Sun, Stress, and Skin: Navigating Summer Skincare Challenges with Dr. BRANDT

Ah, summer… The season of sunshine, beach days, and maybe even an adventure abroad. With so many opportunities for fun in the sun, it’s not a season we tend to associate with stress, and yet complexion-wise, this time of year can put your skin’s resilience seriously to the test. From constant UV exposure, to hot, humid days, to travel-induced stress and fatigue, in summer it can feel like your skin is under constant attack. Here’s how to keep your skin glowing and healthy all summer long.

Summertime Skin Stressors

Let's start with the basics. The summer sun can be both a friend and a foe: while basking in those golden rays may lift up your mood, if you’re not protected, they may be doing harm to your skin. UV radiation from any source penetrates deep into the skin, generating oxidative stress and inflammation, and even damaging your DNA. In addition to increasing skin cancer risk, UV exposure is thought to be responsible for around 90% of visible skin changes associated with aging.

Traveling adds another layer of skin stress. Delays, crowds, red-eye flights, and changing climates can be tough on your mind and body—and by extension, your skin. Chronic stress is thought to trigger inflammatory responses in your skin that impact not only your immune system, but your overall skin health. Increased cortisol production weakens the skin barrier, slowing production of beneficial lipids (cue moisture loss) and increasing production of pore-clogging sebum (cue breakouts). Skin’s pH is disrupted in term, compromising your skin’s integrity, and leading to a whole host of problems that include increased irritation, acne outbreaks, dehydration, and accelerated skin aging.

Meet Your Summer Skincare Heroes

At Dr. BRANDT, we create our formulas using real-life insights from Miami’s top dermatologists—no strangers to helping sun-exposed skin bounce back from damage. Two summer-perfect products we’ve created with their help? Drop Of Strength, our powerful skin resilience-boosting serum, and Pores No More Luminizer Primer, ultra-lightweight coverage that delivers healthier-looking skin with each use.

Think of this serum as your skin’s personal bodyguard. Featuring Immubarrier Complex™, it helps encourage everyday cell detoxification while fortifying the skin barrier against external stressors—all while Hyaluronic Acid promotes plump, hydrated skin.

Our skincare-infused primer delivers featherlight coverage with an illuminating finish—perfect for hot, sticky days when you’d rather go foundation-free.

A Complete Summer Skincare Routine

Make these two products part of a complete summer skincare routine for the ultimate all-season glow.

Step 1: Cleanse

Start with Clean Biotic cleanser. This refreshing cleansing gel helps maintain your skin’s delicate pH balance while sweeping away the day’s sweat and grime. Think of it as fresh start for your skin.

Next, apply Drop Of Strength serum. This powerhouse serum enhances your skin’s resilience and boosts absorption of any actives that follow, helping your complexion bounce back from stress and environmental damage.

Follow up with Cool Biotic, a moisturizer formulated with soothing Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil and Colloidal Oatmeal. It hydrates and calms skin, reducing redness, irritation, and dryness.

Give your eyes some love with id-Stress Fatigue-Fighting Eye Gel. This cooling eye-contour gel diminishes signs of stress and fatigue for a bright, well-rested look.

Step 5: Protect

No summer routine is complete without sun protection. As the last step in your skincare routine, apply Liquid Sun Shield SPF 50, a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen that protects against multiple types of UV damage, keeping your skin youthful and radiant. Remember to reapply every two hours, or more often if you’re swimming or sweating.

Finish with Pores No More Luminizer Primer. This primer creates a flawless base, blurring imperfections while infusing skin with a hint of iridescence. Perfect for hot summer days (with or without makeup).