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Summer is not kind to skin and hair the way it is to your mood.
More sun, more heat, more outdoor time (all wonderful), but also more UV damage, more dryness, more frizz, more of your skin working overtime to protect itself. After 40, this becomes even more noticeable. The skin that bounced back overnight in your twenties takes a little more support now.
I’ve spent the last couple of years really paying attention to what works for me (and what I spent money on that did absolutely nothing), and summer is when I do a full restock and swap out a few things from my spring routine.
Here’s what I’m reaching for.
The Non-Negotiable: SPF Everything
If there’s one thing I wish I’d taken more seriously in my twenties and thirties, it’s sunscreen. The good news is that it’s never too late: SPF is the single most effective anti-aging tool available, and summer is when it matters most.
I wear SPF on my face every single morning, year-round, but in summer I’m also more intentional about my neck, chest, and the backs of my hands (which age faster than any other part of the body and nobody talks about this).
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50: this is the one product that I would restock before anything else. Find one that sits well under makeup or on its own and make it a daily non-negotiable.
🔗 This is the one I restock first →
I go deeper into my full skincare routine in this post → “My Daily Skincare Routine for Women 40+”
Summer Skin Adjustments
A few things I swap out once the heat arrives:
My heavier winter moisturizer gets replaced with something lighter that won’t feel suffocating in the heat, but still has good hydrating ingredients. Look for hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which work beautifully in summer because they hydrate without heaviness.
I also add a body SPF to my routine and a good after-sun treatment for the evenings, especially if we’ve been outside for any real length of time. This aloe vera gel: your skin will thank you, and the difference in how you feel the next morning is real.
🔗 This is the one I keep on hand →
The Hair Piece Nobody Warned Me About
This is the part I wish someone had told me about ten years ago.
After 40 (and especially after any hormonal shifts), hair changes. Mine got thinner at the temples and the texture changed: more prone to dryness and breakage, less resilient to heat and sun than it used to be.
Summer makes all of this worse. The sun is drying. Chlorine and salt water are drying. And if you’re still heat styling without protection, you’re working against yourself.
Heat protectant spray is the minimum. This one: every single time, before anything hot touches your hair. It’s also got UV filters built in, so it’s pulling double duty. This is not negotiable.
🔗 Grab the one I use every time →
Beyond that, I’ve started using a scalp treatment once a week. Scalp health is hair health: if your scalp is dry, irritated, or not getting the circulation it needs, your hair will show it. This rosemary scalp oil: this is the thing I wished I’d found earlier and the difference it made in just a few months was noticeable.
🔗 This is the oil that made the difference →
And for beach or pool days: good news, the same heat protectant spray above already has UV filters built in, so you’re covered there too. Your hair needs sun protection just like your skin does. This one tends to get forgotten.
A Note on the Bigger Picture
The older I get, the more I understand that taking care of my skin and hair isn’t vanity. It’s maintenance. It’s feeling good in my body and in my face. It’s walking into summer actually equipped instead of just hoping for the best.
You don’t need a ten-step routine. You need the right things for you, restocked and ready. A little intention in June means you look and feel better all the way through September.
Summer is long. Start it right.
This is the final post in my summer planning series! Start with the anchor post: Your Summer Planning Ritual →, if you want to work through all 8 steps.
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