Jul 13, 2022

Cosmetologist Gabrielė Grybaitė: facial skin care in the summer season

As the weather changes, we often face the question: am I using the right products for this season? It's no secret that when weather conditions and temperatures change, our skin's reaction also changes. Summer is the main time when you should change the composition, consistency and active ingredients of facial care products, because it is during this season, after the cold phase, that our skin changes. Oily skin owners often experience more sebum production, dry skin owners are happy with the improved skin condition and are not satisfied with the products they use in the winter season, and combination skin owners experience different sensations depending on the climate of the day. In winter, we tend to use more aggressive products to stimulate skin regeneration, skin radiance and elasticity. The main question arises here: can I use those products in the summer, when the sun has intensified? The use of retinol and vit.C is the subject of the most discussion and hesitation during the summer. So I will try to help you a little.

SKIN CARE ROUTINE

Let's start with what your daily skin care routine should be. Both morning and evening routines should start with: Cleanser, toner and cream - this is the basic course of facial skin care that you will never ask for. When choosing a cleanser, I would recommend using mild products that do not contain alcohol and have a Ph close to the skin. This product may contain low concentrations of AHA acids such as lactic, mandelic acid, glycolic acid, also look for moisturizing components such as urea, squalene, plant extracts. One of the most important things when choosing tonics is to avoid alcohol! They can irritate the skin. I would also recommend not using tonics with strong acid concentrations in the summer season , of course depending on the condition of the skin and how you protect yourself from the sun. However, just like in winter, it is especially necessary to include SPF in summer. So I emphasize that SPF cream, powder or other means should be the last stage of face care . For example if we have a cream with SPF, we apply it after our daily cream (after waiting 15 minutes until it is fully absorbed), or instead of the cream, depending on its composition. I always recommend to my clients to use loose powders with SPF as sun protection every day, because in this case I am sure that they will "re-apply" at the right time and with the right frequency. For those who like SPF creams, as a beautician, depending on the SPF number, I reapply this cream only after washing off the previous layer. This will prevent bacteria from accumulating on your skin and will not "close" it with an additional layer. However, SPF creams are perfect for when we are in the intense sun on a hot summer day. What SPF to choose, you will find in this article.

CREAMS AND SERUMS

Regarding the composition of creams and serums (which you can introduce into your skin care routine for a more complete absorption of substances), I recommend using less active products during the day in the summer. Choose moisturizing creams that should contain hyaluronic acid, aloe vera extract, panthenol, and niacinamide. Niacinamide is one of the best ingredients in summer products, as it balances oil production, soothes, moisturizes and is anti-inflammatory. Choose moisturizing creams with a light consistency that will help restore moisture to the skin without giving a greasy effect. For those with dry skin, I also advise you to keep your oilier creams for the night. As for active ingredients such as retinol and vit.C, I want to talk about it in more detail.

RETINOL AND VIT.C

The use of retinol in summer causes a lot of debate. Some experts say you can safely use it if you use SPF. Other experts say that summer season retinol should be avoided. So how is it really?

I recommend to my clients to refrain from retinol in the summer season, because I am not 100%. it is guaranteed that they will not forget to reapply SPF, apply at the right time and in the right amount. However, if you 100% you are a responsible SPF user, you protect yourself from the sun, wear hats and cover up from the sun, count the hours of SPF action, you can use retinol in the summer, but it is important to emphasize that it MUST be used only in the evening. I would also suggest changing the retinol concentration in the warm season and reducing it to a minimum, such as 0.3 or 0.4 percent. However, I always reiterate that using retinol can make the skin thinner, more sensitive and more reactive to the environment. In such cases, I recommend replacing retinol products with vit.C products, which are a wonderful ingredient in the summer season!

When using vit.C, you also need to keep SPF in mind, but I would suggest keeping products with this ingredient for the evening or after sun exposure. Vit.C, in contact with the sun and oxygen, oxidizes and loses all its properties, not only will you not get the right effect, but you are not sure how these products and other ingredients will react with sunlight or a slight burn. My recommendation when choosing vit.C serums is to choose stabilized vit.C products for the night or after sunbathing. You can use it in the morning when there is no contact with the sun. Vit.C is a powerful antioxidant that stimulates collagen production, so it's a great ingredient in the sun when our skin "withers" instantly.

FACE MASKS AND SCRUBS

When we start talking about sunbathing, it is important not to forget to supplement your daily face care routine with face masks and scrubs. Choose face masks and scrubs responsibly, pay attention to the composition. In the summer season, choose masks with a creamy consistency, moisturizing or lifting sheet masks. Aloe extract is a great ingredient after sunbathing. Look for masks with this extract to help soothe your skin. Currently, it is very important to use scrubs only once a week and to choose without stronger grains, because it is possible that the skin may be a little sensitive in the summer. Choose scrubs with enzymes, soluble grains or low-concentration acids. It is also important to mention that after exfoliating the skin, it is necessary to protect the facial skin more carefully from the sun and apply SPF. Owners of oily skin can adjust their daily routine and introduce products with stronger concentrations, but in this case it is necessary to consult with your beautician and choose responsibly.

So in conclusion, I would like to define everything. In the morning, we use a light, moisturizing cleanser, tonic, moisturizing serum and cream. For the evening, we reserve more intensive products with AHA acids, scrubs. When using a scrub once a week, your skin care routine should include: cleanser, scrub, toner, serum and cream.

I recommend to everyone, if you are hesitant about choosing products, contact me or my colleagues, we will always be happy to help you create a facial care routine and answer any questions you may have.

For consultations, you can write to the following e-mail: konsultasilos@carolinashop.lt

Author of the article: Gabriele Grybaitė . The article may not be copied or distributed without mentioning the author of the article.