Preparing your skin for the sun: the right steps before summer

June often marks the beginning of a new rhythm for the skin. Days lengthen, terraces fill up, sunny weekends begin, and the desire for a healthy glow naturally returns. However, it is also a time when the skin can be under more stress: more frequent sun exposure, heat, perspiration, dehydration, changes in routine, air conditioning, travel, or even the first sunbathing sessions.

Preparing your skin for the sun doesn't mean assaulting it, stripping it, or trying to "accustom" it to UV rays. On the contrary, well-prepared skin is skin that is cared for gently, regularly, and intelligently. The goal is not to make it more resistant at all costs, but to help it remain comfortable, radiant, and better protected during this more intense period.

The sun: a pleasure, but also a stress for the skin

The sun is good for morale, gives a healthy glow, and naturally accompanies the fine weather. But for the skin, sun exposure also represents stress. UV rays can promote dehydration, accentuate redness, stimulate the appearance of pigment spots, and accelerate skin aging.

In Switzerland, the UV index allows us to estimate the intensity of solar radiation and adapt our protection. MeteoSuisse specifies that this index is calculated for the maximum radiation intensity, generally between 11 am and 3 pm. This is therefore a period of the day when the skin deserves special attention.

Preparing your skin before summer means, above all, understanding that it doesn't need to be "forced." It needs to be listened to.

1. Cleanse without stripping

When it's hotter, you might feel like your skin is getting oilier, shinier, or more uneven. The reflex can then be to cleanse more often, more vigorously, or to use more astringent products.

However, this is a common mistake.

Over-stripped skin can react by producing more sebum, becoming more sensitive, or losing comfort. Before summer, it is preferable to opt for gentle cleansing, morning and evening, adapted to your skin type. The goal is to eliminate impurities, perspiration, sunscreen, and pollution, without weakening the skin barrier.

Well-cleansed, but respected, skin better receives the care applied afterward.

2. Exfoliate, yes, but in moderation

Exfoliation can help restore radiance, smooth skin texture, and prevent the accumulation of dead skin cells. But as summer approaches, it's important to avoid overly aggressive actions, especially if you plan to expose yourself to the sun.

An overly abrasive scrub or too frequent exfoliation can make the skin more vulnerable, more reactive, and more prone to discomfort. The idea is not to "sand" the skin to make it tan better, but to accompany it gradually.

3. Boost hydration

With heat, sun, perspiration, and air conditioning, skin can lose water more easily. Even combination or oily skin can be dehydrated. It can then feel tight, lack radiance, show fine lines more, or produce more sebum to compensate.

Hydration is therefore an essential step before and during summer.

You can adapt textures: a lighter cream, a hydrating serum, a lotion, or an emulsion can sometimes be more suitable than a very rich cream. The important thing is not to forgo hydration simply because it's hot.

Well-hydrated skin is often more supple, more comfortable, and more radiant.

4. Focus on antioxidants

Before summer, antioxidants are valuable allies. They help support the skin against external aggressions, particularly oxidative stress linked to UV rays, pollution, and lifestyle.

Vitamin C, for example, is often used to provide radiance and help prevent pigment spots. It obviously does not replace sun protection, but it can be part of an intelligent morning routine, under a moisturizer and an SPF.

The right choice always depends on the skin: sensitive skin, skin prone to redness, or skin with imperfections will not necessarily need the same active ingredients or the same textures.

5. Never neglect sun protection

Sun protection is the central gesture of the summer routine. It doesn't only concern beach holidays: it's important whenever the skin is exposed, including in the city, on a terrace, while walking, or during daily commutes.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours when outdoors, as well as after swimming or sweating. The Skin Cancer Foundation also recommends broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF 30 or higher daily, and an SPF 50 or higher for prolonged outdoor exposure.