At this time of year, the queries on my blog Cosmética a Trial about skin care after the summer multiply. And it is that when the summer season begins, routines are simplified and that, added to the great exposure to the sun that we carry out, and other factors such as air conditioners, chlorine, saltpeter, etc., make our skin feel a lot duller, drier, and even spots appear.
For this reason, when we return from vacation, we must always take special care of our skin, and specifically that of the face, which is one of the most exposed on a daily basis.
I have stains, what should I do?
One of the most frequent questions that the followers ask me is what to do with the spots that have appeared during the summer. And here we have to clarify that many of those spots may not be a consequence of the sun taken now, but in previous years. Do not forget that the skin has a memory and exposure to the sun today can be the stain of later years.
To treat them, there are numerous active ingredients that help mitigate them, such as retinoids , azelaic acid or alpha hydroxy acids .
All of them have a capacity for cell renewal, and the most appropriate way to include them in routines will be at night. You have to start with low concentrations to get used to the skin to its effect. To do this, it is best to start by applying them every other day and seeing how the skin responds.
In this case, for sensitive skin azelaic acid is my star recommendation for the night, there are also serums with retinol esters (you will distinguish them because they appear on the labels of cosmetics such as Retinyl …) for night use and leaving active for the morning antioxidants such as niacinamide or vitamin C.
For the rest of the skin, the combination of a low concentration retinoid with some low concentration alpha hydroxy acid at alternate nights may be a good option to start with.
Drier skin
It is also likely that after the summer we will notice drier skin. To restore the hydration and nutrition it needs, it is best to go for creams with ceramides , hyaluronic acid , allantoin or panthenol .
These active ingredients will help the skin to be better hydrated and with a more reinforced skin barrier.
Dull skin
Many people also notice duller skin, which is a consequence of prolonged sun exposure and free radicals, which damage our epidermis.
To do this, the perfect option is to include antioxidants in our routines in the morning. They will help us to stop this oxidative damage by bringing luminosity to the face in a matter of seconds.
Look for serums that contain niacinamide or vitamin C and you will notice how the skin becomes more luminous.
Exfoliation once a week
Of course, cell renewal is vital for our skin to look in the best condition, and to achieve this we can help it through exfoliation. My advice is to exfoliate your facial skin one night a week.
But be careful, this exfoliation should always be done with a chemical peel and not with an exfoliant with “particles”, since the latter are much more damaging to the skin, and it is preferable not to use them.
In the stains section I was talking about alpha hydroxy acids and they are going to be your best ally for this function.
Alpha hydroxy acids are exfoliating acids, and perhaps the best known are glycolic acid and lactic acid . There are them in serum format at concentrations not exceeding 10% that will be more than enough to apply once a week and notice the face much smoother and brighter.
Sun protection ALWAYS
And, finally, we must not forget that all these routines would not be effective without sun protection.
Thus, each morning routine that you do should always end with the application of a SPF50 + sunscreen. And remember that you have to reapply it after 2 or 3 hours so that we continue to have its protective effect.
By following these steps and adapting the routine to your skin type, you will ensure that, after the summer, your face looks radiant and healthy.
