Après l'été - How To Detox Your Skin After Summer

Our Editor ANA MARKOVIC examines the skin care treatments in the post summer days.

No doubt while the summer last a couple more weeks, with 1st of September we all feel the same is over. However with the Summer holidays behind us while we are hopefully feeling entirely recovered and well rested our skin may not feel the same. If you had a long fun filled summer of outdoor activity, a beach vacation most likely your skin suffered sun damage. Our weathered skin now requires more attention than ever.

To protect itself from damaging sun rays during the summer days, our skin has produced a thick layer of dead skin cells. Thus our skin may feel dull and dry, overall rougher and needs additional moisture. Sun was not the only damaging factor – we also have exposure to salt water, chlorine, sand and wind leading to your skin now looking discolored, dull and splotchy. So what do we do when our mirror picture tells a different story from our radiant vacation photos in these post summer days?

AFTER-CARE

No matter the season you should never neglect your skin, just as it is important to apply sun protection during the summer the same goes for the coming winter days. UV rays may not be as damaging in the winter, however always opt for UV protection, especially when it comes to choosing a daily hydrating face cream. Still, if you just wrapped up a month of summer vacations which entails a yearly beach destination now is the moment to let your skin rest from the aggressive sun rays.

Nowadays with all the warnings most of us do the best to take care of our skin while on the beach by wearing protection. Nevertheless UV levels keep breaking records year after year, and some sun damage is inevitable. If you noticed your skin’s irregularly dryand due to the high sun exposure discoloration and new skin marks showed up a trip to your dermatologist is in order. High sun exposure leaves us with higher risk of skin cancer. However, nowadays long hours under the sun leave us dumbfounded with massive increase of freckles and sun spots.

In most cases it’s just the case of some additional love and care, and few relaxing beauty treatments with your aesthetician will make a massive difference. Most likely you are to get much needed routine changing advice. Often you’ll be advised to mix between the use of retinol rich products as well as glycolic acid at night to aid the reduction of the sun damage. The above mentioned dead skin cells are best removed with the use of glycolic acids which can be used to gently exfoliate the redundant cells. With high exposure this dead skin layer has grown thicker over the summer. While the retinols will benefit the collagen in your skin in addition to providing other anti age benefits. Make sure you alternate the two for your night time routine, with this alternation you are to get the benefits of both elements without risking damaging saturation of your skin which may result in some case in irritation. Still, never forget to use moisturizer on top – the more the better! In the post summer moments your skin’s power to keep hydrated is quite limited due to the fun summer behind, therefore the use of hydrating moisturizers will help your skin recover over night.

IT’S TIME TO PEEL IT OFF!

No time of the year are you more in a need of a peeling than after the long summer. A good peeling will allow your skin to get rid of the already mentioned dead cells. Your aesthetician should aid with a professional peeling – today fruit acid and herbal treatments are well recommended within any skin peeling session. You may opt to do the peeling yourself however your asthetician will most likely have better ways to regenerate your skin by at the same time stimulating blood flow during the peeling. Following the procedure, once your skin literally shed the dead cells, it becomes much more receptive to the moisturizers and additional treatments. Post peeling do not neglect your skin in any way, make sure to regularly moisturize. In addition to hydrating creams natural organic coconut oil is always a great addition to the skin routine. Furthermore other products rich in aloe vera, hyaluronic acid as well as allantoin and alginates are highly recommended. If your skin still feels especially dry you can always opt for hydration boosters, the market offers a wide range of hydration boosters especially formulated for men’s skin. With no doubt faster effects, specially catered to men impatient with their skin routine.

DON’T FORGET THE LIP

Summer or Winter we often forget our lips when it comes to skin treatment. Our lips naturally have far less melaning, which makes them pron to sunburns. Thus giving them some additional attention is pivotal, after the long holiday you may experience dry lips. The market no doubt has the answer, ranging from affordable to products you never imagined could exist. Try not to spend a fortune and look for affordable exfoliating lip scrubs which may be a great new addition to your skin care routine. Thankfully nourishing sticks and lip balms are often affordable, and today come with various hydration and vitamin E mixtures. In addition many lip balms today contain an important SPF to help you stop any sun damage.

MIRROR TIME

Once the summer is over, instead of spending too much time around the mirror examining and worrying about the inevitable freckles scheduling a Fall visit to your dermatologist is a good idea. This is the best time for a full skin exam, in the days after the harsh sun exposure our body creates a certain immune suppression in our skin cells. This is the moment the risk of skin cancer grows and may become a concern. Thus taking care of the skin during and after summer is equally as important. If you notice any new growth or enlargement of skin spots or a change of colour contact your dermatologist immediately.

Words by Ana Markovic
Photographer Kari Jay
Styling & grooming Matilda Bång Forsberg
Model Adrian Sotiris at MP Stockholm

Originally published in MMSCENE Issue 025 – available now in print & digital.