Written by Skincare Specialist Louné Maree
We are all born with a specific skin type… It can either be dry skin or oily skin, or even combination skin. Followed by that we can also have various skin conditions which are caused by intrinsic or extrinsic factors. All these factors combined cause us all to experience the summer season differently when it comes to our skin and therefore require us to take different steps to achieve our most radiant summer skin.
Table of contents
- What happens to your skin in Summer?
- What does your skin need in Summer?
- Can you continue your Spring skincare routine into Summer?
- Summer skincare treatments essentials
- Skincare treatments to avoid in summer
- How to update your summer skincare routine at home
- Summer skincare product essentials
- Our approach to professional summer skincare
- Summer skin care; in summary
What happens to your skin in summer?
Due to warmer temperatures and an increase in humidity those of us with an oily skin type might find that our skin is even more oily due to the increase of sebum produced by our sebaceous glands. This excess oil on the surface can cause blocked pores leading to breakouts and possible acne.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have our dry dehydrated skin types. Due to hot weather, we experience water loss from the body that can lead up to skin irritation, redness, and skin feeling dryer.
What does your skin need in summer?
For starters we all need an SPF (sun protecting factor), this is non-negotiable! I’ve heard the phrase: “I can’t find one that works for me” so many times. Either people complain “it is too sticky, makes my skin too shiny, or it burns my eyes”. Well, the good news is that there is a sunscreen option for everyone out there. Nowadays manufacturers make sure to deliver sun protection for all the wonderfully different skin types, skin tones, and even skin conditions. Simply browse through the sunscreens Heliocare has on offer to find one that is perfect for you.
The next important consideration for summer skin care is hydration. It doesn’t matter which skin type you have; your skin will take a dehydration knock during the summer season. Because of this, we need to keep our skin hydrated to prevent the build-up of dead skin cells which can lead to rough skin texture and irritation. This is especially important due to only 1% of the water we drink reaching our skin! This is why a topical skin hydration product (such as Mesoestetic’s HA Densimatrix) is a crucial element to radiant summer skin.
Can you continue your Spring skincare routine into Summer?
Yes absolutely! The biggest difference between spring and summer is we spend more time in direct sunlight during summer than in spring. We, therefore, need to remember to reapply our SPF as frequently as every 2 hours, especially when swimming or playing sports outdoors.
When it comes to skincare treatments in summer, we start moving away from intensive treatments. The maintenance phase does exactly what it says on the tin, it allows us to maintain the results we have achieved thus far. Let’s explain…
Summer skincare treatment essentials
The journey does not stop here, summer is when we move into our maintenance phase. For the past 9 months we have worked hard to treat certain conditions with more invasive treatments (such as 3D Microneedling and Lumecca IPL) which required a little more downtime and recovery, but now is not the time to fall off the wagon and into summer skincare treatments. Now is the time to enjoy our radiant skin results and show them off!
In summer, we move away from medium-depth peels to more superficial fruit acid peels. Don’t let the word superficial fool you though, these treatments still pack a powerhouse of results with exfoliating, brightening properties giving us that radiant summer skin. This is also the time we get to indulge in our more relaxing, treatments which will still stimulate collagen and boost the skin’s hydration (such as the range of QMS Medicosmetics facials available).
Skincare treatments to avoid in summer
Summer is a time during which we stay away from treatments that create heat and inflammation in our skin (such as intense pulsed light treatments). One of the secrets to the incredible results our patients achieve is the fact that we control the inflammation and heat in our skin during this time by adapting their skin care treatment plans accordingly. When the weather is warmer, we have less control over the amount of stimulation that takes place within the skin due to the external temperatures, so we adapt.
The treatments we might do during winter normally involve “creating a lot of heat” within the skin and often leads to downtime (such as skin peeling, redness, and irritation). This works out well for us as winter tends to be our hibernation time anyway!
How to update your summer skincare routine at home
SPF SPF SPF, I think I have said it enough. Having achieved the results from our treatments and products over the last few months we can ditch the foundation for a tinted SPF which not only gives us protection from the sun but also offers lightweight coverage.
Summer is also the time when your homecare exfoliating routine becomes more imperative. We all know that as we age our cell turnover slows down, and by exfoliating the skin twice a week we will speed up this process and in doing so prevent the build-up of dead skin cells that could lead to dull-looking skin, blocked pores, and rough skin texture. This part of our regime is also crucial for enhanced product penetration. ZO’s Exfoliating Polish is an all-time favourite here!
Summer skincare product essentials
Well by now we have established that we all need sun protection. If your moisturizer already has an SPF in that’s great, but you will still need an additional SPF to apply on top of your SPF-containing moisturizer. The only reason why a brand will add an SPF in their cream is to ensure you have the minimum protection due to the active ingredients that they have added. During summer, this added SPF if not enough.
Keeping our skins hydrated is just as important, a great example is by adding hyaluronic acid to your regime. This type of acid can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, therefore, giving you instant hydrating and long-lasting hydrating. Another popular skin hydrating essential is the Matriskin Hyaluronic Acid Serum.
Another summer skincare essential is antioxidants. One you can rely on this summer is vitamin C! This powerful antioxidant protects the skin from free radicals caused by sun exposure and pollution. Vitamin C should be applied in the morning on clean dry skin followed by a moisturizer. One of our favourite active anti-oxidant serums is the Matriskin Vitamin C 5% Serum. For those with oily skin types, we recommend consulting with your skincare specialist first as some vitamin C products can cause breakouts.
Our approach to professional summer skincare
Before proceeding with professional skin care treatments in the summer, we need to know the lifestyle of our patients. At the end of the day, home care products and in-clinics treatments should match our lifestyles, especially during the summer months. Without marrying the two we will never be able to achieve the results that you are looking for.
This is one of the reasons why our VISIA Skin Analysis consultation is so important as it allows us not only to understand what is going on in your skin but also gives us the time to get to know you on a personal level. This consultation enables us to create a bespoke home care and in-clinic treatment plan, designed around your needs, desires, and lifestyle.
Summer skincare: in summary
Remember, to get that radiant summer glow we need protection, hydration, and a regular visit to our skincare professionals! Skincare should definitely not take a backseat in summer; it is a time of maintenance and this too requires a little effort.
You only have one skin, like you only have one set of teeth. So, take care of it and nurture it. You have to wear it for the rest of your life. Our goal is that you can wear it with pride and confidence every day, no matter the season.
Contact us today to start your journey to your most radiant skin ever!
