Poolside. BBQs. Baseball Games. Road Trips.

It’s summer!

I don’t know about you…but I used to “ignore” my skincare routine in the summer. Why bother? It was humid outside. My skin didn’t feel dry. Outside of putting on sunscreen at the pool, it just seemed like a colossal waste of time.

Well, I was DUMB and WRONG.

After spending some time with an aesthetician last year, I became “educated” that summer is the hardest season on our skin. More hours of daylight, coupled with being outside more and using fewer products is a recipe for wrinkles, brown spots, and loss of elasticity. No Bueno, peeps. No Bueno.

But it’s summer!! Summer is about pairing down and making things easy. I get it. But we don’t need to beat our skin up too – so that’s why I’m sharing my favorite and the best drugstore skincare products for summer.

(And the best part, you can pick up all of these items for around $10 or less.)

Best Drugstore Products For Summer Skincare

1. Cetaphil. As always, good skin care starts with making sure your skin is clean. It is extra important to keep our skin clean during the summertime. Why? For one, we are sweating more and sweat can clog pores. Two, you should be using a waterproof facial sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher when you are the pool. And many times, depending on the brand, it can clog your pores. Finally, you are at the pool more often and exposing yourself to the chlorination and chemicals in the water. I’ve used Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for close to 20 years and for the money, it’s the best skin cleanser.

2. Carmex Lip Balm. Carmex is like the swiss-army knife of skin care. I’ve used it soothe chapped lips, fight cold sores, heal blemishes or blisters, and fight a sunburn. Honestly, it reminds of Windex in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. But seriously, for under $1.50, you can NOT afford to have this little jewel in your skincare arsenal.

3. Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30. Remember the days when we used Olay with SPF 10 and thought we were caring for our skin? Yeah. Me too. Most skincare professionals recommend a moisturizer with SPF of 30 or more for the summertime. The problem…most drugstore brands have no more than SPF 15. That’s why I love this moisturizer. Not only does it have SPF 30 but it doesn’t go on “pasty” or leave your skin with a “white tinge” that makes you look like you are trying to channel your inner-Geisha.

4. Vitamin C Serum. So while technically not in the “drugstore”, it is under $15 and is a miracle worker for skin. Vitamin C helps speed up skin’s rejuvenation process. Considering the elements your skin will be exposed to this summer, it is the boost it needs to stay healthy, hydrated and fight off brown spots. On a side note, out of all the skincare products I’ve tried in the last year, the biggest game changer has been Vitamin C Serum.

5. Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion with SPF 50 Sunscreen. I’ve used about every facial sunscreen known to man and I always come back to Aveeno. I love the Aveeno Protect + Hydrate because it doesn’t go on thick, doesn’t have an overly strong smell, absorbs quickly, is waterproof and is non-comedogenic and oil-free. Grab a bottle, put it in your bathroom and use it exclusively for your face, neck, and chest area when you are out in the sun or at the pool. Most likely you will only need one or two bottles for the season – and they are worth every penny.

6. Aveeno Hydrosport Wet Skin Spray with SPF 30 Sunscreen. I love Aveeno Hydrosport Wet Skin Spray because you can reapply it to wet skin (aka…you’ve already been in the pool, but need a little more sunscreen). The smell isn’t overly strong and it sprays evenly and dries wickedly quick. (Also very important if you want to get back into the water.)

7. L’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Body Towelettes. I’ll admit it, I like looking like I have a tan. But when you are slathering SPF 50 all over body every time you go the pool, it can take “awhile” to get a nice glow. (Or in my case, August, right before it is time to go back to school.) These self-tanning towelettes provide a nice glow, are a breeze to apply, great for traveling and are reasonably priced. (Plus, there is enough product on the towelettes for two to three applications.) It’s a great product for in-between your first days at the pool and the last ones.

8. St. Ives Timeless Skin Facial Moisturizer. This product, along with Cetaphil, are the “been around forever, been using forever” products. Why? This moisturizer is worth a whole lot more than the $5.00 price tag. It’s made from natural ingredients and formulated with collagen and elastin proteins, which help hydrate for visibly softer, smoother skin. It is my go-to moisturizer because I can buy so much of it for so little, that it allows me to slather it on everywhere with abandonment.

8. Vaseline Spray Moisturizer. I was able to review this product last year and was blown away. It solved my lotion/clothing/summer problem. I hate putting lotion on after a shower when the humidity is above 80%. The lotion will never dry or soak in or whatever is does and I just feel like a greasy mess. Then, to try and put on clothes on afterward. BLEH. This spray moisturizer does a great job of moisturizing my body without making it feel greasy. Which is a GODSEND if you are trying to put on jeans!! (No Bueno putting on jeans with greasy lotion legs.)

And while not technically a drugstore product, I needed to share…

9. Batiste Dry Shampoo. In the last year, I have experienced the wonder and amazingness of dry shampoo. I workout between five and six days a week and I SWEAT. (Like people ask me if I’m okay because my face is super red and I look like I just ran through a sprinkler system.) I could wash my hair every day, but it hard on my hair and I don’t have TIME. Enter dry shampoo. The reason I recommend this brand is the price point and it comes in a zillion colors (so my dark-haired friends don’t look like they got into a fight with baby powder).

What about you? What are your favorite summer skincare products you can get from the drugstore? Leave a comment and let me know. I’m always on the lookout for the “next great thing”.

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And be sure to check out these other Beauty and Skin Articles from Redefined Mom.

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Disclosure: I am an Aveeno Ambassador, and Aveeno provided product to sample and review, but I was not compensated in any other way. With that being said, I don’t love all Aveeno products, but only the ones I listed above. The written remarks are entirely my own. Want more information – check out my full disclosure statement.