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Transitioning Your Skin Care
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Transitioning Your Skin Care #1
After months of biting cold, mounds of slush and thundersnow (yes, that’s a thing!), we have high hopes that spring weather is finally on the horizon. Which means it’s time to pack away those heavier moisturizers and balms for something a bit lighter — like a slip dress for your skin as opposed to a winter coat. We spoke to three lauded skin experts to get the skinny on the best ways to transition your face and body skin care routine, all without stressing your budget.
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Aim for Light(er) Cleansers
“As the weather gets warmer, I would recommend transitioning to a foaming or glycolic cleanser [Editor’s Pick: Bluemercury m-61 Brilliant Cleanse] in the spring/summer to keep the pores clean,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, founder and director of Capital Laser & Skin Care and assistant clinical professor, Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University Medical Center.
In addition, throw in an antioxidant serum [Editor’s Pick: Clark’s Botanicals Nourishing Youth Serum] in the morning (before using daily SPF) and at night, a glycolic or retinol to assist in cell turnover for #flawless results. Mirroring the tip above, make sure to slather on SPF. “These ingredients will make skin a little more sun sensitive, so use SPF of at least 30 — and wear a hat,” Tanzi shares.
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Don’t Be Slick
“There is a misconception that if your skin is oily, you have to use harsh oil-stripping products to erase any existence of oil,” shares Dr. Dendy Engelman, board-certified dermatologist. “But in fact, what you’re doing is creating a negative feedback loop in which you are triggering increased oil production because your skin thinks it lacks oil.” According to Tanzi, the best way to cut down on excess oil is to incorporate glycolic acids into your skin care regimen with products, such as a cleanser or toner [Editor’s Pick: Mario Badescu Skincare Glycolic Acid Toner].
With that said, don’t dunk your face into a pool of oil. Start with an oil-based cleanser [Editor’s Pick: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil] instead. And don’t forget to moisturize; dehydrated skin can be mistaken as a trigger to produce even more oil.
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Beat Dry Skin (While You Sleep)
“Sleeping packs or overnight masks are the holy grails for people with dry skin,” shares Engelman. “While you're sleeping, the body's hydration rebalances. Skin is able to recover moisture, while excess water in general in the body is processed for removal.” How does this work? Skin can lose water while you sleep, but serums (and creams) can create a permeable seal on top of your skin so that whatever you have underneath it can penetrate.
“The logic behind it is that skin regeneration is at its height between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. When the body is in a deep, restful sleep, the skin’s metabolism increases and cell turnover and renewal escalate.” Her top pick is Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask because it contains a hydrating mix to fortify skin’s barrier plus hyaluronic acid and moisture-sealing technology to attract and bind water.
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SPF Is Still a Game Changer
You’ve heard it time and time again, SPF is truly a year-round must even on cloudy, gloomy spring days. “A light moisturizer with SPF is my top choice,” explains Engelman. “Cetaphil Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 20 is one of my new favorite launches for 2017 — it contains a tint to neutralize the appearance of redness. [It’s great] for people with seasonal allergies or even for anyone whose skin may act up due to change in weather, this product will definitely help with it.”
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Don’t Forget About Your Body
“Personally, I'm not a fan of lotions,” explains Palermo Body founder Jessica Morelli. “They are not effective enough for winter and in the summer the emulsifying agent (usually wax) sits on my skin and I sweat it off, leaving an unsightly layer of white 'stuff' on my skin (those who live in humid summer climates know exactly what I'm talking about).” Instead, she suggests a skin-smoothing hybrid of a coffee or detox scrub paired with a hydrating and repairing body oil. “In the summer, I'm all about body oils. Ours are made to absorb quickly and comfortably, so you can slip into your clothes and go without feeling greasy.”
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Choose a Gentler Soap
The “s-word” has gotten a bad rep, especially with the new wave of foaming and creamy body cleansers. But according to Morelli, all soaps aren’t actually considered equal. “It's really about the kind you're using,” she explains. “Commercial soaps are filled with detergents that dry out your skin and unfortunately have made the notion of using soap sacrilegious. This is not the case at all with natural soap. Through the natural chemical process of soap-making, precious glycerin is created, which is an incredible ingredient that helps to draw moisture into your skin.”
Her line of soaps are enriched with nourishing butters and oils through a process called “superfatting” — think cleansing, moisturizing and nourishing. “Natural soap is an amazing example of organic chemistry and I'm on a mission to take the stigma out of using soap,” she explains.
