📸 ig: @luisapiou
Let’s talk glow up, the kind that hits just right when the sun’s low, the selfies are fire, and your skin looks like you drink eight gallons of water a day and mind your business (even if you don’t).
Welcome to your Golden Hour Glow routine, aka the ultimate summer skincare guide for dewy, radiant, “I woke up like this” skin. Whether you’re headed to the beach, brunching with the girls, or just taking golden hour pics in your driveway (no judgment), this routine is here to turn your face into a lit-from-within moment.
Step 1: Double Cleanse, Because SPF and Sweat Are a Whole Thing
Why: Summer skin = sunscreen, sweat, and sebum (the 3 S’s of congestion). You need a cleanse that doesn’t just scratch the surface.
How: Start with a cleansing balm or oil to melt away sunscreen and makeup.
Try: Farmacy Green Clean
Follow up with a gentle gel cleanser to deep-clean without stripping.
Try: Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser
Step 2: Exfoliate Gently (Like, 2–3x a Week Max)
Why: You want glow, not goodbye, moisture barrier, go easy. Dead skin = dull skin.
How: Swipe on a chemical exfoliant with AHAs (glycolic or lactic acid) to boost cell turnover and let that glow shine through.
Try: Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (great for clearing up summer congestion)
Hot tip: Don’t use on days you’re getting lots of sun exposure. Overexfoliation + sun = sensitivity.
Step 3: Hydration Sandwich (Toner + Serum + Moisturizer)
Why: Dewy skin is hydrated skin, simple as that. Think of this step like layering juicy goodness into your skin.
How: Start with a mist or hydrating toner right after cleansing.
Try: Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer
Lock it in with a hyaluronic acid serum to plump and glow.
Try: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Finish with a lightweight gel-cream that hydrates without making you greasy.
Step 4: Vitamin C is Your Summer MVP
Why: It brightens, protects, and helps fade any dark spots from past breakouts or sun exposure. Basically, it’s your golden-hour-in-a-bottle.
How: Use a Vitamin C serum in the morning after cleansing and before moisturizer.
Try: Summer Fridays CC Me Serum
Step 5: SPF, Always. No Excuses.
Why: You can do every step above flawlessly, but if you skip SPF? Say goodbye to that glow, and hello to sun damage. No thanks.
How: Go for broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, even on cloudy days.
Try: Supergoop! Glowscreen – a glowy primer + SPF in one
Reapply every 2 hours if you’re out and about. Mist SPFs like Habit No.41 Mister make it easy and cute.
Bonus: Nighttime Glow-Up Extras
If you want your skin to GLEAM by sunrise:
Overnight masks: Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask is a cult favorite for a reason.
Retinol: Only if your skin is used to it, and not on the same night as exfoliants! Start with something gentle like Versed Press Restart.
Pro Summer Skin Tips for Maximum Glow
Keep your toner or mist in the fridge – a cold spritz on a hot day = heaven.
Gua sha or ice rollers in the morning = de-puffed and sculpted.
Drink water, yes, but also load up on hydrating foods: watermelon, cucumber, pineapple… summer goddess vibes only.
Sleep on a silk pillowcase – it’s gentle on your skin and your blowout.
Final Glow-Up Vibes
Dewy summer skin isn’t about perfection. It’s about radiance, confidence, and feeling like that girl in your own skin. Whether you’re wearing a full face of makeup or just sunscreen and vibes, the Golden Hour Glow routine is here to give you that fresh-faced, lit-from-within, beachy radiance that turns heads and starts compliments.
So mist, mask, and moisturize like the glowy goddess you are.
Your selfie deserves it.
Your summer deserves it.
You deserve it.
Follow us on
Instagram@therelatable._
TikTok@therelatable._
Pinterest @TheRelatableMedia
Linktree @therelatable
