped at all. Because it’s so gentle, it does not completely remove makeup, and thus I still recommend using an oil cleanser or makeup remover as your first cleanser.
Rating: 5/5
Where to Buy: Glossier ($18)
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb*
Review: I’ve never been very good at consistently using an eye cream, but finally I’ve found one that I actually want to use each night! The Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb is a lightweight, gel eye cream that sinks in easily with hardly any rubbing/patting required. One thing I really dislike is an eye product that needs be rubbed in too much, as it feels like it’s putting a lot of extra stress on the delicate skin around my eyes. This eye cream feels cool and refreshing when I apply it, somewhat similar to the Belif Aqua Bomb. It also contains a similar fragrance. It hydrates my under eyes and doesn’t pill (when a product balls up on your skin), which is an annoying problem I’ve experienced with several other eye creams. So far this is the best eye cream I’ve found, so until something better turns up, I’m definitely willing to repurchase this myself despite it being at the high end of my price range.
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Ulta ($48), Sephora ($48)
Annie’s Way Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Brightening Jelly Mask
Review: Lately I’ve been moving away from sheet masks and towards wash-off masks. This is a jelly wash-off mask from the Taiwanese brand, Annie’s Way. (Seriously, Taiwanese beauty needs to get more attention abroad. There are so many amazing products.) It has such a wonderful gel texture that feels so cooling and hydrating on the skin. I love using this mask when my skin is feeling heated or dehydrated. I haven’t noticed any dramatic brightening from the Arbutin in this mask, but I think that my skin may not respond to Arbutin as well as some others. Still, I love this mask for the hydration and cooling alone, and I still highly recommend it!
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: YesStyle ($18)
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My Rating System:
5 – Holy Grail, I love this product and would repurchase it forever.
4 – Great product, I will repurchase it unless I find something better.
3 – Good product, I might consider repurchasing it, but probably not.
2 – Poor product, just didn’t work for me and I won’t repurchase.
1 – Awful product, you couldn’t pay me to put it on my face.
Disclaimer: This Site contains both non-affiliate and affiliate links, and I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Some products marked by (*) were gifted to me for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own honest opinions. I am not an expert, these are just my personal experiences, and what works for me might not work for you.
