Hot, humid days call for a pared-down beauty routine. When the mercury soars, the thick, creamy moisturizers favored in winter get stored away like so many wool sweaters. The substitutes? Lighter, oil-free formulas that, in many cases, also contain sunscreen.

Beauty companies are increasingly creating summer-worthy skin-care products designed to provide a cooling or refreshing effect. While they offer a seemingly high-tech way to beat the heat, the most effective ingredients are often as common as menthol, tea tree oil, and alcohol, according to a dermatologist and the director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Westchester County, David Bank. “Anything that helps remove excess moisture rapidly from the skin is going to feel cooling,” Dr. Bank said.

Whether boasting a revolutionary active ingredient or all-natural properties, these lightweight, humidity-defying, cooling products can help you look and feel fresh — from head to toes.

For hair, Aveda’s Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother ($24, aveda.com) promises to combat humidity for up to 12 hours, thanks to an injection of organic tapioca. I’ve been using a dollop on my wet hair and then pulling it into a low ponytail; my normally frizzy waves have stayed smooth.

When used on the face, Prescriptives Magic Liquid Powder ($32.50, prescriptives.com), formulated with 70% water, provides a wonderfully cool and refreshing mist effect — as if you dropped a makeup brush in the sink before dipping it into the powder. A companion product, Sunsheen Cooling Bronzing Powder ($35), gives a golden glow with a similar (albeit slightly less noticeable, in my experience) cool feel. Applied over a dab of under-eye concealer, the duo serves as my new warm-weather foundation replacement.

Among beauty product devotees, the Kiehl’s brand is a consistent winner. The company’s Creme de Corps Light-Weight Body Lotion ($21.50, kiehls.com), a spin-off of the brand’s popular, heavy-duty Creme de Corps body cream, delivers a more comfortable, fast-absorbing choice when the weather is warm. The light formula also smells great and is one in a line that includes a body polish and a washing cream. Also this summer, the company that has been dispensing skin-care products since 1851 is hosting a book exchange. Customers who head to the nearest Kiehl’s location can trade beach reads, leaving a previously read title and taking home a new one.

Another lotion-sunscreen combo is Clarins Bright Plus HP Brightening Body Veil SPF 20 ($40, clarinsusa.com). The slightly pearly lotion purports to fade existing sunspots while preventing new ones, and uses Laponite, a powder made up of micro-layers of silica, to absorb moisture on the skin.

For those who prefer their sunscreen straight up, Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock ($10.49, on sale at most drugstores) is now available in an SPF 70 formulation, as well as SPF 30 and 45. The light, non-sticky mist relies on eucalyptus for its cooling effect.

Dove’s new Go Fresh line offers body mists, deodorants, body washes, lotions, bar soaps, and hair care ($2.49 to $5.99 at drugstores) and is available in three scents: Refresh, featuring water lily and fresh mint; Cool Moisture, with cucumber and green tea, and Energize, with grapefruit and lemongrass. The body mist is cool to the touch and lightly scented. For an even cooler application, you can try sticking it in the refrigerator overnight.

Trekking around the city in flip-flops leaves me with grimy, overheated feet. Earth Therapeutics Clean + Cool Foot Wipes ($5.99, earththerapeutics.com) contain tea tree oil and peppermint oil to refresh and clean feet. The wipes come in a palm-size package that’s perfect for stashing in a purse. With the number of hours I log on foot, these are my new must-have summer staple.