For me one of the most enjoyable times of summer is spending a day at the beach or being outside all day with friends and family. However, the heat and sun can dehydrate the skin making your skin feel tight, dry and parched after 😝 which can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Here is my S.O.S. plan for getting back your suppleness and treating skin that needs some TLC from the summer weather.
Step 1: Cleanse.
I recommend taking a cool shower to rinse off the sweat and sand. Both of those dehydrate the skin. Either before your shower or while you’re in your shower, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, like our Gentle Cleanser or Replenish Cream Cleanser. Now is not the time to use a facial scrub or an exfoliating cleanser. When the skin is dehydrated or has been exposed to too much sun, your skin barrier becomes impaired and scrubs and AHA’s can further disrupt the barrier and become irritating to the skin -save those products for either the next day, the following day or once your skin feels supple and balanced again.
Step 2: Mask.
Once out of the shower and toweled off, apply Hydrating Honey Mask, Replenishing Moisture Mask or a cooling gel mask to your face and neck. While you’re masking, apply a pure oil all over your body. My recommendations are, cold pressed sesame oil, coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil or almond oil. If you’d like, add in a few drops of lavender essential oil for it’s relaxing and skin soothing properties. A pure oil is my first choice to moisturize the skin. You can take your time and massage the oil into your skin. Oil penetrates deeply and nourishes the tissues. My second recommendation would be an organic body lotion that is either fragrance free or scented with essential oils. However, if you have a sun burn anywhere, I recommend to apply pure aloe vera to the areas of burn and avoid oil to that area the day of the burn. The oil may lock in the heat and aloe is very healing to burns.
Step 3: Layer hydrating botanicals and antioxidants with skin regenerating oils.
Once your face mask has been left on for 10-20 minutes, gently rinse it off with a damp cloth. At this time apply either Nourishing Mist or Restorative Mist. Both of these contain rose hydrosol which cools the skin. They also contain hydrating ingredients to replenish moisture in the skin. Hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycine betaine, and antioxidants such as vitamin c, green and white tea, carrot root, and astaxanthin should be your main focus. Antioxidants mop up the oxidation that occurs from sun damage. Youthful Glow Serum is one of the best serums to use because it contains helichrysum essential oil which heals burns. It also contains hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, green and white tea, daisy blossom extract, and vitamin c which helps prevent sun spots. It’s super hydrating and healing to the skin. This is my go to product pre and post sun exposure. However, all of our serums are in a base of aloe vera and all contain green and white tea, skin hydrators and nourishing botanicals. Radiance Restore Serum and Infinity Serum are a great option too. I then recommend applying either a face oil such as Radiant Face Oil or Luminous Face Oil and/ or moisturizer to further replenish your skins barrier. Skin Vitality Cream is packed with ceramides which restore your skin barrier and vitamins and antioxidants to nourish the skin. If your skin can handle it you can use a serum, then a cream, then top with a little face oil. All the nourishing oils, antioxidants and essential oils in Adina Pure Skin Care products will effectively nourish, repair and rebuild your skin.
As long as you did’t get burned on your face, I’d say within 2-3 days after your day in the sun and heat you can begin to use exfoliating and retinol products again. These will help to slough away dead skin cells and encourage cell turnover and allow the active ingredients in the serums and creams to penetrate deeper thus giving you greater results. Your skin will be smooth and glowing.
As always, prevention is always the best medicine, so make sure to apply antioxidant serums and sunscreen before you head out for your day. Always reapply your sunscreen throughout the day and feel free to pack Nourishing Mist along to mist your skin throughout the day, keeping you cool and refreshed.