Sea + Sun + Soirees will not equal happy skin.
Summer can mean being overly exposed to the heat of the sun, the salty ocean, or too much chlorine from swimming pools.
Of course plunging into the ocean feels fantastic, but the alkaline nature of seawater (with a pH between 7.5 and 8.4) will have a drying effect on the skins naturally acidic pH. Then you throw in the warm temperature, air conditioning, and poolside cocktails, and you have created a recipe for skin damage.
These factors all compromise the barrier function of the epidermis (your skin protecting what's underneath), and your skin will become crepey (wrinkled!) and dehydrated.
To treat the damage of summer, you must focus on calming and soothing your skin. The goal is to eliminate irritation and inflammation, and to restore the barrier function of the skin. This damage puts you in the category of having sensitive skin, and therefore, less is more.
1.Choose a cleanser formulated for sensitive skin. Usually, these types will have eliminates irritants like drying alcohols or artificial fragrances. (Note: these cleansers are typically milky and creamy in consistency, and will not foam up when worked into the skin with water).
2. Exfoliation is optional, but if you chose to include it, use a gentle/mild exfoliant. (The bottle should specify if it is gentle/for sensitive skin). A gentle formulation won't increase the redness and agitation of the skin, and will leave the enzymes to get to work to break down the protein material of the skin. Steer clear of using any kind of "scrubs", as they will cause friction, stimulate capillaries, and increase the heat of the skin.
3. Speaking of heat, be careful of the temperature of the water you use when cleansing. Because damaged skin has had its barrier lipids weakened, hot water can further destroy your already tender skin. Water should be tepid. The warmer the water, the more counterproductive treating your skin will be when the purpose is to calm and reduce inflammation.
4. Serums and masks are vital in treating sensitized skin, and offer the most therapeutic results. Oatmeal is the greatest ingredient for calming itchy or irritated skin, so look for a mask that contains oatmeal, and allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes on the skin.
Overall, you want to avoid temperature extremes - nothing too hot or too cold - as both will place additional strain on the delicate capillaries.
