Summer SOS

The post-summer skin survival tactics to target dehydration, pigmentation and premature ageing.

Too much fun in the sun may have fast tracked your path to fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, and dry, blotchy skin. Get your skin back on track and help reverse signs of sun damage with active skincare to replenish, rehydrate and promote healthy skin turnover.

Caring for your skin and preventing premature ageing is not a wash-and-go approach; it should be tailored to your skin type and the skin concerns you wish to address. A serious skin routine incorporates a variety of layering strategies and techniques to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, fade pigmentation and age spots, firm skin, minimise uneven skin tone and improve breakouts. Using skin rejuvenation products will turn a basic skincare routine into a serious skincare regime that will comprehensively address an array of skin issues – particularly needed after a long hot summer.

Cleansing

Cleansing should be your fi rst beauty ritual every morning. Choose a simple, gentle cleansing product that will effectively remove dirt and makeup. Maintaining the evening cleansing step is the most important of them all to wash away the day’s wear and tear on the face.

There are cleansers for every skin type. If you’re prone to blocked pores, use gel formulations. For delicate skin, use milky products and for dry skin, cream products work best. Try something with glycolic acid or AHA to complement an anti-ageing skincare regimen.

Cleansers are also instrumental and essential for optimum absorption of moisturisers and serums.

5. Skin Regimen Cleansing Cream Anti-Pollution Face Wash 150ml, $60, 6. Clarins Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream 200ml $52, 7. Skinstitut Microbiome Micellar Water 200ml, $39, 8. Napoleon Perdis Rebirth of Venus Skin Renewal Cleansing Oil 145ml, $39, 9. Skin Health Science Carbo Cleanser 120ml, $72, 10. Arbonne Bio-Hydria Gel Cleanser 125ml, $35, 11. TEOXANE RHA

Moisturisers & Serums

Give your skin the fuel it needs to rejuvenate and repair. Look for products containing hyaluronic acid (HA), antioxidants, vitamin complexes, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and peptides to really deliver results and reduce signs of ageing.

Hyaluronic acid (also found naturally in the skin) is a standout ingredient in many anti-ageing products due to its ability to attract and bind water, locking moisture into the skin and binding collagen with elastin.

Antioxidants help protect skin by combating free radicals, which attack healthy skin cells and collagen, resulting in lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone and sensitivity.

Topical vitamins are more key players in protecting and repairing skin. Vitamin C, for example, is an antioxidant that works to prevent free radical damage and help reinforce the skin’s own defenses and prevent long-term damage. Arguably the most potent topical is retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A (retinoic acid), which is widely touted as ‘the’ anti-ageing solution. Retinoids encourage better cell function and turnover, stimulating the dermis and helping to boost collagen and elastin production and improve fi ne lines and wrinkles, skin texture, skin tone and colour, and your skin’s hydration levels.

Another anti-ageing toolkit must-have are peptides, such as copper or hexapeptides, which are known for their rejuvenation and repair properties.

Some active skincare may initially induce mild irritation, so it is best to build up gradually as your skin gets used to treatment. Find a different skin rejuvenating moisturiser for day and for night that work well in synergy. And don’t forget to moisturise your neck and décolleté as well – these areas are one of the fi rst to show signs of sun damage and age.

Exfoliants Peels & Masks

Removing old skin cells that collect on the surface of your skin encourages the growth of new cells. When you exfoliate, you remove dead surface cells that contribute to dryness and oil that can cause blocked pores and problems like acne.

You can choose to use a mechanical exfoliation method, which is a granular scrub style, or a chemical/enzyme exfoliant incorporating alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acid, or Vitamin A (retinol, tretinoin and retinyl palmitate). Scrubs treat the surface of the skin and help unclog pores, while exfoliants remove surface cell debris and leave skin fresher and looking brighter.

Skin peels are another way to more deeply achieve the removal of the outermost layer of skin, which stimulates new skin cell growth. Common types contain lactic acid and glycolic acid. Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that occurs naturally in our bodies and helps stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the dermal layer. It is also a humectant, which attracts water molecules in the skin to the surface, giving a plumper appearance.

A glycolic peel contains a higher potency of alpha hydroxy acid. Low-concentration lactic or glycolic peels are available as at-home treatments.

Using a facial mask can soothe and nourish skin, improve the circulation, help clear up blemishes and discolouration, and even reduce the appearance of fi ne lines and wrinkles. The benefits of masks are often underestimated, but they can give the complexion a real boost. Generally, they should be used weekly after exfoliating. CBM

1. Neutrogena Single-Use Mask in Purifying Boost, $4.99 and Youthful Boost, $5.99 each, 2. Indie Lee Clearing Mask 48g, $85, 3. Aspect Fruit Enzyme Mask 50g, $59, 4. A’kin Macadamia Oil & Rosehip Oil Hydrating Face Sheet Mask, $7.95, 5. Ella Baché Instant Glow Mask, $29, 6. PCA Skin Revitalizing Mask 60g, $99, 7. Retreatment Botanics Instant Glow Face Mask 75ml, $65, 8. Paula’s Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask 88ml, $42, 9. Edible Beauty Bloom of Youth Infusion Mask (5 pack), $59, 10. PETER THOMAS ROTH Retinol Fusion PM Overnight Resurfacing Pads, $75