Picnics, weddings, concerts, and vacations—-summer is finally here. Many people, especially those in the Midwest, look forward to these short few months every single year. But while warmer temperatures bring fun events, your skin may not appreciate the heat and humidity as much.
While it’s true that warmer temperatures and more sunshine can feel good on your skin, you will likely start to notice an oilier complexion and an increase in clogged pores. To maintain healthy-looking skin, it’s important to adjust your skincare routine to match the season.
At Whole Beauty® Institute, Dr. John Q. Cook and his qualified team work closely with patients to help them develop a consistent and healthy skin care regimen. We want you to look and feel your very best, so we’ve put together a handful of tips to ensure you stay protected this summer, while still enjoying all the season has to offer.
Exfoliate and Adjust your Products
WBR3 If you’re just getting started on a skin care regimen, you may not realize how important it is to exfoliate. Especially in the summer when most days are spent outdoors, your skin is exposed to dirt, dust, oils and polluted air. These harmful elements are not kind to your skin and can affect the size and health of your pores. In fact, many people experience bad breakouts in the summer from skipping this crucial step.
In summer we often recommend our patients to change their cleanser to one that actively encourages cellular turnover. The Whole Beauty® Institute’s Ultra Rich Cleanser and Illuminating Cleanser are good examples. High levels of peptides and antioxidants in products such as WBR3®, Hydrating Peptide Serum, and Vitamin C are favorites in the summer when Retinol can make you more photo sensitive. Vitamin C and other antioxidants can help to protect you from harmful solar radiation when used with an appropriate SPF like WBI® sunscreen. We provide each of our patients with a year-round skin program that reflects your individual skin character and how the skin changes in different seasons.
We can also provide advice regarding exfoliating brushes. These must be used carefully or they will do more harm than good. The Clarisonic facial cleansing brush can help clear your face of dry flakes in a gentle way. As for the rest of your body, washing it with regular soap is not enough to remove the buildup from your pores. Proper use of exfoliating body cleanser should be part of your daily showering routine.
Apply SPF
Sunscream SPF 40 Actively applying sunscreen, especially during the summer months, is one of the best ways to ward off lines and wrinkles. Protection of the skin from the damaging effects of the sun is important to your health since it reduces the chance that you will develop skin cancer. Good sun protection also helps slow the aging process in your skin.
For long-term skin health, choose a daily facial lotion with at least an SPF 30. The Whole Beauty® Summer Essentials line includes an antioxidant sunscreen with SPF 30. Fortified with barrier repair and emollient ingredients, this is a great sun-protection option for all skin types. The key, though, to preventing these harmful UVA and UVB rays from damaging your skin is to reapply every few hours that you’re in the sun.
Stay Hydrated
Hydrating your skin is something that starts from the inside. Each day, you should aim to drink about eight 8-ounce glasses of water. It’s also important to fuel your body with foods that retain a lot of water, like fruits and veggies. The antioxidants in these healthy foods also help to diminish the damage caused by the sun.
Keeping cool and refreshed from the outside matters too, though. As part of the Whole Beauty® summer line, we offer hydrating lotion and eye cream for a replenishing, healthy glow. WBR3™ also improves the transport of water to the surface of the skin.
Rejuvenate Your Skin
The different skin treatments we offer at Whole Beauty® Institute will help to protect and liven your sun-damaged skin. By practicing a consistent skin care routine with our medical-grade products, you can maintain results all year round. This time of year can be especially brutal on your face if you spend a lot of time outdoors, so check out our summer-specific products to replenish and rejuvenate your skin.
For most of our patients, we avoid higher-level corrective skin treatments during the summer months. Gentler treatments that can help this time of year include milder peels, microdermabrasion, and oxygen facials for skin that tends to dryness.
You have to wear your skin for the rest of your life, so you should feel confident with the way it looks. For more information on how to achieve a gorgeous, healthy-looking complexion, contact the Whole Beauty® Institute at 312-751-2112 today.