sunscreen is not enough apparently

Right so I've been smug about my summer skin routine for ages. SPF in the morning, done, sorted. And then I noticed my skin looking a bit... papery? Tight in a weird way even though Edinburgh has barely seen the sun this year. Basically what I've landed on is that I was confusing protected with hydrated. Two different things entirely. The heat (and wind, honestly, always the wind here) just pulls moisture out and sunscreen doesn't put any back in. I've started layering a hydrating serum underneath my SPF which feels like an extra step I don't have time for at 7am but genuinely my skin looks less like a stressed solicitor's skin and more like... a person who sleeps. I also gave up on the heavy moisturiser I was using — too thick for summer, was just sitting on top doing nothing. Lighter formula, more water intake, and I stopped assuming my skin was fine just because it wasn't breaking out. Small things but it's made a difference.