How to look after your skin after the summer. 3 steps to restore it

The sun, the beach, the trips... they leave great memories, but they can also leave marks on our skin.

If after your holidays you notice your face looking duller, dehydrated, tight, or with new spots, September is the time to adjust your routine again, giving your skin that extra care. With a simple routine and the right active ingredients, we can help our skin gradually recover its hydration, radiance and balance. At FarmaciasDirect, in this blog post we suggest 3 steps to care for your skin after summer and restore its healthy appearance.

How does summer affect our skin?

During summer, exposure to solar radiation, high temperatures, chlorine, salt, or even changes in our habits can disrupt the skin barrier and encourage moisture loss. As a result, skin after summer can look drier, more sensitive, and appear duller or with an uneven tone. All of this alters its balance, so when we return from holidays, our skin has different needs.

Dry and dehydrated skin after summer

One of the most common consequences is dehydration, or dehydrated summer skin. Heat, sun exposure, chlorine or salt, as mentioned, are factors that can encourage water loss, disrupting the barrier function and leading to symptoms such as tightness, reduced elasticity, flaking, or dull-looking skin.

It can appear on any skin type, even combination or oily skin, since dehydrated skin isn't necessarily the same as dry skin. Dehydrated skin lacks water, unlike dry skin, which lacks lipids. So when we say our skin feels "dry" in summer, it's actually dehydrated.

Spots on the skin after summer

Another sign that can become more noticeable after months of higher sun exposure is dark spots or hyperpigmentation, both new and existing ones. UV radiation stimulates melanin production as a defense mechanism, and due to its uneven distribution, darker patches and an uneven skin tone can appear.

• And what about white spots on the skin in summer?

Sometimes they simply become more noticeable as the surrounding skin tans, but they can have different causes. If new white spots appear, grow in size, show flaking, or persist over time, it's advisable to consult a dermatologist to determine their cause.

Sun damage and loss of radiance

Accumulated exposure to solar radiation can also cause photoaging, progressively affecting structures like collagen and elastin. As a result, after summer we may notice duller skin, an uneven texture, or more visible fine lines.

How to care for your skin after summer in 3 steps

1. Start with an effective yet gentle cleanse

After the holidays, we might be tempted to reach for intense exfoliation to quickly get rid of that dull look. However, if the skin is dehydrated or sensitized, the first step should be restoring its balance and avoiding overly harsh cleansing.

Daily cleansing removes leftover sunscreen, sweat, oil and accumulated impurities, preparing the skin for the following steps in the routine.

We recommend Avène Cleansing Foam, with a lightweight formula and a pleasant fragrance, that removes makeup, purifies and soothes the skin thanks to its formula based on Avène thermal spring water and glycerin. It's suitable for all skin types, even sensitive ones, since it contains no soap and is made with the minimum number of ingredients at the right dose to ensure effectiveness and tolerance.

Once the skin starts recovering, gentle exfoliation can be very helpful to remove the dead cells that build up on the skin's surface and give it that dull, rough appearance. This helps improve texture and allows subsequent treatments to penetrate better and work more effectively.

2. Restore lost hydration and the skin barrier

Restoring hydration levels will be one of the main needs of post-summer skin. Humectant ingredients help capture and retain water, helping to restore the barrier function and dehydrated summer skin, thereby reducing the feeling of tightness.

At this step, we recommend the Avène Hydrance range, with different options to adapt hydration to each skin's needs:

• Avène Hydrance Aqua-Gel, with a fresh, lightweight cream-gel texture, provides intense hydration and is ideal for dehydrated skin looking for a refreshing, comfortable feel without a heavy texture, even for more sensitive skin.
• Avène Hydrance Light Emulsion, especially suited for normal-to-combination and sensitive skin, provides long-lasting hydration while maintaining a light, fast-absorbing texture.

This way, we can give the skin the hydration it needs after summer, tailoring the texture to our skin type and preferences.

3. Add radiance and fight oxidative stress

Once hydration has been restored, we can incorporate antioxidant active ingredients to treat that dull look and help protect the skin against oxidative stress caused by external factors.

A good product for this step is Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Serum, which thanks to its combination of Vitamin Cg* — considered the most stable form —, Bakuchiol and Niacinamide, smooths wrinkles, boosts skin radiance and reduces the appearance of dark spots.

Don't forget skin care for the rest of the year

Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean sun exposure is. To keep your skin healthy, radiant and hydrated all year round, we recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, essential for protecting the skin and preventing photoaging.

It's also important to maintain proper diet and hydration. Don't forget to hydrate from within and eat healthily, with a diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants, which will be directly reflected in the health of your body and your skin.