Whilst we’re all for tan lines, beachy locks, and sun-kissed limbs, there’s no denying that summer skin is a whole different beast. One minute you’re glowing, the next you’re a shiny, sweaty mess with a side of mystery breakouts. And don’t even get us started on how SPF, sweat, and humidity team up to turn your carefully curated routine into a sticky disaster. No thank you. But fear not – we’re about to crack the code on summer-proof skin cycling, aka your smart, strategic approach to skincare to see you through the heat and humidity.

If you’re new to the concept, skin cycling involves rotating your active ingredients over a few nights, giving your skin a chance to reap their benefits and recover. Typically, it’s a four-night cycle: Exfoliation, Retinoid, Recovery, Recovery. So, it’s not about ditching your beloved actives, it’s about working smarter so you can spend less time battling your complexion and more time sipping iced matcha lattes with skin that actually behaves. Yes please.

And before you go asking, “But do I really need to do this?”, the simple answer is, yes. Summer brings a whole new level of environmental stressors for your skin, from increased UV exposure and higher levels of heat and humidity to the use of SPF and things like chlorine and saltwater. These can all lead to everything from congestion and breakouts to skin being stripped of moisture and feeling dry and dehydrated. The good news? With a few clever tweaks, you can keep your retinoids in rotation without turning into a peeling tomato. Here’s how.

Exfoliation Night

We love our acid toners and exfoliators, but summer calls for a more diplomatic approach – gentleness is key.

It’s all about gently sloughing off dead cells, clearing pores (especially important with increased sweat and SPF) and promoting cell turnover for a brighter complexion.

Opt for chemical exfoliants over harsh physical scrubs and look for products with AHAs (like lactic or mandelic acid), which are strong enough to banish dullness but packed with hydration to keep your barrier happy. Or try PHAs if your skin’s feeling particularly sensitive (we see you, post-beach redness).

Medik8 ‘Press & Glow Daily Exfoliating PHA Tonic with Enzyme Activator’ – £32

Youth To The People ‘Kombucha + 10% AHA Power Exfoliant’ – £36

Soho Skin ‘Liquid Exfoliator’ – £60 

Retinoid Night

Retinoids are still your gold standard for anti-ageing, collagen stimulation, and improving texture, so you shouldn’t ditch them for summer. But, you should take things down a notch. If your skin is feeling more sensitive due to sun exposure or dryness, consider reducing the strength of your retinol, or reduce the frequency. If you’ve had a big day in the sun, it’s best to skip it altogether that day.

Beauty Pie ‘Super Retinol Ceramide-boost Anti-aging Face Serum (3% Retinol Complex)’ – £38

The Ordinary ‘Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion’- £11

Versed ‘Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum’ – £20

Recovery Nights

These are the nights where your skin gets to repair and recover after exposure to actives and environmental stressors. Focus on lightweight, non-comedogenic formulas and look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, niacinamide, and cica (centella asiatica). These will plump, repair, reduce redness, and strengthen your skin’s natural defences while replenishing moisture lost through sweat and sun. They’ll also calm any potential irritation, and strengthen the skin barrier to better withstand chlorine, salt, and sun exposure the next day. 

Murad ‘Cellular Hydration Repair Serum’ – £72

La Roche-Posay ‘Cicaplast Baume B5+ Repairing Balm’ – £19.50

Tatcha ‘Indigo Overnight Repair’ – £86

Words by Frankie Jabarkhyl