A Seasonal Body Care Routine: Summer vs Winter Skin

Your skin changes with the seasons, so your body care should move with it. The best seasonal body care routine keeps the same core steps all year (cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and protect) and simply swaps textures and intensity as heat, humidity and sunshine shift. In the summer, think weightless hydration and broad-spectrum SPF. In the winter, cold air and indoor heating pull moisture from your skin, so it's time for shorter, warm showers, gentler cleansing and richer textures smoothed onto damp skin. 

The best part? You don't need two separate routines, just a few smart (and delicious) swaps. Here's exactly what to change and when, so you can stay soft, glowing and cheirosa all year long.

Does Your Skin Need Different Care in Summer vs Winter?

Yes, and your skin will let you know. When temperatures drop, humidity drops too, both outside and inside our homes, so skin can have a harder time holding on to moisture and may start to feel dry, tight or itchy.

Summer flips the script. When sweat mixes with the oils and bacteria on your skin, it can clog pores. Heavier textures can start to feel sticky in the heat, and more time soaking up the sun makes sun protection your number one priority.

That's why the routine that feels perfect in July can leave your skin craving more moisture by January. Seasonal skin care isn't about starting from scratch. It's about a few easy swaps to the body care you already love, so every season feels like pure body joy.

Summer vs Winter Body Care Routine Differences

In the summer, keep your body care light, fresh and protective. In winter, cleanse more gently, ease up on exfoliation and switch to richer textures applied to damp skin.

The core steps stay the same all year. Only the textures and the rhythm change. A gel is often water-based and feels lighter than a lotion, while a cream is thicker with a higher oil content, which makes it more hydrating when the air turns dry. 

Ready to build yours? Explore our body care routine favorites.

Your Summer Body Care Routine

A summer body care routine is all about weightless hydration, a refreshing rinse after sweat or swimming, and daily broad-spectrum sun protection. After a dip in the pool or ocean, shower with fresh, clean water, then reapply moisturizer and sunscreen before heading back out into the sunshine. Craving more warm-weather inspo? Check out our summer body care tips.

Switch to Weightless Hydration

Your skin still needs moisture in summer, but a heavy cream can feel sticky in heat and humidity, so a lighter lotion or gel feels so much better. Enter Body Badalada™ Skin Refresh Water Lotion, our ultra-light water-gel lotion that sinks in fast, like an invigorating rush of water. It's bursting with moisturizing multi-glycerin, antioxidant-rich guava leaf essence and skin-quenching star fruit extract for 24-hour weightless, refreshing hydration. And the scent? Sparkling, juicy Cheirosa 48, with notes of guava nectar, coconut water, sunlit orchid and pink musk. In Portuguese, badalada means the hottest thing, and this lotion lives up to the name. Smooth it on after every shower for soft, refreshed skin with zero greasy feel. Fair warning: you'll be obsessed.

Make SPF a Daily Body Care Step

Sunscreen is the summer step you never skip. Dermatologists recommend a broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every 2 hours and right after swimming or sweating. Don't forget the easy-to-miss spots, like your ears, the back of your neck and the tops of your feet.

Not sure which format is for you? Read SPF Spray or Oil: Which Is Right for Me? 

Your Winter Body Care Routine

A winter body care routine is all about protecting your skin barrier: shorter, warm showers, gentler cleansing, less exfoliation and richer textures smoothed onto damp skin. The goal is to lock moisture in, not to pile on more products. At home, a humidifier helps add moisture back into dry indoor air. 

Swap to a Richer Moisturizer and Apply It to Damp Skin

When the air turns dry, upgrade your texture and get your timing right. Dermatologists recommend patting your skin gently with a towel, leaving it slightly damp, then applying moisturizer to seal in that water. Creams and ointments are also more effective than lotions for dry skin.

1. Gently pat your skin, leaving it slightly damp.

2. Smooth on your moisturizer right away. Sol tip: aim for within three minutes of stepping out of the shower.

3. Layer a rich body butter on your driest spots, like elbows, knees and heels.

For an everyday winter swap, Body Badalada™ Moisture Melting Lotion is our rich milk-to-butter lotion for 24-hour soothing hydration. Nourishing coconut milk, a skin barrier-supporting pro-ceramide and moisture-locking Brazilian buriti oil help strengthen your skin's moisture barrier, all wrapped in our beachy, indulgent Cheirosa 39 scent with notes of coconut cream, toasted vanilla and warm praline.

