August marks a transitional moment a shift from the carefree spirit of summer into the rhythm and structure of a new season. With kids heading back to school, college students returning to campus, and professionals settling back into their daily grind, life begins to pick up speed again. The long, sun-drenched days start to shorten, and routines that were once relaxed begin to tighten. It’s a time of early alarms, busier schedules, and renewed goals. Just as our calendars and wardrobes adjust for this seasonal pivot, our skincare routines also deserve a thoughtful reset. The aftermath of summer think sun exposure, sweat, travel, and inconsistent habits can leave skin feeling dull, dehydrated, or congested. As the pace of life quickens, a streamlined yet effective skincare regimen becomes essential. This is the perfect month to reintroduce balance: gentle exfoliation to remove buildup, lightweight hydration to maintain skin health, and multitasking products that save time without compromising results. Whether you're a student managing breakouts or a professional combating fatigue and dullness, August is the ideal time to recommit to taking care of your skin making room in your routine for both self-discipline and self-care.
Here's a morning and nighttime skincare routine tailored to the real-life energy of August, as people transition back to school or work, juggling busy schedules, and craving both efficiency and care:
Mornings are moving fast now alarm clocks buzz earlier, to-do lists grow longer, and you’ve got to look refreshed even if you’re running on caffeine and willpower. This is your “get up and glow” routine.
Gentle Gel or Cream Cleanser
Wash away the night without stripping your skin. Your face needs a soft reset, not a scrub down especially after those hot summer nights.
Skinmedica Pore Purifying Gel Cleanser
A hydrating and refreshing gel cleanser that clears and purifies the pores without stripping the skin. Boosted with Bakuchiol and Botanicals, it is expertly formulated to maintain skin's natural barrier.
Murad Clarifying Cream Cleanser
Murad Clarifying Cream Cleanser (6.75 fl. oz.) is tough on breakouts yet gentle on skin, this cleanser has a silky, non-foaming texture that cleanses without stripping skin of vital moisture. It‘s shown to target breakouts for up to eight hours after rinse off.
Refreshing Toner or Essence
Think of this as your morning splash of energy. A toner with hydration and light exfoliation helps prep your skin for the day ahead balancing and brightening at once.
This weightless, daily-use toner deeply hydrates the skin while providing antioxidant protection.
Eminence Organic Kombucha Microbiome Balancing Essence
Restore the look of balanced skin with this nourishing essence. A blend of pre, pro* and postbiotics works harmoniously to enhance the appearance of luminosity and gently primes the skin ahead of your full skin care ritual.
Vitamin C Serum
Your daytime armor. This brightens, protects, and sets the tone (literally) for a skin-confident day. A multitasker’s best friend.
Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum
Pollution and UV light can accelerate skin damage through oxidative (free radical) stress. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that supports healthier-looking skin and can help prevent visible skin damage like hyperpigmentation, dullness and uneven tone.
Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%
Slow down the aging process and boost glowing skin with the Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%. This potent potion of highly concentrated L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), enriches your skin with antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and protect the skin from environmental damage.
Lightweight Moisturizer
Because even in a rush, your skin deserves to be nourished. Go for something fast-absorbing and breathable, perfect under makeup or on its own.
EltaMD Skin Recovery Light Moisturizer
Like a cool drink of water for your skin. This non-greasy formula feels weightless on skin, allowing for effortless blending and wearability. As the final step in our Skin Recovery System, it helps moisturize and restore the skin’s natural barrier, thanks to our patented AAComplex.
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud
Drench your skin with a weightless cloud of refreshing moisture that transforms to a matte finish upon application and provides non-greasy hydration that won’t clog pores. A 30% Hyaluronic Acid Complex draws in water, while HydraFence™ ingredient technology helps provide 48 hours of enhanced hydration.*
SPF 30 or Higher
Non-negotiable. Whether you’re walking to class, commuting to work, or dashing out for coffee sun damage doesn’t pause just because summer is fading. Choose a formula that doubles as a primer to simplify your steps.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF50
UNSEEN SUNSCREEN™ SPF 50 is a weightless, colorless, scentless, oil-free formula for face that leaves behind a velvety soft finish. It also acts as a makeup gripping primer that’s perfect for all skin tones.
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 is formulated with 5% high-purity niacinamide (Vitamin B3) to help reduce the appearance of blemishes, discoloration, and photo-damaged skin. Vitamin B3 has been shown to help effectively reduce the appearance of blemishes associated with acne.
