Fall Skincare Tips

shutterstock_109432004Summer has come and gone, and the cool crisp fall weather is quickly approaching. Time to put away the shorts, swimsuits, and tank tops, and time to pull out the sweaters, boots, and jeans. Just like we change our wardrobe to prepare ourselves for the cooler weather, changing our skincare “wardrobe” is just as important.

I don’t know about you, but I know my skin goes through significant changes when the seasons change; it can go from oily and shiny in the summer, to dull, dehydrated and rough in the fall and winter months. If your skin is suddenly starting to feel drier and look a bit more dull, it’s time to change it up! During the summer months we tend to abuse our skin with more sun exposure, pool chemicals, and just more environmental damage in general. This can result in duller skin as our summer glow slowly fades, revealing sun damaged skin, rough texture and at times enlarged pores.

So, what products or treatments should you be looking for to prepare your skin for the fall and winter?

Your skincare should include more hydrating, exfoliating, and brightening products. And yes, you should still use a sunscreen. The clouds alone cannot filter the damaging UV rays, so incorporating a sunscreen into your daily routine is still very important. Because excessive sun exposure can cause dehydration and hyperpigmentation, ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C are essential for adding that suppleness and summer glow back into your skin. Vitamin C products such as CeumWorx by DermWorx uses 3 highly potent forms of Vitamin C in a 10% stabilized concentration plus biopeptides for firmer, smoother, more radiant skin. We love that the single use capsules keep the ingredients fresh and the delivery system leaves our skin velvety smooth with a healthy glow. Hyaluronic acid is a powerful humectant that is present in your body in the spaces between skin cells; when applied topically, it keeps the skin plump and hydrated. It is also the main ingredient found in many popular injectable fillers. The ZO Ommerse Renewal Cream is a lightweight hydrator that contains hyaluronic acid and is both calming and rejuvenating. We love the instant hydrating benefits and the fast absorbing formula that leaves your skin hydrated and never greasy.

None of these ingredients will do much if your skin isn’t properly exfoliated. At home exfoliation, done on a weekly basis, can significantly improve the absorption rate of your skincare treatments, but for more rapid results, microdermabrasion and chemical peels can do wonders. I know we’ve mentioned these treatments before, but we really like to add emphasis on the results these treatments can achieve. And there’s no better time to rejuvenate your skin than the fall, when you’re less likely to over expose your skin to the sun. Chemical peels can really do what products alone cannot: remove layers of damaged skin, exposing renewed healthy smoother skin. You should still, of course, continue to use your products at home for maintenance and faster results. Microdermabrasion, or Vibraderm, which we do in our office, works best in a series, and while it does not “peel” the skin, it will deeply exfoliate and stimulate faster cell renewal. This will make your skin smoother and less dull, allowing it to look radiant. At times, a Vibraderm followed by a mild chemical peel can be done on the same day to give a deeper exfoliation and faster results. A mild at-home peel can be effective for the maintenance of your in office treatments.  The ZO Invisapeel is a fantastic way keep the effects of a microderm or peel for longer.  The enzymes in this product will digest the dead skin on the surface, making your skin smoother and incredibly soft. This is also perfect to use when your skin is flaking from Retinol use.

It’s important to take a good look at your skin, and notice any changes. If your skin does go through significant changes from season to season, it’s essential that you see your skincare specialist and use the appropriate products recommended in order for your skin to remain healthy.

Contact us at 815-806-9400 to schedule a consultation with our wonderful Esthetician Daneyda.