Blog #23- A-Z Skin Care Continued: Changing Skin Care as the Seasons Change- Part 2

Blog #23-

A-Z Skin Care Continued: Changing Skin Care as the Seasons Change- Part 2

Depending on where you live, it starts in National Celery Month, right after we all don our Kelly green and participate in local pub crawls. It continues through the Spring Equinox, National Puppy Day, National Autism Awareness Month, Ramadan, the pranks of April Fool’s Day, Easter Sunday, National Talk Like Shakespeare Day, National Mental Health Awareness Month, Star Wars Day, and Cinco de Mayo parties. Things heat up even more in LGBT Pride Month around National Onion Ring Day, continuing on through National Picnic Month and Black Business Month for celebrations like National Bikini Day, National Free Slurpee Day, and Harry Potter’s Birthday, Purple Heart Day, Middle Child Day, and International Strange Music Day. If you live in Arkansas, it can drag on and on… and on. I’m talking about spring and summer, just a hop, skip, and a jump away now. And just like we needed to change up our skin care routine when the leaves started to fall, we need to do so again once the weather warms back up. So today, we’ll work on the rest of the basics of seasonal skin care, starting with letter V… 

(courtesy of Medicine Net)

But you also need to watch what you eat. No processed foods.

No sugars.

But yes to the whole foods.

And anything that contains essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.

So yellow and orange fruits and vegetables like apricots or carrots, leafy green vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, berries, beans, peas, lentils, fatty fish like salmon, and nuts will work for a good starter list. 

All of those contribute to optimum skin health (although the girls and I here at Remedy Road would argue that a little chocolate every now and then never hurt anyone). 

(courtesy of Harvard Health)

As far as tools are concerned such as makeup brushes or items that typically hold/organize your products, if it can be laundered, then wash it thoroughly, and if it can’t be, then out with the old and in with the new (go for something like ELF products which are cruelty free, very affordable, and made from recycled materials to combat the waste). 

(courtesy of Select Health)

In fact, a chemical peel at your dermatologist is a good idea to start spring off on the right foot, which peels off the yucky outer damaged layer to reveal the under layer which is smoother. Those often also contain brightening ingredients which is good for age spots.

In terms of cleansers, go for an oil-removing product to control the extra sebum produced in the warmer months, an oil-free cleanser. Look for products with salicylic acid as an active ingredient too. It’s even okay to use an exfoliating cleanser. Gels and foams are good too because we no longer need the extra moisture of the cream cleansers we were using in winter. Perhaps the lightest of all choices is micellar water, which emulsifies sweat mixed in with makeup after a hard day’s work or play. An acidic cleanser will help control shine- an astringent in other words. A good one should work all day long. And overall, sensitive skin products are best for warmer weather.

Do exfoliate in spring and especially summer, but do be careful - it thins skin which can lead to easier sunburns. About 2 times per week is a good practice because those dead cells if left on the surface of your skin combine with all that earlier yucky stuff to clog pores. Look for ones with no shells, no nuts, no microbeads. Go for salts, sugars, and enzymatic choices with fruit like papaya, pumpkin, or pineapple instead; those are much gentler.

But don’t overdo the retinol which can make skin more sun-sensitive because it boosts cell turnover, eliminating dead cells and replacing those with new ones, and that new skin is more sensitive to burning.

CC cream is good in terms of makeup, as is a mineral powder foundation- those balance out excess oil. 

And it’s a great idea to freshen up with facial mists throughout the day. You collect bacteria during the day, and it spreads around as you sweat- yuck… again (see why I like summer so much less?). Hypochlorous acid fights that bacteria and cleanses, because it’s an antimicrobial and antiviral. It stimulates healing by signaling oxygenation and epithelial knitting, decreasing scarring for that reason too.

Sunflower seed oil is good for eczema in the summer. Just take a shower, spread a thin layer over the affected areas, and let it work overnight. It’s an anti-inflammatory and light-stimulates ceramides to beef up your skin barrier.

(courtesy of Beautiful Makeup Search)

However, those of us in the 30+ category need to keep in mind that time is not kind to those who skip moisturizing too often, so you need to find a balance there (and my grandmother and mother have always looked about 10-20 years younger than they actually are, and they contribute that 100% to moisturizing- something to keep in mind). 

Regardless, use a lightweight oil-free moisturizer when you do embrace this step in your routine, preferably something with hyaluronic acid, although ceramides are also beneficial. 

(courtesy of Harpers Bazaar)

An antioxidant can help with that, but always, Always, ALWAYS apply the sunscreen too before leaving the house in the spring and summer months- there is no replacement for that. 

There is no such thing as a healthy tan!!! (regardless of what tanning booths in the 80’s and 90’s tried to convince us otherwise)

The most important thing to keep in mind is know your skin type- how you burn, how quickly, how bad, but the typical ideal is SPF 50 or higher to prevent UVA/UVB damage, avoiding accelerated photoaging, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles.

Apply about 1 shot glass full of sunscreen to protect your entire body- about 3 times per day, and it certainly never hurts to apply more or to go higher. 

Lip cancer is also a concern, especially in men, so don’t forget a lip balm or stick with an SPF as well.

(courtesy of Ethical Elephant)

Go for broad-brimmed hats; a 12 inch brim is ideal, something composed of a tightly woven material (we have some adorable choices below in-store).  

Unbleached cotton is good for clothing choices, tightly woven material for tees and shorts, because fabrics can also help protect you.

Colorless compounds in clothing like fluorescent brighteners or specially treated resins that absorb UV rays is also helpful- information that should be available in the tiny print on the interior manufacturer’s tag. 

And voila! From thunder-snow to 105 degrees in the shade, from cold dry air that feels like 5 below to 90 degrees with 100% humidity, we all now know exactly what to do and what not to do, no matter what the weather is doing. At least as far as our skin is concerned. 

Next up, we’ll be taking a look at how to change up our routines with regards to the seasons of life.