Post-Summer Skin Rehab Tips

Summer is drawing to a close, and as much as you may be already mourning the late sunsets and poolside weather, I have to be honest with you…your skin is probably breathing a little sigh of relief. Summer takes a big toll on your skin. It’s been dealing with heightened sun exposure, more sweating than usual, possibly high humidity or an excessive dryness from time in the sun, and maybe some chlorine or other pool chemicals too.

Now, as the weather begins to cool down and the sun isn’t quite so harsh, it’s time to give your skin a proper “thank you” for its sacrifices by giving it a chance to recover. These are some ways you can help your skin refresh at the end of the summer and bring it back to tip-top shape.

Make an Effort for Deeper Hydration

One of the effects that often happens after a summer of soaking up the sun, taking dips in the pool, and taking sweaty jogs is that your skin tends to get thirsty. Especially if you can feel your skin being more dry than usual, this is the time to put some extra focus into hydrating your skin.

What does that look like, exactly? Make sure you’re especially diligent with your skin care regimen, treating yourself to full-body moisturizing after each shower and keeping up with your morning and night moisturizer too. If you’re already doing that and you need the next step up, try swapping out your summer moisturizer with a more rich moisturizer, and toss in a hydrating mask every so often for an extra dose of refreshment.

Use Barrier Repair Products

Your skin’s protective barrier (which keeps moisture inside your skin and keeps out pollutants and other not-so-friendly particles) has probably taken a beating this summer. Now is the time to replenish it with skin care products that emphasize restoring your skin barrier, like a barrier repair serum.

Get a Fresh Start Facial

Everyone’s skin reacts a little differently and has different needs during this transition from summer to fall, and the best person to help you figure out what your skin needs is a skin care professional. That’s why this is a great time of year for a professional facial. Your aesthetician can take a look at how your skin’s doing, give you a revitalizing facial that deep cleans your pores and replenishes your hydration, and give you guidance about what your specific skin needs in the months ahead.

Try a Pigment Corrector

You might have noticed that your complexion has sprouted a few spots over the summer. That’s very common when you’ve been out in the sun - age spots will develop or darken. Now that you’ve had your fun in the sun, though, you can start fading those age spots again with a pigment corrector. A note for the future, though: it’s a lot easier to prevent age spots than it is to fix them, so always make sunscreen your morning go-to.

Cut to the Chase with Sun Repair Products

For most people, the top reason our skin might be looking a little worn out by the end of summer is the sun. If you want to get your glow back, a great way to do that is with specialized skin care products for sun repair, like a restorative moisturizer and sunscreen.

Consider Resurfacing Professional Treatments

If your skin damage is just adding up more than you’re able to manage with at-home skin care, or if you’re looking for a change that’s a bit more impactful in a short period of time, the end of summer is a great time for resurfacing skin treatments. You might try a chemical peel, for example, or microdermabrasion or similar procedures that your favorite skin spa offers.

Make sure that you understand what to expect from the healing process beforehand, though, because you might need to be prepared to spend more time inside for a few weeks. Remember to pick up some post-procedure skin care products to make sure you get the best results too.

Giving Your Skin a New Start for Fall

As you think back on the good times you had this summer and the days spent with friends and family, remember that your skin was front and center for all of it and that it took some damage along the way. Sometimes that’s just the price of making memories, but with the right post-summer skin care, you can keep all those happy memories and get your skin back in shape too.