Fall/Winter Skin Routine VS Spring/Summer Skin Routine
As we transition from the cold, dry days of winter to the hot, humid and sunny days of summer we need to keep in mind how the needs of our skin change with the seasons. During the fall/winter, the combination of low temperatures, less humidity and high heat indoors creates a dry environment that can affect the health of the skin. Less moisture in the environment can cause the skin to become dehydrated, flaky and tight and ultimately affect the integrity and functionality of our skin barrier. When the skin barrier is compromised it can become more vulnerable to irritants leading to increase inflammation. Our immune systems are under a lot of stress from the holidays, the lack of vitamin D and flu season, which can also increase inflammation both in the body and the skin. With all this in mind, our skincare routines during the fall/winter should focus on deep hydration, minimizing inflammation, strengthening the skin barrier and reducing stress.
Deep Hydration
- Using a milk, cream or oil cleanser will help nourish the skin without further stripping your skin of its natural oils. Hydrated skin is healthy skin.
- Stone Crop Cleansing Oil
- Coconut Milk Cleanser
- Use a hydrating mask 2x weekly to give that extra hydration and care to the skin
- Strawberry Rhubarb Masque
- Pumpkin Latte Hydration Masque
- Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque
- Adding in a facial oil after your moisturizer to seal in your products and prevent moisture loss
- Facial Recovery Oil
- Matahari Youthful Facial Oil
Minimizing Inflammation and Strengthen Skin Barrier
- Incorporating ingredients such as vitamin c, cornflower, chamomile, arnica, ceramides, peptides and seabuckthorn in your products to soothe and calm while rebuilding the skin barrier to prevent inflammation
- Cornflower Recovery Serum
- Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
- Marine Flower Peptide Concentrate
- Tizo Replenish SPF 40
Reduce Stress
- Be sure to take some time for self-care to help reduce stress! A few examples include writing in a gratitude journal, or taking time for a facial massage with a gua sha tool.
- Gratitude Journal
- Holistick Gua Sha
Don’t Forget your Lips!
- The skin of your lips is the thinnest and more prone to dryness, irritation and cracking during the winter months. Weekly exfoliation and a nourishing lip mask will go a long way to keeping your lips healthy.
- Lip Trio Kit
As we move into spring and summer we will be outside for longer, which exposes us to more UV rays and the humidity and heat. Our skin can become oilier from sweat and heat, the increase in oil is functioning as added protection against the environment but it can lead to clogged pores. The skin is now more prone to sun and free radical damage, which can show up as redness, broke capillaries, premature aging and hyperpigmentation. Our skincare routines in the spring/summer should focus on protection from the sun and pollutants, reducing the heat in the skin, lighter hydration and pore care.
Sun & Pollutant Protection
- Always wearing sunscreen. Rain or Shine! A broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc will work best to reduce heat in the skin and block both UVA and UVB rays. 80-90% of the aging we see in the skin is due to the sun, and 10% is genetics. This means we can prevent or at least slow down the aging process greatly by using sunscreen. You need to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours to ensure it is providing proper protection. A good tip is to use a powder sunscreen for re-application. It is a lot easier, less messy and heavy than reapplying a cream sunscreen.
- Tizo Replenish SPF 40
- Lilikoi Mineral Defense Sunscreen
- Organic Sun Defense Minerals Powder SPF 30
- Wear a hat and sunglasses. It has been documented that UVB exposure detected by the eyes activates the melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) which then triggers melanogenesis, leading to the formation of melanin (pigment) in the skin. Wearing sunglasses will help to prevent hyperpigmentation in the skin. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15301160 )
- Gigi Pip Crochet Bucket Hat
- Antioxidants will help to prevent free radical damage, strengthen the skin against pollutants and the sun, and allow the skin to recover and heal faster. Incorporate these powerful ingredients into your serums and moisturizers. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, beta-carotene, green tea, resveratrol, turmeric and polyphenol.
- Superfood Booster Powder
- Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
- Stone Crop Serum
- Vitamin Rich Balancing Cream
Light Hydration
- During the summer there may be more oil production, however, the water in the skin can still become depleted leading to dehydration. This is caused by the heat evaporating the water out of the skin. We need to replenish this lost water by using water-binding ingredients (hyaluronic acid) and lighter water-based moisturizers.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum
- Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer
- Stone Crop Hydrating Gel
- Using a hydrating mist throughout the day will also help to reduce dehydration and keep skin supple and healthy
- Stone Crop Hydrating Mist
- Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist
Pore Care
- Excess oil from the heat and high temperatures can build up within the pores, causing skin cells to stick together and eventually block the pore and trigger the acne formation process. To prevent this from occurring we need to make sure we are properly managing oil production and keeping the pore clean. This can be done by using gentle chemical (lactic acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid) or enzyme (papain or bromelain) exfoliants 2-3x a week and using oil-absorbing serums and masks.
- Bright Skin Exfoliating Peel
- Pineapple Refining Tonique
- Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate
- Raspberry Pore Refining Masque
I hope these tips help guide you through these coming spring and summer months. If you have more questions or concerns regarding your skin and wish for more guidance, we do offer complimentary skin analysis at the spa. Which you can book through our website, email (hello@skinstudiobeautyco.com) or by phone 519-766-0003.