Your skin is storing every minute of sun and heat exposure like a receipt
Just like your wardrobe and your calendar, your skincare routine should shift with the weather—and summer is when your skin needs you on high alert. Especially if your top skin concern is hyperpigmentation (i.e. dark spots, melasma, or uneven tone).
When UV exposure is at its peak, your melanin is in overdrive, and inflammation is more likely. That golden glow may get praise, but beneath the surface? Cellular damage is quietly building. Let’s talk about how to care for your skin throughout the summer and set it up for long-term success.
What Happens to Your Skin in the Summer
Summer means longer days, stronger sun, and a higher risk of visible, and invisible, damage.
Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:
- Increased UV exposure = increased melanin production. Melanin is your skin’s built-in defense system, trying to protect you from sun damage. But when it’s overproduced, it can settle unevenly, leading to sun spots, melasma, and blotchy tone.
- UV damage causes DNA changes in your skin cells. This is what leads to premature aging (aka wrinkles and sagging) and increases your risk of skin cancer over time.
- Heat and inflammation trigger pigment too. That’s why even people wearing SPF can see melasma flare-ups in summer, especially when skin is exposed to heat, friction, or even irritation from breakouts.
- You’re outside more than you think. Short walks, car rides, even cloudy days. These “unintentional sun” moments add up.
Here’s the kicker: sunspots and discoloration you see today could be damage from 10+ years ago. The skin doesn’t forget. It just waits to show you.
And sometimes it doesn’t take years of damage to leave a mark. Even one blistered sunburn or a summer spent using any amount of tanning oil can permanently alter your skin’s pigment-producing cells and increase your risk of things like melanoma down the road. Yes, UV damage is cumulative, but it can also be triggered in a single, intense moment of exposure.
So while it might feel like “just a little color,” your future skin is taking notes.
Summer Is for Prevention + Protection
This is the season to shift your thinking from reactive to proactive. If you want to minimize dark spots, fine lines, and future sun damage, now’s the time to build in protection.
What that looks like:
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Daily SPF: non-negotiable. UV radiation causes up to 90% of premature skin aging. Reapply every 2 hours in direct sun and/or every single time you towel off. (Our Sheer and Tinted Protection SPF 50+ have you covered.)
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Antioxidants + brighteners: Vitamin C serums like Liquid Gold and targeted treatments like Brightening Serum help neutralize free radicals and prevent melanin overproduction.
- Barrier support: A strong skin barrier equals more resilience to UV, pollution, and inflammation. (Hydrating Lotion + Clean Slate Spritz are your summer MVPs.)
- Gentle exfoliation: Help your skin shed pigment-laden cells without overdoing it. (Toning Pads or Polishing Pads 1–3x a week are perfect for this.)
PRO-TIP: If you’re prone to melasma or post-inflammatory pigmentation, keep your skin cool. Heat alone can activate melanocytes. Try Clean Slate Spritz, a chilled roller, or step into the shade whenever you can.
The Takeaway: What You Do Now Matters Later
Most people think of hyperpigmentation as something to treat later. But here’s the truth: it’s so much easier to prevent dark spots than it is to erase them after they’ve surfaced.
Your summer routine doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be consistent. Because smart skincare isn’t seasonal…it’s strategic.