4 Expert Tips To Revamp Your Skincare For The Change In Season
As your beautiful summer tan fades away, wrinkles, dry skin and sagginess become more noticeable. You may even experience an increase in sebum production. Summer’s hash UV rays and fall’s decrease in humidity levels leave your skin craving treatments to recover its glow.
Just like your wardrobe, your skin care routine needs a revamp for the change in season. This doesn’t necessarily mean throwing away all your products and starting from scratch. If you are already using well balanced natural products, transitioning your skin care from summer to fall may only involve tweaking a few products to get you through the drier, colder months. Make the transition from summer to fall flawless with these 4 expert tips.
How seasonal changes affect your skin
Weather has a significant impact on your skin’s health. Cold winter temperatures, for example, irritate your skin, and dry conditions strip its natural moisture. Going from cold outdoors into centrally-heated buildings can take a toll on your complexion. Heated air causes water to evaporate from your skin leading to cracking, flaking and irritation.
As the season springs to life, so does your skin. After been bombarded with toxins throughout winter, spring gives you a chance to rejuvenate your skin before the arrival of summer.
Even though you may feel like your skin thrives in summer, the increased exposure to the sun and other elements like chlorine and salt can rapidly outweigh the benefits of a change in lifestyle. In summer you are more likely to eat healthier and become more active, which increases your blood circulation and helps your skin stay nourished. In some areas, humidity levels are also much higher, helping your skin stay moisturized.
On the other hand, the harsh summer rays can accelerate the appearance of aging, and cause drying and temporary irritation. Increased air conditioning dries out the skin while excess heat means more sweating, which can lead to clogged pores.
As we transition into fall, humidity levels start dropping off again. The change in season doesn't just call for a new wardrobe and warmer home. Everything from cooler weather to hanging out too long in dry, stuffy indoor environments can deprive your complexion of moisture and wreak havoc on your skin.
4 tips to update your skincare routine from summer to fall
Your fall skin care regime should cover three key processes: moisturize, protect and prepare your skin. Fall is the perfect time to repair your skin from the damage suffered during summer as well as strengthen it to combat the effects of the cold weather ahead. Here are four expert tips to get your skin back on track this fall.
1. Switching to a creamier, gentle, non-clogging cleanser that will add extra moisture to your skin. Skin products formulated with natural oils work best regardless of your skin type, because they are similar in structure to the skin’s lipid layer, and they are much gentler than soaps.
2. Trade your light summer moisturiser for a richer formula. Humidity levels change drastically from 80 percent in summer to only 20 percent in winter. This means that you need to change to a more hydrating and moisturizing regimen. Look for ingredients like:
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Derived from coconut oil and glycerin, it is considered an excellent emollient and skin repairing ingredient. This is due to the mix of fatty acids that the skin can use to repair its surface and resist moisture loss. It also has the added benefit of being non-sensitizing.
- Glycerin: A humectant that works to moisturize the skin by drawing water from the air into the skin's outer layer. When combined with other occlusive agents It also forms a protective layer that helps prevent moisture loss. and prevent dryness and scaling.
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: A clear gel like substance found in the inner part of the Aloe leaf, it plays a role in binding moisture to skin. It also possesses soothing, healing and moisturizing properties.
Every so often, try skipping makeup altogether and just applying moisturizer and sunscreen.
3. If you prefer not to use a serum during summer, fall is the right time to add it back to regime. The active ingredients in serums can help clear and heal your skin. Because the molecules in serums are smaller than the molecules in moisturizers, they absorb deeper into your pores delivering active ingredients. Did you know that serums contain 10 times the amount of active ingredients found in a moisturizer?
For maximum effectiveness, apply your moisturizer over your serum. This will lock the serum into your skin, as well as provide a protective barrier against the wind and cold. For a perfect pair, try Ao Skincare Restore - Serum along with Ao Skincare Repair - Night Moisturizer for the ultimate night time hydration.
4. Although sun radiation is less intense, you should continue protecting your skin against damaging UV rays. Look for an SPF 30, broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers both UVA and UVB protection. Sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are ideal. These compounds form a barrier on the outer layer of your skin that starts protecting you as soon as you put them on. To get the best results, use as much sunscreen as a shot glass on your body, a full teaspoon on your face, and reapply it every 1 to 2 hours that you are in the sun.