Marilyn Syrett
September marks the beginning of fall. The changing weather demands a change in your skin care regimen as well. No matter what your skin type is, it does react to the changing weather conditions.
Here are some tips to help you be prepared for the fall season. With an effective skin care regimen, you can protect your skin, restore its radiance and keep it healthy!
Use Creamier Skin Care Products
Whether you have dry skin, oily skin or combination skin, it is advisable to switch to a milder cleanser or face wash during fall. This will help to reduce the moisture loss. Avoid using soap or foaming cleansers as they tend to strip off the essential lipids in the skin. These products are best reserved for summer when the skin tends to be oilier. Cooler temperatures are accompanied by low humidity, which robs the skin of its intrinsic moisture. Use a non water-based cleanser to wash your face during the fall season like Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser. Also, women with dry skin should consider using a rich moisturizing cream instead of the regular lotion to increase the hydration levels. Try using La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX, a double duty moisturizer + sunscreen. If you have oily skin, apply moisturizer only on the dry areas of your face like your cheeks, and avoid the T-zone completely.
Switch to a Milder Exfoliator
Cooler weather means dryer skin. With regular exfoliation, you can remove the layer of dead skin cells from your skin surface and remove the impurities accumulated within the skin pores. Avoid using harsh scrubs. Even if you have oily and acne prone skin, use a mild scrub that contains smooth and rounded particles that exfoliate without irritating the skin. For example Nia 24 Physical Cleansing Scrub. You can also try using Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm Forte (for oily skin) or Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm (for dry skin). Both of them are gentle exfoliating lotions. Also, make sure you don’t scrub too hard. You could end up scratching your skin and damaging the healthy cells.
Don’t Avoid Using Sunscreen
Just because the temperatures tends to cool down during fall and the sun is not as strong as in the summer, doesn’t mean you can skip out on using sunscreens. Even if the sun is not as harsh, its UV rays continue to reach your skin and that’s why it is important to keep your skin protected. An SPF 15 sunscreen would be more than enough for fall. However, if you intend to spend lots of time outside, you need at least an SPF 30 sunscreen. La Roche Posay has a full range of sunscreen formulations for all skin types. You can use La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid. It is also available in lotion and milk forms.
Reduce Skin Discoloration
Excessive sun exposure can lead to the appearance of sun spots on the skin and uneven complexion. In order to correct the situation, use skin care products with hydroquinone or kojic acid. They help to diminish the appearance of sun spots and make the skin smooth and flawless. You can even use Vivite Vibrance Therapy. Products like this usually contain restorative antioxidants like Licorice root extract, Mulberry fruit, green tea, grapes and fennel seeds that help to even out age spots, brown spots and other forms of hyperpigmentation. It also helps to hydrate the skin and protect against free radicals.
Include Antioxidants in Your Skin Care Regimen
Consider using skin care products that contain powerful antioxidants. They protect your skin against the damage caused by free radicals and prevent the development of wrinkles and fine lines. It also shields against possible sun damage. There are a variety of antioxidant rich serums in the market that deliver higher concentration of ingredients to the deeper layers of the skin. Some beneficial antioxidants you should look out for are vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, ferulic acid and alpha lipoic acid.
Pamper Your Feet
After walking around in your flip-flops in the summer months, your feet are now completely stressed out. So spend some time pampering your feet and treat them with a pedicure session. Pedicure removes all the dirt from your feet, and scrapes off the dead skin cells to reveal the fresh skin underneath. Don’t forget to slather on a rich moisturizer following the pedicure procedure!
Dr. Marilyn Syrett is a professional physician and skin care expert. She advises women on various nuances of skin care and offers them tips to buy skin care products online. She has written articles and reviews about a range of Obagi skin care products. You can check out Obagi products at: http://www.skincareheaven.com/?category_name=Obagi. (source: articlesfactory.com)
