Summer is a cherished time of year for sun-filled days and long holidays. However, it can also be a challenging season for your skin. The combination of increased sun exposure, humidity changes, and other environmental factors such as saltwater and air conditioning can leave your skin feeling dry, damaged, and in desperate need of repair. As you transition back into your daily routine after the summer, it's essential to focus on restoring your skin to optimal health and repairing the skin barrier and skin cell health after it has been exposed to different aggressors.
Summer Skin Damage: What Causes It?
The effects of summer on your skin go much deeper than just sun exposure and damage. Beneath the surface, your skin faces a complex interplay of environmental factors that challenge its natural defences and are different from what you face throughout the year. Understanding these factors is key to knowing how to repair your skin after summer.
Dryness From Heat and Air Conditioning
Extended exposure to heat during the summer months causes your skin to lose moisture through a process known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This is a natural process where water evaporates from the skin's surface, but during warmer months, this process accelerates as the body attempts to cool itself down.
The loss of moisture makes lines and wrinkles more prominent, contributing to a dull appearance.
Sudden environmental changes, such as moving from humid outdoors to air-conditioned indoors, can disrupt the skin's natural balance. This sudden shift can lead to increased oil production, clogged pores, and breakouts as the skin struggles to adapt to fluctuating conditions. Furthermore, travel stress, including changes in climate and exposure to different water sources, can exacerbate skin issues, leading to increased acne and other forms of irritation.
While air conditioning provides a welcome relief from the heat, it significantly reduces indoor humidity levels, which exacerbates the skin’s water loss, leading to increased skin roughness and dryness, as well as a weakened skin barrier.
Seawater:
The salt in seawater acts as a natural exfoliant, which is a great property.
Seawater, especially in busy tourist areas or near industrial areas, can contain pollutants that can penetrate deeper layers, causing oxidative stress and long-term damage. Studies have shown that areas such as the Mediterranean Sea, a popular destination for summer holidays, are often polluted, making it important to protect and repair your skin after bathing in these waters.
Dietary Changes:
Summer holidays often mean indulging in foods and drinks that are not part of your usual diet.
A high intake of sugar, processed foods, and alcohol can contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress in your skin. This can lead to increased breakouts, a dull complexion, and a general lack of skin vitality. The link between gut health and skin health is well-documented, making it crucial to transition back to a diet rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals to restore your skin's natural glow and resilience.
Sun Damage
Sun damage is responsible for over 85% of premature skin aging, such as increased hyperpigmentation and dark spots, sunburn, oxidative stress and premature skin aging and in more severe cases, increasing the likelihood of skin cancers later in life.
Sunscreen is indispensable during summer, but studies show most people don't apply enough to achieve the full advertised SPF protection. Even with regular use, your skin can remain vulnerable to UV damage due to insufficient application or missed spots. When applied correctly, SPF 50 sunscreen offers approximately 98% protection from UV radiation. However, in practice, many individuals apply only a quarter of the recommended amount, reducing its efficacy to about 50%. This leaves the skin exposed to harmful UV rays, which can cause long-term damage, including sunburn, premature aging, and an increased risk of skin cancer.
This is why Skin Diligent’s Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil can be safely applied under your sunscreen in the morning, offering an additional layer of defence against sun damage.
How to Repair Your Skin from Sun Damage & Other Aggressors After Summer:
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Rehydrate:
To counteract the increased moisture loss and environmental damage, it's crucial to rehydrate your skin using ingredients that restore moisture balance. Look for skincare products containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and magnesium, as these ingredients are effective at attracting and retaining moisture in the skin. Additionally, prebiotic inulin can help support the skin's microbiome, promoting a healthy balance of good bacteria that are crucial for barrier function. Skin Diligent’s Cellular Hydration Serum combines these elements to repair the skin barrier, provide deep hydration, and promote overall skin health.
Restore:
Pair it with our Exosome Advanced Night Cream for maximum hydration and to boost cellular regeneration. Featuring the most innovative ingredient in cosmetics, exosomes, and other epigenetic ingredients, this lightweight cream helps regulate skin cell regeneration and barrier function, repairs skin cells, and boosts skin cell longevity. While formulated as a night cream, it can be used during the day as it does not contain any photo-sensitive ingredients.
Combat Oxidative Stress with Antioxidants
Antioxidants play a vital role in reversing and preventing sun damage. Vitamin C, when delivered in a stable, lipid-soluble form, can effectively neutralise free radicals and prevent further oxidative damage. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can help mitigate the effects of oxidative stress, but its efficacy depends on the form used.
A lipid-soluble form of Vitamin C, such as that found in Skin Diligent’s Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil, is particularly effective because it remains stable and non-oxidising, enhancing protection against UV-induced aging compared to water-based Vitamin C forms.
Focus on Replenishing Your Micronutrients:
As we transition back to work or school, it's important to also think about what's going on inside our bodies. As discussed above, you might be in a state of micronutrient deficiency at the end of the summer holidays. We recommend a 2–3-month course of Skin & Stress to address your basic needs. Enhance your cellular health and immune system with a blend of minerals and vitamins including Acerola cherry as well as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, and provitamin A beta-carotene.