Planning the contents of a summer makeup bag is no less prudent than planning a vacation. But even if you don't neglect sunscreen and regularly moisturize the skin, the negative impact of seasonal factors cannot be avoided. Whether you're enjoying the pleasures of a beach vacation, hiding from the hustle and bustle of your favorite country home, or spending the warmer months in the city, your skin can feel exhausted after the summer. Many experts have developed a home care program that will help you adjust quickly to the change of seasons. We've summarized it for you.
Common post-summer skin problems
In general, the end of summer is associated with five common skin problems that arise because one of the main functions of the skin is protection. And if you have not been able to fully protect the skin, it starts to actively defend itself. We will briefly explain what these common problems are:
Thickening of the skin's horny layer
The stratum corneum of the skin thickens to protect itself from the sun's rays and prevent cell damage. The skin appears to build up an armor.
Skin dehydration
In summer, the top layer of skin often becomes drier. This is also a trick our skin uses to protect itself from the sun's penetration.
A thickened, rough, and dry stratum corneum retains ultraviolet rays better.
Skin microbiome disorder
Our microfriends are also protective and help keep our skin healthy. But in summer, the skin can lose this help and protection.
The fact is that ultraviolet rays have a bactericidal effect, and with prolonged exposure to the sun, the microbiome suffers.
In fact, during a beach vacation, acne sufferers may first notice an improvement in the condition of their skin because, thanks to the bactericidal action of the sun, the small pimples dry up and disappear quickly.
But after a while, if the microbial balance is disturbed, the acne worsens and new eruptions appear.
If the skin is not prone to breakouts, a microbial imbalance can cause skin hypersensitivity, dryness, tightness, redness, and allergic reactions.
Clogged pores
Another problem many people face in the summer is clogged pores. The reason for this is often the active use of sunscreen.
Many sunscreens settle on the face with a thick film, preventing normal sebum secretion and exfoliation of dead skin cells, which contributes to clogged pores.
Development of age spots
And the leader of summer problems is undoubtedly pigmentation disorders.
It is important to understand that hyperpigmentation can be caused not only by sun exposure but also by hormonal imbalances, skin-damaging procedures, industrial pollution, etc.
As a result, an effective fight against pigmentation always necessitates an individual approach, and professional procedures are frequently required.
Most effective solutions for post-summer skin problems
Now that we know the most common post-summer skin problems, let's move on to solutions that can be implemented at home to treat these issues.
Treat the thickening of the horny layer of the skin.
The stratum corneum that appears after summer is usually made up of dead skin cells that need to be removed to refresh the skin and not block its hydration. To do this, make peels part of your skin care routine.
If you exfoliate excess dead skin cells, the top layer of the epidermis will become thinner and smoother, and it will help eliminate fine surface wrinkles.
Enzyme peels, shea butter granule peels, or jojoba wax peels will do the trick. And for body skin, you can use a salt or sugar scrub.
And for acid peels, it's not time yet-in early September, the sun is still active.
How to deal with dryness
With the heat, the sebaceous and sweat glands are working at full capacity. On the one hand, this makes it possible to switch to light-textured creams and simplify your beauty routine somewhat. On the other hand, under the action of the sun and high temperatures, moisture evaporates intensely. At the end of summer, even people with normal or oily skin show signs of dehydration.
Moisturizing your skin after summer should be a top priority.
Better yet, products containing hyaluronic acid, aloe, panthenol and glycerin will remedy this. To quickly restore skin's freshness, you should include the Extreme Hydration day and night creams in your daily skin care routine. With hyaluronic acid and mineralized ice water, skin is saturated with vital moisture, recovers faster and looks supple and radiant.
Also, incorporate moisturizing masks into your skin care routine. In this case, fabric masks with alginate or hyaluronic acid are particularly suitable. These masks create an occlusion and saturate the stratum corneum with moisture.
Gentle cleansing is the foundation of skin care, regardless of the season.
If you feel discomfort, tightness, itching, or flaking after washing, these are good reasons to switch to gentler products. To remove makeup from the skin, it is best to use a creamy micellar water. For complete facial cleansing, a gel-cream for dry and sensitive skin or a refreshing gel cleanser is suitable.
How to fade the signs of aging
Ultraviolet light is the skin's main enemy during the summer months. They destroy collagen and elastin fibers—the skin becomes less elastic. In the case of sunburn, the dermis goes into shock and slows down the production of hyaluronic acid, the substance responsible for retaining moisture in the skin. Wrinkles and mimicry folds appear more clearly. This primarily affects the area around the eyes, where the skin is thinner. A moisturizing cream or eye fluid with macadamia oil and vitamin P will help to eliminate crow's feet, relieve signs of fatigue and saturate the skin with moisture. A moisturizing cream or eye fluid with macadamia oil and vitamin P will help.
Don't start the battle with heavy artillery-with products containing acids and retinol.
First of all, in early September, the sun is still active. Second, you need to restore the skin first—eliminate dryness, support the microbiome, even out the relief, otherwise you risk making it worse.
Start with the products I mentioned above: peels, hydrating masks, and cosmetics with prebiotics; they will all work to restore the skin, help normalize its functions, including melanin synthesis.
Incorporate serums with vitamin C, niacinamide, and blackberry extract into your skincare routine. They decrease melanin synthesis and help even out skin tone. If, after 2 or 3 months, your efforts are unsuccessful, contact an esthetician who can help you create a home care program and recommend the professional care you need.
How to remove sun pigmentation
Getting an even tan is more difficult than we would like. Ultraviolet light stimulates the synthesis of melanin. This pigment makes freckles and moles brighter, resulting in lentigo, brown or yellow spots with jagged edges. To even out the skin tone, products with an antioxidant effect should be used, which at the same time accelerate cell renewal. For this purpose, creams and serums based on acids (glycolic, ferulic), plant extracts, and vitamins are suitable. It is best to apply them in the evening and during the day, and always use sunscreen.
At this stage, it is necessary to help the skin restore the microbial balance by including cosmetics that respect the microbiome, i.e., cosmetics with prebiotics. This can be a cleansing emulsion, a day cream for the face or a serum. In most cases, one such skin care product will suffice.
Recovering the skin after summer takes time. Decorative cosmetics will help to quickly mask pigmentation irregularities: pink spots are best masked with green-tinted correctors, brown spots with peach-tinted correctors.
Final wors,
The cooler it is outside, the better it is to use products containing oils that adapt to the skin. They help restore the hydrolipidic barrier, nourish and soothe-just what dry skin needs in summer. In addition, oil-rich products strengthen the skin's natural protection against changes in temperature and humidity. Post-summer skin care can take the form of a precious oil foam that removes even makeup residue, an oil peel for gentle exfoliation, a soothing lotion, or a denser-textured cream.
Early fall is the perfect time for procedures that had to be postponed because of the heat or active ultraviolet rays. You can revert to products high in AHAs, retinol, or vitamin C; it's best not to use them in the summer because of the risk of pigmentation. To prevent cosmetics with strong ingredients from causing unnecessary stress, it's best to start with small concentrations and carefully monitor the skin's reaction. You can also sign up for a peel, photorejuvenation, or mesotherapy session; these procedures can renew the top layer of the epidermis, even out skin tone, smooth out bumps, and compensate for the effects of sun exposure.