Once summer hits and your Instagram feed lights up with endorsements of all the products you *need* for no-makeup-makeup selfies and dewy complexion close-ups—you probably start to wonder: Which products actually live up to the hype?
It’s way too easy to get sucked down a summer glow shopping hole, which is why we asked Hadley King, MD and board-certified dermatologist in New York City, what the true must-haves for a solid summertime routine are. At the top of her list? Antioxidants (specifically, a vitamin C) and a moisturizer with SPF 30 or higher with broad spectrum protection.
“Sunscreens, either mineral or chemical, help to protect the skin from UV radiation,” Dr. King says. “But if these ingredients are combined with antioxidants like vitamin C, then the protection has been shown to be greater because the antioxidants help to neutralize the free radicals from UV rays.” Basically, with just two ingredients, your glow is on lock.
To score all the high-quality vitamin C serums, soothing moisturizers, and top-of-the-line SPF products you need in one place, Saks Fifth Avenue—the ultimate destination for all things clean beauty thanks to its huge selection of the latest luxury and organic beauty products—is your one-stop shop.
For proof, we rounded up seven new (derm-approved) products to slot into your summer beauty routine ASAP to help your complexion feel healthy and glowing all season long.
Keep scrolling for the 7 summer beauty products a dermatologist says are worth the hype.
Espa Gradual Tan Body Moisturizer — $60.00
If keeping sun exposure to a minimum is your goal over the warm-weather months, that doesn’t mean you can’t maintain a sun-kissed glow. Tapping shea butter and sweet almond oil, this head-to-toe tanning moisturizer delivers both hydration and a natural-looking, all-over bronze.
“Shea butter contains fatty acids that have been shown to improve the skin barrier,” Dr. King says. “Sweet almond oil, with anti-inflammatory fatty acids and vitamins A and E, is a great choice for good moisturizing and antioxidant properties.”
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF+ Sunscreen — $49.00
An SPF product that becomes more effective in heat and water? Yep, it exists—and it’s vying for a front-row spot in your summer beauty cabinet. This one uses Shiseido’s WetForce technology, which combines the formula’s negative ions with positive ions in sweat and water, to provide an extra layer of sun protection that will keep working while you’re busy enjoying your day at the pool or beach.
Plus, Dr. King always recommends an SPF of 30 or above, and this SPF 50+ sunscreen can be used on both your face and body for max protection all summer.
Eleven by Venus Williams Unrivaled Sun Serum — $50.00
As the last step in your routine before layering on your makeup, this lightweight serum combines skin care and sun protection into one product (and with SPF 35 it passes Dr. King’s hype test).
Made with 25 percent zinc oxide for reef-safe, broad-spectrum protection and prickly pear for soothing hydration, this summertime, sun-blocking serum is a no-brainer. Even better? The serum dries clear, with no chalky finish (unlike many other mineral sunscreens), so it’s a great option for all skin tones.
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer — $45.00
A go-to tinted moisturizer is a must for summer, and this super-lightweight one hydrates while also enriching skin with vitamin C—as well as protecting your complexion from UV rays with SPF 30. (So, yes it does everything.)
“Neutralizing free radicals with antioxidants such as vitamin C improves the prevention of photo-damage (changes in the skin from the result of sun exposure),” Dr. King says. Plus, how can you forget to put on SPF when it’s infused directly into your daily moisturizer?
Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer Powder — $56.00
Give your glow a boost without spending more time in the sun (since sun exposure usually equals skin damage) with this easy-to-blend, transfer-resistant bronzer. It taps nourishing argan oil to bronze and soothe your skin at the same time for a hydrated, sunkissed finish that will last all day.
Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper — $20.00
Sunny park picnics are peak summer bliss—but they usually come with some (or a lot of) sweat. These on-the-go blotting sheets absorb oil and eliminate shine for a fresh finish.
“The advantage of blotting papers over powders is that you are removing oil without adding more product,” Dr. King says. Keeping your look intact despite the humidity? That’s definitely a summer beauty win.
Larq Double Walled Self Sanitizing Water Bottle — $95.00
Though a water bottle is not technically a beauty product in the traditional sense, according to Dr. King, one of the best ways to keep your complexion looking healthy is to hydrate it from the inside out.
“Maintaining adequate hydration is not only necessary for keeping our body functioning properly, it also helps make our skin more plump and resilient,” Dr. King says. “This can be particularly important when temperatures rise because we lose more fluid through sweating.”
Keep this self-cleaning water bottle—which chills drinks for up to 24 hours and uses UV-C LED light to eliminate bio-contaminants from the water and the bottle—in your tote to have on hand during all your summer adventures.
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