Revamp Your Skincare Routine for Summer: 6 Essential Tips by Chris Luckham

FOREO’s skincare expert, Chris Luckham, reveals 6 changes you should make to your skincare routine this summer 

Cut back on retinols 

Retinol or Retinal’s anything that falls under the retinoid topic has its amazing benefits and some may expect with increased sun exposure that summer isn’t the time for it. We won’t add yet another long description to what it does, however, I will add that it does thin the skin’s barrier, so perhaps dialing it down to every other night (for those using it daily) and space it out, to avoid any dehydration which none of us will want in our holiday photos! 

Try IPL treatments 

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a light therapy treatment used to treat. IPL is used more commonly for two reasons,  excess pigmentation or hair removal. In both of these cases, it's advisable for most to wait 48 hours post-treatment till you expose yourself to the sun, even with SPF (ideally). For the hair removal side of IPL, it’s the best tool for pre-holiday prep! You will need to start using it 12 weeks before to finish the whole course of a once-a-week ‘zap’ at home. With that comes a hugely reduced hair growth, softer regrowth and needing only the odd shave and monthly ‘zap’ to maintain results. I will note that the devices for at-home use have excelled in efficacy, though the increase in melanin/tan in our skin can interfere with the device’s ability to spot and differentiate the hair from the skin, making it less effective and depending on which device can even cause damage. We recommend sticking to manufacturer guidelines meticulously or better than visiting a professional once clinics are reopened.  https://www.foreo.com/mysa/find-out-if-peach-2-is-suitable-for-you/

Don't over-strip the skin

Our summers this year may or most definitely be very different, so for many, we are embracing the staycation. The effects of excess sun exposure or more frequent Apperol’s to compensate still can show up as an issue just as if we were abroad. Being kind to the skin and ensuring our lipidic barrier (our protective barrier) is constantly kept in mind, meaning the winter or early spring overhaul on the skin needs to slow down right about now, reduce the use of intense treatments, daily use of acids and up hydration to ensure that invisible layer is happy and able to do its job of protecting its equilibrium. The top tips are to use ingredients like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic acid and ceramides these not only protect the skin from the harmful effects of our environments but feed the skin with hydration and support the building blocks to this layer.

Don't overdo it with acids 

Some acids and AHA ingredients are being added to so many of our home care products - cleansers, toners, masks and serums. When layered too much this can be far too much exfoliation for your skin, especially during the summer. If you don’t want to eliminate these from your skincare routine, switch these steps to nighttime during the warmer months. 

Avoid ‘heavy’ hydrating products 

As mentioned previously the lipidic barrier and outer shell is where we want to feed, but not smother! Working with lighter textures will not only increase absorption to where it needs to go but also reduce that thick or residue feeling layer on top of the skin, which no one is desiring when we are battling with SPF on top also, then perhaps makeup! Hyaluronic acid and ceramides are the ones to look out for, try fitting these into the serum or gel moisturiser stage to keep it fresh, then use a mattifying or nongreasy SPF as the top coat to ensure your skin feels breathable and not as though we are preparing for a day on the slopes! https://www.foreo.com/mysa/foreo-crafted-the-exquisite-swedish-supercharged-facials/

Thoroughly remove SPF & sweat

Sweat, SPF and sun sound like an autobiography from a season out being a rep, and even typing the words this just makes us already want to deeply cleanse and rid our skin of it all! At FOREO we did some studies on the harmful effects of working out in the sun and how a layer of sweat from a workout could increase the damage from harmful rays upward of 40%, these statistics are massively relevant to us in whatever sun activities we get up to! Removing this at the end of the day is essential so to remove both SPF and sweat and all of its pore-clogging attributes, I’d recommend an oil or balm cleanser first, wiped off with a damp warm cloth or flannel. The perfect way to start is FOREO LUNA™ Ultra-Nourishing Cleansing Balm. With its ultra-nourishing ingredients like sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, and Vitamin E, your skin will feel softer than ever. The lightweight nature of this formula enables the balm to melt into the skin by gently removing any excess sebum, leftover makeup, and SPF. Proceed to exfoliate but gently using a device such as the  LUNA™ 4 from FOREO, these devices will buff off any remaining product, sweat, dead skin cells but in a gentle fashion that won’t harm the uppermost layers of the skin resulting in fresh clean and comfortable skin. 

Add in hydrating masks & serums

Add in hydrating serums and masks - these are essentials! You are noticing a trend here I bet, and you can already imagine the ingredients ill mention, hyaluronic? Ceramides? Got it! This step is a bit more of a treat but really important to keep the skin in top form, using serums previously mentioned which leave a light breathable layer are the perfect 1st step to following up with a hydrating mask to seal the deal! All hydrating masks which aren’t pore blocking or containing silicones have my vote, however, the ingredients lists need to step up to the mark, We stick to using either cream masks to sleep such as The FOREO SUPERCHARGED™  Ultra-Hydrating Sleeping Mask. This overnight mask will rejuvenate your skin through the night without clogging the pores and prepare it for the next day with a glowy and dewy finish. The ingredients included in this mask will ensure that your skin receives the best care, whether you have dry or oily skin. Hylauron helps in hydrating the skin, while zinc ensures that sebum production is under control and that redness is minimized. To make the skin brighter, antioxidants and fatty acids found in rosehip oil and ergothioneine protect the skin from oxidative stress as well as improve tone and texture. Or if I’m in a rush and want serious results use FOREO UFO™  2 to provide your skin with the most customized masking treatment and transform it in just 90 seconds. Together with either the H2overdose, Manuka honey, Make my day, Youth Junkie, Coconut Oil or Acai Berry, these are all my favourites for hydration and plumping benefits as they use red light therapy during the whole treatment to make it more effective, healing and restoring at the same time.