Skin Problems Solved

As you prepare to show more skin, get ready to face the sun’s rays with our top 6 summer skin tips!

1. Exfoliate for clearer, smoother skin

What it does: Exfoliation removes dead, dulling skin debris to prevent congestion and improve hydration from toners and moisturizers.

When: Perform in the mornings prior to toner, moisturizer, SPF and make-up application. Tip: Make-up will last longer on an exfoliated skin!

Don’t forget: After you exfoliate, follow with a hydrating body cream to seal in moisture, and always shield freshly exfoliated skin with an SPF (as recommended by the FDA). 

2. Keep skin hydrated

How: Up your regimen’s level of hydration with intensive masques, perfect for use one to two times a week. Boosters are a great fit, working best when layered underneath a moisturizer. Toners are a refreshing moisturizer prep, working to even out skin porosity. Tip: Refresh with a revitalizing toner spritz at your desk, in the car, at the gym, on the plane!

3. Make friends with H20

Why: Higher temperatures and more time outdoors leads to internal dehydration, which can result in headaches and dizzy spells!

What you can do: Eight 8-ounce glasses of plain, filtered water every day help maintain critical moisture balance of the body and skin, and assist in detoxification. Tip: If you drink caffeinated beverages, you must triple the amount of water you drink!

Recommended:  Plain and pure water!

4. When in doubt, apply (and reapply!)

Why:  It’s not enough to just apply sunscreen.: you must apply enough, and apply frequently.   Studies indicate that most people do not apply nearly as much daylight protection as they should.

How much: A teaspoon for the face. For the body, about as much as would fill a shot glass.

How often: Re-apply every two hours. Tip: Stay out of the midday sun from mid-morning to late afternoon whenever you can.

Bonus: Today’s sophisticated formulas and technology let you select sun protection that works with your skin condition. That means you can choose oil-free, mattifying formulas, extra emollient formulas for dry skin, or chemical free formulas for sensitized, reactive skin.

5. Soothe over-exposed skin

What: You forgot the sunscreen, didn’t apply enough, or got caught in a sunny spell.

What’s next: Unfortunately, the damage is done, but you don’t have to suffer in pain! Super-soothing botanicals and cooling gels can help prevent peeling and reduce redness and inflammation.

How: Apply cooling balms generously over-exposed skin, preferably at the first sight of a pink glow. 

Prevent: One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of melanoma — remember to get a yearly skin exam by a doctor and perform a self-examination once a month to detect early warning signs of carcinomas and malignant melanoma. Look for a new growth or any skin change.

6. Repair and treat sun damage

What causes skin damage: UV light causes photoaging in the form of brown spots, coarse skin and wrinkles, whether you have burned your skin or not. When sunlight comes in contact with skin a cascade of damage results (including the stripping of barrier lipids) causing inflammation, production of reactive oxygen molecules that affect healthy cell growth, and stimulation of collagen destructing enzymes.

What to do: A tan may be a popular summer look, but it indicates damage. Bombard your skin with age-fighting ingredients to help undo any damage that may occur, and to further protect it from the aging effects of UV.

There’s no shortage of myths when it comes to oily skin. Get the facts to further your understanding of how to really keep oil under control.

Myth 1: Oil can be controlled by stripping skin with harsh, drying ingredients such as alcohol.
FALSE. Stripping the skin of oil can actually cause an overproduction of oil. Why? Because skin’s trying to make up for and replace what’s lost! Those who self-treat oily skin with alcohol-based products often end up with dehydrated, irritated, sensitized skin.

Myth 2: Sunscreens increase oil production.
FALSE. Speak with your professional skin therapist about new, sophisticated formulations that won’t clog pores, and even contain oil-absorbing microsponges for the ultimate in sun protection and skin care benefits. 

Myth 3: A little sun exposure is ideal for drying up skin.
FALSE. Sun exposure is never good for skin. While it may seem the sun provides a temporary “drying” effect, sebaceous glands will fire into overdrive to help replace lost oil. The result: more oil on the surface than before.

MYTH 4: There’s nothing that can be done to help control oily skin.
FALSE! Don’t give up! An oily skin condition is just as manageable as any skin condition. Speak to a professional skin therapist who can analyze your skin, then provide a proper diagnosis including a regimen of products and lifestyle changes to keep skin under control.

Sick of mid-day slick and shine? Make a few adjustments to your skin care regimen to help control oil production from morning until night. 

• Create a “matte kit” that fits conveniently in your purse or backpack for mid-day touch-ups. Your kit should include oil-free lotions or sunscreens containing microsponges that help soak up excess oil. It can also contain wipes loaded with Salicylic Acid (not alcohol!) to help degrease skin, help prohibit acne bacteria, and keep skin feeling fresh.
• Use a clay-based cleanser to help mop up oil on the surface.
• After cleansing, apply a moisturizer, even if you think your skin doesn’t need it. Oily skin can suffer from dehydration (which is a lack of water) while being oily.
• Once or twice a week, apply a clay-based masque to help control sebaceous gland secretions and clean out pores.
• Exfoliation can help control oil production, improve skin texture, and help prevent clogged pores that lead to breakouts. It also helps prep the skin for maximum treatment from oil-controlling ingredients. Your professional skin therapist can prescribe a physical or chemical exfoliant to improve the health of skin.