Jessica Turner The holiday season is not far away and while the long, hot days of summer are great for your psyche, but they are not always so great for your skin. Paul Massa discusses common client summer skin problems.
Client issue: dry skin
In summer, dryness is never far away: UV rays, air conditioning, chlorine, and salt. Just spending time in the water can have adverse effects on your skin. If you have dry skin, the intercellular cement that binds skin cells together is damaged and your skin finds it hard to retain water.
Contrary to what you think, prolonged contact with water, especially sea water, will damage your skin barrier even further increasing dehydration. This is why your skin can become dryer than the Sahara desert over the summer.
Solution: hydration
Hydrate in several steps. Make sure the different products you use contain also hydrating ingredients. These two to three hydrating steps will help the moisture penetrate progressively deeper and rehydrate each layer of skin. Start with a creamy cleanser, then hydrating serum and finally a rich moisturiser.
Client issue: over-active T-zone
Oily and combination skin naturally produce excess sebum and those with this type of skin know what it is to have a shiny skin in the middle of the day; but in summer it affects us all. The heat decreases the viscosity of sebum, allowing it to flow more freely to the surface of the skin so the shine factor will increase for everyone.
Solution: soak it up
If you want to banish unwanted shine, use gentle mattifying products which won’t dry your skin out too much. Start with a gentle light cleanser then apply a light moisturiser. In summer, it’s a good idea to change your moisturiser and go for a light-textured one. To top it up, you can finish with an anti-shine powder.
Client issue: Sun overdose
Sunburn and heatstroke bring with them reddened skin or small spots, without mentioning premature ageing of the skin and the risk of skin cancer in the long term. Some skin types are more sensitive than others to UV rays and can react particularly badly to overexposure.
Solution: protect and refresh
Use a sun-cream that will block both UVA and UVB rays — this way your skin will be protected both from the premature ageing caused by UVA rays and the sunburn inflicted by UVB rays. Follow sun exposure with a soothing and repairing cream containing anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Client issue: dry feet
There is nothing more pleasant than to walk bare feet unfortunately our poor feet often get forgotten in summer. Flip-flops don’t help either. The constant exposure to air dries out the skin.
The pressure of pounding your feet on the ground when you walk, together with skin dryness exacerbate the problem and causes unsightly cracks in the skin. Constant rubbing in shoes may also cause a thickening of the skin: corns.
Solution: nourish and nurture
To heal cracks, nourish the skin of feet by massaging in a super nourishing cream every evening; it may take a while for the skin to repair itself but persist. Every so often, apply a cream and wear socks to deeply nourish your feet.
Don’t be tempted to scrub thick skin all away as this vigorous approach can result in the corn continuing to grow. A better option would be to book a pedicure on your return.
Client issue: too much make-up
The light in summer is different. The first rays of sun will add a hint of colour to your complexion meaning that your usual make-up may no longer match your skin tone. It’s time to go for a nude approach with make-up. And nothing is more beautiful than a bare face, achieved with just a little help.
Solution: easy does it
Only during the summer months, forget your foundation and heavy mineral powders and learn to love your skin as it is! If you have to wear foundation, mix it with your moisturiser or wear a tinted moisturiser. Brighten things up with a hint of blush on your cheeks and a colourful lipstick.
Summer is a time to relax and have fun with family and friends. Stress less and savour more!
Paul Massa is Managing Director, PHYT’S phyts.com.au
