The Best Lightweight Moisturizers for Your Summer Grooming Routine

It’s warm outside. Your face already has a dewy layer (summer glow, if you will), and you’ve applied SPF. Adding a moisturizer now just seems extra. It is reasonable to assume it might clog pores, lead to breakouts and overall feel too heavy. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Warm weather isn’t an excuse to skip the benefits of using a face moisturizer in your grooming routine. It provides hydration, protection, an even tone and eases lines and wrinkles. What we do recommend, however, is switching up the type of moisturizer you use during the summer months. The good news is plenty of oil-free, mattifying, lightweight moisturizers are available, many of which also contain SPF.

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When choosing a summer moisturizer, heavy creams need not apply. Lightweight gels or lotions are best, and oil-free is ideal, especially if you have acne-prone skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin or ceramides, which provide hydration without making the skin oily. If applied in the morning, a moisturizer with SPF can play double duty, acting as a light sunscreen to protect from UV rays. However, if spending lots of time in the direct sun, we recommend using an SPF on top of that. Look for lightweight moisturizers that are non-comedogenic and won’t block your pores. Vitamins C and E and other natural ingredients offer antioxidant benefits that help protect the skin from environmental damage. Lastly, a matte finish moisturizer can help control shine, particularly in hot, humid weather.

Below are the best lightweight moisturizers to consider adding to your summer grooming rotation. These oil-free and matte formulas are ideal for keeping your face hydrated and protected so you can enjoy everything the sunny season offers. Apply after cleansing your face in the morning and spread evenly in the evening before bed. If your moisturizer doesn’t contain SPF, apply sunscreen separately.

Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Facial Moisturizer is formulated for hydration and protection in the summer season. The lightweight gel-cream is infused with hyaluronic acid and glycerin to quench dry skin, while vitamin E and antioxidants help defend against environmental aggressors. It’s fast-absorbing and delivers broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun defense. Apply in the morning or 15 minutes before sun exposure, and reapply every two hours, especially if swimming or sweating, to maintain soft and protected skin.

Clinique For Men Oil-Free Moisturizer

Clinique For Men’s Oil-Free Moisturizer is formulated to control shine, provide hydration and alleviate shaving irritation (it can double as an aftershave). Enriched with hyaluronic acid, this is one of the best lightweight moisturizers for for oily skin and large pores, but it works for all skin types. The refreshing gel texture is ideal for summer and improves the skin’s barrier, ensuring more moisture stays in. The blend of barley, sunflower and cucumber extracts contributes to its soothing and hydrating effects.

Lab Series Oil Control Moisturizer

This hydration powerhouse from Lab Series is a non-greasy moisturizer and potent blend built for summer’s long, hot days. It controls sebum production, tightens pores and is ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. The AHA/BHA complex, with salicylic and lactic acids, exfoliates dead skin cells, reducing blemishes and breakouts. Infused with Amazonian white clay, it cleanses and detoxifies, absorbing excess oil. Hyaluronic acid keeps skin hydrated, while squalane and barley extract rebuild the skin’s barrier.

Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20

Jack Black’s Double-Duty Face Moisturizer is a lightweight daily moisturizer that doubles as a broad-spectrum sunscreen without oiliness or heaviness. Key ingredients include blue algae extract, which helps soften and reduce inflammation, and sea parsley, which is rich in naturally occurring vitamins A and C to enhance the skin’s overall appearance. With UVA and UVB protection, this moisturizer also includes potent antioxidants that shield the skin from premature aging caused by sun exposure.

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30

This multitasker from CeraVe hydrates, nourishes and protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays. The lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer is formulated with three ceramides to help maintain the skin’s protective barrier, as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid and soothing niacinamide. Allergy-tested and oil-free, this moisturizer simplifies your skincare routine by combining hydration and sun protection in one step.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Moisturizer

La Roche-Posay’s award-winning mattifying oil-free face moisturizer is tailor-made for oil-prone skin; it reduces shine and visibly minimizes large pores while providing essential hydration and a matte finish. Ingredients include lipo-hydroxy acid for gentle exfoliation, glycerin for hydration and oil-absorbing perlite and silica. Apply this non-comedogenic formula in the morning and night as part of your summer grooming routine and bask in the mattifying results.

Anthony Day Cream SPF 30 Men’s Face Moisturizer with Sunscreen

Anthony Day Cream is another dual-purpose moisturizer and SPF worth adding to your regimen. The broad-spectrum SPF 30 guards against UVA and UVB rays, while a lightweight formula with natural AHAs, vitamin B and wheat protein helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles. It absorbs quickly without leaving a residue, supports natural exfoliation, enhances hydration and promotes firmness for improved elasticity. Toss in your beach bag and apply as needed.

Murad Oil and Pore Control Mattifier Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Moisturizer

Murad’s Mattifier SPF 45 is a dual-action moisturizer for those prone to oily skin. The oil-trapping microspheres mattify, smooth and soak up facial sweat that heat will inevitably produce. Avocado and yellow wood bark extracts work to reduce pore size and manage excess oil, while various hydrators soothe the skin. It is also enhanced with sunscreen for broad-spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 45 protection.