Even people who don’t pay too much attention to skincare regimens know that there’s a great difference between what winter and summer do to their skin. If they live in a temperate climate, winter is not only cold but dry. This dry air in turn dries out their skin and makes it flaky and itchy, with visible lines and red patches. On the other hand, the warm air of summer holds moisture. Here are some ways to keep your skin supple and healthy in both winter and summer.
Summer Skincare Routine
Summer makes your skin feel “juicier” than it does in winter. Because of this, even people who are used to moisturizer may forgo it during the warm months. But the intense rays of the summer sun can also cause the skin to prematurely age and even make it vulnerable to skin cancer. This is because UV rays damage the skin’s very DNA. Therefore, it’s imperative that sunscreen be part of your summer skincare routine. This even applies to people with dark skin. Indeed, cosmetologists and dermatologists at Cloud 9 Aesthetics recommend using sunscreen all year round.
The reason sunscreen seems more important during the summer is that people expose more of their skin during the hot weather. The sunscreen should have a strength of at least 30 SPF. You should also wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect your head and eyes from the summer sun.
Other ways to care for skin during the summer are the use of light serums and lotions instead of creams that can clog the pores. The best skincare products contain antioxidants such as Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. Antioxidants protect the skin from damaging free radicals while hyaluronic acid locks moisture into the skin. Other practices to protect skin during the summer are exfoliation and nightly cleansing with foam cleansers. These cleansers remove dirt without drying out your skin.
Winter Skincare Routine
The goal of winter skincare is to keep the skin both clean and hydrated. People spend much time indoors during winter, and the air in the home is much drier than the outside air. The heating that keeps the indoors comfortable also lowers the already low levels of indoor humidity. This can leave your skin uncomfortably dry and even subject to conditions such as eczema. Easing such dry skin requires thicker and creamier skin products than those used in summer.
The best lotion for dry skin for winter uses oils, including olive, jojoba and avocado oils. They also use substances called ceramides. A ceramide is a lipid or fat that is already found in skin. Ceramides protect the very top layers of skin from damage from the environment. They also hold in moisture to keep skin from drying out. Like summertime skin care products, winter lotions and moisturizers also have hyaluronic acid to help the body produce its own collagen. Collagen is a springy substance that keeps your skin supple.
The best face moisturizer for winter skin care also contains the above ingredients. Some moisturizers also have ingredients such as shea butter and essential oils from such plants as chamomile and sandalwood. The best are much thicker than lotions. They’re solids that come in jars and are scooped out and applied with the fingers. The best time to apply a winter moisturizer is just after you come out of the shower or the bath.
Book a free consultation with one of our expert aestheticians to discuss what is best for your skin this summer!