Craving next-level moisture for extra-dry elbows, knees and heels? Get drenched with Delícia Drench™ Body Butter, our richest, most indulgent texture. Bacuri butter, prebiotic hibiscus and our Brazilian Soothing Complex lock in moisture for up to 48 hours with a velvety (never greasy) finish, scented with luscious Cheirosa 59. Discover more in our Brazilian body butter cream collection.

Cleanse More Gently and Exfoliate Less Often

Winter cleansing should feel like a warm hug for your skin. Keep showers to 5 to 10 minutes in warm (not hot) water, choose a gentle, moisturizing cleanser and pat your skin dry. Our iconic Brazilian Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel is sulfate-free and infused with cupuaçu butter, açaí oil and coconut oil, transforming into a rich, luscious froth on wet skin in our signature Cheirosa 62 scent. For even more nourishment, Delícia Drench™ Shower Oil cleanses and nourishes in one step, then pairs perfectly with Delícia Drench™ Body Butter for the ultimate deep-moisture routine.

Exfoliation needs a lighter touch, too. Dermatologists suggest cutting back on products with alpha or beta hydroxy acids in colder months, since they can irritate dry skin. Exfoliate less often, choose a gentle scrub, and skip it entirely on cracked or sore skin. Find your match among our moisturizing body wash options.

How to Adjust Your Body Care Products by Season

To adjust your body care by season, keep your cleanser and SPF year-round, then swap your moisturizer texture (and your scent!) as temperature and humidity change.

• Keep year-round: a gentle, sulfate-free body wash, daily moisture and SPF.

• Swap by season: moisturizer texture, exfoliation frequency and scent.

Let your skin, not the calendar, lead the way. If it feels tight or rough after a shower, go richer. If your moisturizer feels sticky, go lighter.

Your scent can follow the seasons, too. In Portuguese, cheirosa means to smell incredibly delicious, and there's a transportive Cheirosa for every mood. For summer, try sparkling, juicy Cheirosa 48 or Cheirosa 68, a tropical garden by the sea with notes of pink dragon fruit, Brazilian jasmine and sun musk. When it turns cold, cozy up with beachy, indulgent Cheirosa 39 or Cheirosa 59, whose vanilla orchid and sheer sandalwood notes feel like golden hour in a bottle. 

Find your seasonal favorite in our scent directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need separate body care products for summer and winter?

Usually not. Most people only need to swap one or two products, typically the moisturizer: a weightless water-gel lotion in summer and a rich milk-to-butter lotion or body butter in winter. Your body wash and sunscreen can stay the same all year, with small changes to how long you shower and how often you reapply.

Should I still wear sunscreen on my body in winter?

Yes! Any skin that isn't covered by clothing still needs sunscreen in winter. Snow reflects the sun's UV rays and exposure increases at higher altitudes, so winter sports can mean more sun, not less. Dermatologists recommend a broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher, including on easy-to-miss spots like your ears, the back of your neck and the backs of your hands.

Is body butter too heavy to use in summer?

For most people, a full-body layer of body butter can feel heavy in heat and humidity. In summer, save it for your driest spots, like heels, knees and elbows, or for evenings in air-conditioned rooms, and use a weightless lotion everywhere else. When the weather cools, body butter can move right back into your daily routine.

Can I use scented body care if my skin gets dry in winter?

Yes, if your skin is comfortable with fragrance. Dermatologists often recommend fragrance-free products for very dry, irritated or eczema-prone skin, because fragrance can trigger flare-ups. If your skin loves scent, a fragranced moisturizer can absolutely be part of your winter ritual. Our Body Badalada™ lotions are dermatologist tested and formulated without parabens, phthalates or mineral oil. As with any new product, patch test first and stop using anything that causes itching or redness.

Build Your Seasonal Routine

Your seasonal body care routine really is that simple: keep the steps you love and swap the textures as the weather changes. Our Body Badalada™ lotions make the switch so easy. Go light and refreshing with Skin Refresh Water Lotion when the sun is shining, then melt into rich, milk-to-butter Moisture Melting Lotion when the cold sets in. Both are vegan, dermatologist tested and PETA-certified animal test-free. Pair each one with a Cheirosa for the season, and every shower becomes a little moment of self-celebration. 

Explore our body lotions and find your winter swap.