You wore sunscreen (right?), drank your water, and maybe even remembered your hat. Still, after a long day in the sun, your skin’s a little off. A little tight. A little flushed. A little…confused.
Even without a full-on sunburn, UV exposure takes a toll—weakening your skin barrier, causing moisture loss, and kicking off low-key inflammation. If you’re wondering how to repair your skin after sun exposure, the answer is a smart, simple after-sun skincare routine. This one hydrates, soothes, and helps your skin bounce back stronger.
We built it using Grimoire’s science-backed lineup. Whether your “beach day” happened in Greece or on a folding chair on your roof, this recovery ritual has you covered.
Step 1: Start With a Gentle Cleanse
Before you layer on any treatment products, your first move is a gentle cleanse. The goal is to remove sunscreen, sweat, pollution, and excess oil—without stripping your skin. Go for a fragrance-free and hydrating cleanser here. Think cream cleansers or micellar waters. Pat dry—don’t rub—and move on to the good stuff.
Step 2: Soothe Tired Eyes
Use: Grimoire’s Eye Roll Eye Serum
The eye area gets a lot of abuse in the sun: squinting, dehydration, maybe some salt or sand. That thinner, delicate skin needs extra care. Eye Roll is Grimoire’s cooling eye serum designed to de-puff, hydrate, and brighten. Caffeine powder helps reduce swelling, while micro super greens and acetyl hexapeptide-1 lock in hydration and smooth fine lines.
How to use: Gently tap a small amount around the under-eye area. Don’t drag or rub—it should feel like a cool drink of water for your face.
Step 3: Choose the Right Serum
Use: Grimoire’s Beach Guise or Vanity Monday Face Serum
This is where the magic happens. After sun exposure, your skin is depleted and potentially inflamed. Serums are your cleanup crew—targeting stress, redness, and dryness before they set in.
Option A: Beach Guise Face Serum
If you were in direct sun, this is the serum for you. Beach Guise is lightweight, cooling, and full of ingredients that fight redness and irritation. Gotu kola calms inflammation, plant bisabolol reduces redness, and wild indigo extract helps manage the stress response in your skin.
Option B: Vanity Monday Face Serum
If your skin feels dull, dry, or just “off” after sun exposure—but not actively inflamed—reach for Vanity Monday. It’s packed with sea buckthorn to revive tired skin, wild indigo extract to calm, and micro super greens to recharge moisture levels.
How to use both: Apply a thin layer to clean skin and let it fully absorb before moisturizing.
Step 4: Lock It In With Moisture
Use: Grimoire’s Nightmare Away Face Cream
Your last step is all about sealing in the serum’s benefits and rebuilding your skin barrier. Nightmare Away is technically an overnight repair cream, but post-sun, it earns its place in your daytime routine too. Rich in shea butter and lavender extract, this cream delivers intense hydration while calming inflammation. Micro super greens help repair environmental damage and improve texture—ideal after too much UV.
How to use: Apply a thin layer to your face and neck. Use nightly, or any time your skin needs recovery mode.
Bonus Tips for Post-Sun Skin Recovery
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Stay hydrated—Skincare helps, but internal hydration is key.
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No actives for 24–48 hours—Skip your retinol, exfoliants, and anything harsh.
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Use SPF the next day—Sun-damaged skin is even more sensitive to light.
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Keep it cool—Avoid hot showers or spicy foods that can increase redness.
Keep This Ritual in Your Back Pocket
Even if you avoided a sunburn, your skin still needs recovery. The best after-sun skincare isn’t about reversing damage—it’s about preventing it in the first place. By treating your skin gently and giving it what it needs, you help it heal faster, look better, and feel a whole lot happier.
Grimoire’s gender-expansive, vegan skincare lineup is designed for real life, real skin, and the real sun. Your skin handled the sun. Let this routine handle the rest.
