The Best Lightweight Asian Serums for Spring and Summer

Why Switch to Lightweight Serums in Warmer Weather?

When the weather warms up, your skin routine should cool down. More heat means more sweat, more oil, and a higher risk of dehydration, which is exactly why your usual skincare layers might start to feel a bit much. That is where lightweight serums and essences come in. They give your skin what it needs without clogging pores or leaving you feeling sticky.

What should you look out for? Think hydration without weight, calming without coating, and brightening without the risk of breakouts. You want ingredients that keep skin happy while still letting it breathe.

When the sun’s out, certain ingredients are like a dream come true for your skin. These are the some of the ones to watch out for:

• Hyaluronic acid: It’s all about hydration without the heaviness, so your skin feels plump and refreshed.
• Green tea, centella asiatica: Both of these are calming wonders that soothe and balance your skin, keeping you cool when it’s hot.
• Rice extract, fermented ingredients: Nourishing, yet super lightweight, these ingredients hydrate and protect without feeling heavy.
• Niacinamide: This ingredient brightens your skin without the risk of clogging pores, so you get that healthy glow without the congestion.

For more information on how to refresh your skincare routine with the best ingredients, check out our guide on top spring ingredients for your routine.

Top Lightweight Serums/Essences for Spring and Summer

1. Beauty of Joseon Revive Serum: Ginseng & Snail Mucin

This lightweight serum is your shortcut to a healthier glow. Ginseng helps revive tired skin while snail mucin supports repair and hydration. There is hyaluronic acid for locking in moisture, niacinamide for brightening, and fermented ingredients to give your skin a little extra nourishment. It also contains centella asiatica to calm and soothe. It sinks in fast, feels fresh and gives your skin a smooth, dewy finish without leaving behind any sticky mess.

2. Anua Peach 70% Niacin Serum

With 70 percent peach extract, this serum delivers a burst of hydration right when your skin needs it most. Niacinamide brightens your complexion while green tea and centella asiatica calm any irritation. Hyaluronic acid keeps your skin bouncy, and it includes lactobacillus ferment, yeast ferment extract, and candida bombicola ferment for lightweight nourishment. A touch of green tea seed oil adds extra comfort without heaviness. The light texture means you can use it even on the hottest days. It is the kind of multitasker that makes you look like you drink three litres of water a day.

3. Axis-Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum

This one’s for anyone dealing with dark spots or uneven skin tone and wants brighter days ahead. It’s loaded with niacinamide to even things out, plus soothing green tea, calming centella asiatica, and a good dose of hyaluronic acid for lightweight hydration. It also features rice extract and fermented ingredients to nourish your skin without the weight. The finish is glowy but never greasy, making it just right for sunny, sweaty months.

4. COSRX AC Collection Blemish Spot Clearing Serum

This lightweight serum targets blemishes while keeping your skin calm and hydrated in warmer weather. It combines niacinamide to brighten and even tone, propolis extract for barrier support, and centella-derived ingredients like asiaticoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid to soothe. You’ll also find tea tree leaf oil to help with troubled spots, panthenol and allantoin to calm, and sodium hyaluronate to keep your skin comfortably hydrated. With added ceramide NP, macadamia seed oil, and sunflower seed oil, it helps reinforce your skin without feeling greasy or heavy.

Why These Work Well in Warmer Months

These serums are all about keeping things light and fresh—ideal for when the sun is out and you need to keep your skin looking its best without feeling like you’re caking on layers. The ingredients work in harmony to provide hydration, calmness, and a glow, all while being super easy for your skin to absorb. No heavy feeling, no greasy aftermath—just a lightweight layer of love for your skin.

• When to Apply: After cleansing and toning (and yes, if you’re still not using toner, go back and read our toner guide), serums come next. This step helps all those nourishing ingredients sink in properly before you seal everything in with a moisturiser.
• How Much to Use: A little goes a long way. Two or three drops should do the trick; any more, and you risk that sticky feeling we’re all trying to avoid during humid weather.
• Pairing with Sunscreen and Moisturisers: Never skip SPF. SKIN1004 Centella Air-Fit Suncream Plus provides broad-spectrum protection while remaining lightweight, making it perfect for hot days. Once you’ve protected your skin from the sun, finish your routine with a light, hydrating moisturiser like SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream. Its fresh texture helps maintain moisture without feeling greasy, giving you a smooth, hydrated complexion that’s ready for the day ahead, even when the temperatures rise.

Lightweight serums are a total game-changer when it comes to warmer weather. They hydrate, soothe, and brighten without feeling heavy, making them perfect for those hot, sticky days. Plus, they’re an easy way to keep your skin looking fresh and glowing all season long. Whether you're looking for hydration, a little calming action, or to brighten things up, there's a serum out there that'll suit your needs. So, ditch the heavy creams and try something lighter for the sunny days ahead. You’ll thank yourself later!