Whether your summers are dry or humid, these summer skincare tips should help you endure the high temps and humidity with ease, while keeping pores and complexion clear.

You already know how your skin responds to different seasons. Cold, dry weather yields chapped, dry skin, while summer’s swelter leads to the opposite: It feels like you pour sweat from every pore. (Not to mention, the threat of the sun’s skin-damaging UV rays is especially strong.) And just as the environment changes from one season to the next, you’ve got to adjust your winter and summer skincare regimens accordingly.

The summer heat has its perks, though: Extra sweating helps keep skin clear and “glowing”, so long as you don’t let it dry and clog the pores right back up. We're not suggesting that you endure the buckets of sweat for the sake of bright complexion. Instead, by using the right skincare products and regimen, you can manage your sweat and oil production. Doing this also promises bright, “glowing” skin. (Glowing is good, trust us.)

It should come as no surprise that you want to use lightweight moisturizing products in summer. These are typically water-based, low-oil hydrators. They absorb into the skin without caking the face like a dense lotion. This allows pores to breathe and prevents clogging or excessive sweating as the skin finds equilibrium under high temperatures. (Cardon’s SPF 30 Moisturizer does all this while nourishing skin with cactus extract and clearing complexion with turmeric.)

Secondly, there’s a myth that when you sweat more (because of humidity or naturally oily skin), you are allowed to skip the moisturizer.

On the contrary, more sweat and sebum means more opportunities for clogged pores. Plus, moisturizers do more than just hydrate the skin. They also shield the skin from toxins in the air, not to mention SPF moisturizers blocking UV rays. Both of these defenses prevent premature aging of the skin.

In the evening, as temps fall into a cooler, room-temp range, you can use a slightly heavier hydrator, especially if you sleep in an air-conditioned room. A/C units can significantly dry out the air that leaves your skin parched and irritated since it’s sucking all the moisture out of the air (and in turn, from your skin too). Cardon’s gel moisturizer is lightweight enough to wear in summer but dense enough to keep skin hydrated—plus, as an overnight moisturizer, it helps skin stay firm, youthful, soothed, and shielded from toxins (thanks to the inclusion of rosehip oil, niacinamide, and cactus extract).

While your hydrators are light, you want a heavy-lifting cleanser. That’s because you want to keep that dried-up sweat from taking residence inside your pores. But the biggest hurdle in finding a highly effective cleanser is also finding a gentle one. Because you might be cleansing more in summer, depending on how grimey your skin gets from sweat, sunscreen, and more.

The reason Cardon’s cleanser uses clay is because clay is not only the most powerful cleansing agent (which you’ll know from all the brands who make detoxifying clay masks), but also because clay is gentle on the skin; it preserves your skin’s natural pH/oil balance while ridding it of sweat and excess sebum. It also uses tiger grass and cactus extract to calm irritation and nourish skin while it washes.

Learn more skincare tips for oily skin.