How to Soothe Skin After a Day in the Summer Sun
The end of the summer can feel like the morning after a long night for your skin. Sure, you enjoyed all the time you spent at the lake, in the park, and just hanging out on your deck, but now your skin is regretting it. Suddenly, you’re not looking so dewy, and you might have even lost that youthful glow. Instead, your face is dry and flaky, and you see a few more sunspots than you remember.
It’s something just about everyone goes through. Summer is a long-anticipated season of fun and frivolity. Then, before you know it, it’s over, and you realize you weren’t as careful with the sunscreen as you should have been, you had a few too many afternoons under the sun, and you certainly didn’t keep up your skincare regimen.
So now what? Well, it’s time to get serious about rejuvenation and care. Follow these tips to refresh your skin and try to recapture your glowy nature.
There are a few different issues you could be facing after one day in the sun or a season of sunny fun days. These tips are all excellent ones that can be layered together for incredible results.
A regimen of exfoliating away your dead skin cells makes room for fresh, healthy ones to grow. Physical exfoliants use small granules to abrasively scrub your face while chemical exfoliants dissolve away dead skin cells. Some people actually prefer to use both methods to get the best results — just don’t be too aggressive.
Your skin needs to recapture that precious moisture it lost. It also needs to be fully hydrated to fill the cells with water so they appear plump, smooth, dewy, and healthy. Drink a more-than-ample amount of water daily, and focus on adding moisture through a topical moisturizer or lotion. A product formulated with aloe leaf juice and chamomile flower extract for quick absorption is your best bet for leaving your skin soft and noticeably balanced.
Yes, Chamomile, that delicious tea you love, is also packed with wonderful properties that can refresh, rejuvenate, and revitalize your sun-exposed skin. Chamomile is considered an essential ingredient in many products because it’s known to soothe skin and helps to decrease histamines' release.
Chamomile has been used for centuries to promote skin health and reduce the appearance of common blemishes. It can also help soothe sun-exposed skin. It's also said to have some brightening effects if used topically in a cream. If you want to make the most of chamomile, brew yourself a cup, then sit back with the cooled tea bags on your face and finish with a facial massage using a high-quality rejuvenating moisturizer.
Vitamin A is often referred to as retinol, and it’s one of your skin’s best friends. Retinol is actually a derivative of vitamin A which encourages cell turnover. Even skincancer.org touts the benefits of vitamin A and is quick to point out how it can help color, tone, and skin texture while also fading brown spots. A moisturizer formulated with a form of retinol alongside a blend of botanicals will help ensure the moisturizer's absorption for optimal benefit.
There are a couple of different treatments you can try to help promote your skin's overall health after a day in the sun.
For those who like to indulge in the occasional spa treatment, laser skin resurfacing is a non-invasive option and can help reverse some signs of aging. A photofacial uses intense pulsed light to reduce the appearance of dark spots. You might even find that your dermatologist or a cosmetologist recommends a chemical peel for lasting results.
The sun gives your skin a bronzed and glowy finish one day and can leave it looking tired and dry the next. It’s a cycle that too many people experience regularly. By the end of the summer, it’s easy to see when you’ve indulged just a little too much in the sun.
Luckily, there are several different ways you can work to treat your skin and give it a youthful appearance again. Start with hydration and exfoliation. Then, reward yourself with a high-quality, botanically rich, hydrating moisturizer for a naturally-derived, rejuvenating lift.
The good news is there are steps you can take today to get your skin back on track.