Nighttime Skincare Routine: For the Worn-But-Worthy Wind Down
The day’s done. You’ve been out in the world thinking, doing, solving, showing up. This is your time to pause, reflect, and treat your skin with the care it craves after the daily grind.
Double Cleanse (Oil or Balm, then Gentle Cleanser)
Let the day melt away. Whether it’s makeup, sweat, or city grime, a thorough cleanse is a form of emotional and physical release.
Gently dissolve makeup, oil, and other impurities with this lightweight pre-cleansing oil. Dissolves dirt, oil, and debris, including full-face makeup. Leaves the skin feeling hydrated and soft.
Hanskin's Pore Cleansing Oil AHA is a deep cleansing oil that purifies and exfoliates combination skin types in a single step. Made with plant-derived ingredients and alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), this hydrating formula gently rinses away heavy makeup, smooths skin texture, and dissolves pore impurities without leaving a greasy residue.
Exfoliating Treatment (2-3x a week)
A mild AHA/BHA serum or toner helps smooth out the rough edges—just like you do in life. This keeps breakouts and dullness at bay without overdoing it.
SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser deep cleans to remove impurities, makeup, and dirt. This resurfacing face wash combines alpha and beta hydroxy acids for a comprehensive exfoliation that targets surface blemishes like whiteheads and blackheads, while also unclogging pores to reveal luminous, youthful skin. Jojoba spheres provide physical exfoliation to gently buff away dead skin cells while moisturizing the skin to prevent overdrying and irritation.
Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
We love the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser (6.75 fl. oz.) because it blends alpha and beta hydroxy acids to deeply clean your pores without causing irritation. Plus, the natural fruit acids promote clarity and a more youthful expression. Developed by dermatologists, this creamy cleanser loosens dull and dead skin cell buildup to resurface your complexion.
Hydrating Serum (Think Hyaluronic Acid or Niacinamide)
You’ve done enough today—let this step do the heavy lifting while you rest. These ingredients work quietly overnight to plump and soothe tired skin.
PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Hydration is the non-negotiable step for everyone seeking healthy, beautiful skin. The solution isn't just more moisture—it's smarter, sustained hydration that works from the inside out. PCA SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum helps to amplify the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels by 50% within 24 hours, delivering instant and long-term hydration.
Defenage 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream
This deeply moisturizing treatment cream combines multiple anti-aging technologies to promote youthful skin. DefenAge 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream works with a proprietary peptide blend, along with soothing niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, to help you achieve a plump, smooth and even complexion. Botanical antioxidants from cranberry and rosemary protect skin from environmental free radical damage, while essential amino acids boost collagen and elastin production for a firm facial contour.
Nourishing Moisturizer or Night Cream
Your skin deserves comfort too. Choose something richer at night to restore what the day may have taken. Massage it in slowly—think of it as a hug for your face.
Revision Skincare Firming Night Treatment
Firming Night Treatment - Peptide-rich, age-defying cream provides intense short-term and long-term moisturization while you sleep. It reduces the appearance of fine line and wrinkles, replenishes and brightens dull, dry skin.
Replenix Age Restore Nighttime Therapy
REPLENIX Age Restore Nighttime Therapy is a scientifically formulated, moisture-boosting night-time treatment that provides proven age-defying benefits while softening and nourishing dry skin back to optimum health. Skin is deeply hydrated while elasticity, texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and tone are dramatically improved.
Eye Cream or Overnight Mask
If your eyes are feeling the weight of screen time or sleep loss, a cooling eye cream can refresh and depuff. Or apply a leave-on mask a couple of nights a week when your skin feels extra parched.
Give your tired eyes a revitalizing treat with the Neocutis Lumiere Firm Riche Eye Cream. Winner of InStyle2021 Best Beauty Buy Award, the rich, creamy formula conditions dull, extra dry skin, and hydrates to reduce the formation of crepey skin around the eyes.
Patchology Restoring Night Eye Gels
Did you know the hours between 10pm and 12am are the best times to repair skin? Put fine lines to bed with a powerful nightly dose of anti-aging Retinol and Peptides. Cedrus Atlantica Bark brightens and reduces dark circles. Arnica extract soothes tired, youth-depleted eyes. These hydrogels work in just 5 minutes to restore a brighter, youthful appearance to overworked, under-rested eyes.
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Hydrating Eye Gel
50% Hyaluronic Acid Complex eye gel drenches skin in a liquid cloud of pure moisture and helps reduce the look of fine lines, puffiness and darkness.
