Solving Summer Skin Care Woes

by Celeste Hilling, healthy skin care expert and CEO, Skin Authority

Shorts, bathing suits and plenty of sunshine… summer is glorious! But, don’t let skin woes get in the way of the fun of this season. Here’s my advice to keep razor burns, sun damage, and oily skin breakouts from dampening your summer enjoyment.

Razor burns are caused by irritated, ingrown follicles after shaving or waxing. To avoid, shave in warm water in the direction of the hair growth and use a clean, good-quality razor. Shaving in the direction of the hair growth allows for the root of the hair to remain exposed, which helps avoid ingrown follicles. To lift the hair from its shaft, I love Skin Authority’s Age Defying Shave Serum. We created this product to include a unique ingredient called Arrectosina, which raises hair by stimulating its arrector pipi muscle to facilitate a close, smooth shave.

Living in San Diego and growing up in Texas, I understand the summer draw to being in the sun. But, you must practice safe sun. Sunscreen is vital: it’s like the Otter Box of your iPhone for your face. Avoid sun damage by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15+. You can improve the effectiveness of your SPF by using a high-quality Vitamin C Serum underneath. At 20% L Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), the product will actually absorb some of the UVA (aging) rays for you. Vitamin C also aids in lightening, brightening, and tightening the skin in general.

To address sun damage that has already taken place, I suggest implementing a resurfacing agent into your daily routine. Look for ingredients like Glycolic Acid, Hydroquinone, Alpha Arbutin, and L Ascorbic Acid.

There is a common misconception that you can address Hyperpigmentation/Sun Damage, or avoid it all together, without using an SPF on a daily basis. This is a myth. And, I don’t want you to be fooled by SPF 75 or turned away from SPF 15. Both are extremely effective. To note: an SPF 15 product blocks about 94% of rays, an SPF 30 product blocks 97% of rays; and an SPF 45 blocks about 98% of rays. So, as you can see, there is little difference between SPF 15 and 45.

To address breakouts caused by oily skin during the summer I suggest a few simple things:
1. You must moisturize. Not doing so can actually cause oil-stripped skin to produce more oil.
2. Wear a high-quality make-up that is free of parabens, dyes, and fragrances. If you are concerned with the level of coverage, know that there are quite a few clean brands that offer a variety of coverage levels.

When addressing breakouts and excessive oil, it’s very important to maintain a consistent, healthy skin care routine.
• Look for a gel cleanser that has antibacterial properties to remove dirt, oil, and make-up.
• Use a spot treatment containing Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to kill bacteria, resurface, and to calm inflammation and redness caused by the breakouts.
• In the a.m., finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. In the p.m., finish with a light-weight moisturizer that is water-based and contains hydrating and healing ingredients like Vitamin E.

About the author: With two decades in the beauty and skin care industries, Celeste Hilling is the Founder,CEO and Product Formulator for Skin Authority. Skin Authority is respected for developing pure and
powerful products without the use of parabens, added fragrance, dyes or animal testing. More on
www.skinauthority.com, Facebook at Skin Authority, Twitter @SkinAuthority and @MissSkin.