WHY DOES SUMMER
always feel like a deadline?
By Joy, a realistic skincare addict (and of course Glowery addict!)
Every year around April, the shift begins. People start saying things like “before summer,” “for summer,” or worse : “by summer.” By summer, I’ll have my routine locked in. By summer, I’ll finally feel confident in my body. By summer, my skin will be glowing, obviously. It’s like June 1st became a personal performance review. And somehow, my skincare routine is supposed to carry the weight of it all.
Every year around April, the shift begins. People start saying things like “before summer,” “for summer,” or worse : “by summer.” By summer, I’ll have my routine locked in. By summer, I’ll finally feel confident in my body. By summer, my skin will be glowing, obviously.
It’s like June 1st became a personal performance review. And somehow, my skincare routine is supposed to carry the weight of it all.
The pressure to glow before the world sees you.
Let’s be honest: summer can feel like a reveal.
We show more skin. We go outside more. People post more. And suddenly, your little PM routine (the one that felt cozy and grounding all winter) becomes your prep for a “hot girl summer” you’re not even sure you signed up for.
You’re not alone if you’ve ever looked at your reflection in May and thought, “Okay, I need to glow. Fast.”
But here’s the thing: panic-glowing isn’t real skincare. It’s marketing. And your skin? She’s not on anyone’s schedule but her own.
What your skin actually needs right now ?
Instead of chasing a deadline, this is your sign to come back to the basics. Because while you’re busy trying to reinvent yourself for summer, your skin is craving consistency.
Tip #1: Downshift your routine, don’t ramp it up.
Hot weather = more sweat, more sun, more sensitivity.
Stick to light textures (think gel cleansers, watery serums, cloud-like creams). Focus on hydration, not transformation.
Tip #2: Don’t skip SPF because you're “staying in.”
Yes, even when you're WFH. UV damage is cumulative, and your skin doesn’t care if you're wearing pants or not.
Tip #3: Your barrier is the main character.
You don’t need 8 new products. You need one or two that your skin actually loves, and ideally with fermented ingredients, calming actives (like gardenia extract), and a formula that doesn’t pick a fight with your microbiome.
Summer isn’t a finish line. It’s just a season.
This year, I’m not sprinting toward a glow-up. I’m not adding extra steps to my skincare routine like it’s a checklist for being outside. I’m choosing softness. Stillness. SPF and clean sheets. A jelly-textured cleanser that feels like washing off the pressure.
Because when I stopped treating summer like a deadline, my skin stopped stressing too.
And that glow? It came anyway.
Let your skin ( and your story ) unfold at their own pace.
Glow isn’t a goal. It’s a side effect of care, patience, and a little bit of sun (with protection).
So whether you’re ready for crop tops, or just barely keeping up, your skin isn’t behind.
There is no deadline. There’s just now. And that’s enough.