An expert guide to summer holiday skincare

Maintain your summer glow.

As we enter summer and the festive season maintaining our skincare routines is vital for healthy glowing skin. GLAMOUR spoke to the owner of The Skin Institute by Azaria and Somatologist, Azaria Anderson who gave us expert advice on managing maskne and tips to help you maintain your summer glow.

beauty

Exclusive skincare secrets from a Somatologist

Many people are heading back to the office soon and will be wearing masks more often than not. How can maskne be avoided and treated?

Maskne is acne that develops from wearing a mask on the skin and it is on the rise. This happens because the mask rests on the skin and causes friction resulting in inflammation and sensitivity. The mask provides an environment for bacteria, sweat, oil, impurities and heat to be trapped resulting in the change of the skin’s pH. If you have oily skin, you are more likely to develop maskne.

If you have a dry or reactive skin type you are prone to develop something called maskitis which is a form of dermatitis (skin irritation). Maskitis is not acne but rather presents with small bumps, redness, itchiness and drier skin. Both maskne and maskitis have the same root cause and it is recommended to wash your cloth mask every day. I encourage my patients to keep 2 or 3 cloth masks on them and change them throughout the day especially if they are prone to developing any of these 2 conditions.

If you are using a disposable mask, the same applies and ensure that you discard your mask correctly at the end of the day. Try to avoid touching your mask in the front throughout the day. I also encourage my patients to avoid wearing thick foundation on the skin as this can contribute to the condition. Ensure that you follow a good skincare routine. Avoid picking or squeezing the pimples or pustules as this could worsen the condition and leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (dark spots) on the skin.

Can you share a skincare routine to help replenish skin after a big night out?

Hydration is key after a big night out as well as replenishing your skin. This requires more than just drinking litres of water, although that does help.

1. It is imperative that you remove your makeup when you get home. If you are unable to do this, ensure that you double cleanse your skin with a gentle cleanser in the morning. Both cleanses should last 60 seconds. Cleanse upwards (opposite direction to gravity) and avoid using makeup wipes as they do not clean your skin properly and could lead to possible irritation.

2. Exfoliating your skin is important too, especially if you are prone to congestion or have an oily skin type. Exfoliating is essential as it makes the skin feel refreshed and clean and brings your glow back. It also encourages your skin to start working.

3. If your skin feels sensitive and inflamed, take ice cubes and rub them on your skin as well. It will also assist with puffiness.

4. Pat your skin dry and avoid pulling on your skin.

5. Calming serums, repair serums and sheet masks are your best friends. They will aid in hydrating the skin and repairing your skin barrier.

6. Ensure that you use an eye cream to assist with bags under your eyes and stimulate circulation to assist with dark circles formed around the eye area.

7. Don’t forget to treat the lip area and hydrate with a lip balm.

Can you share a skincare routine to help replenish skin after a day in the sun?

After a day in the sun, you want to avoid treating your skin with any exfoliating ingredients such as Alpha Hydroxy acids, Retinols or any active ingredients that could irritate inflamed skin.

1. Use a hydrating cleanser. If your cleanser needs to be combined with a toner then use your toner.

2. Apply calming and anti-inflammatory serums to the skin.

3. Apply a calming and hydrating moisturiser.

4. Apply more sun protection to your skin. Make sure it is a broad spectrum SPF that protects against UVA, UVB, HEV, IR.

Do you have any summer skincare secrets to share with us?

1. Wearing an SPF is imperative!

2. Stay in the shade and avoid direct and indirect sunlight by wearing a broad sun hat and sunglasses.

3. When travelling by flight, ensure that you keep your skin hydrated as you lose a lot of water in the air. Also, if you have a window seat, ensure you are wearing your SPF because the higher you go the more potent the sun becomes.

4. Beauty sleep is a real thing and could be difficult to achieve especially during the holiday season. But when you can try to go to bed before 11 pm and try sleeping on your back as side and stomach sleeping can create wrinkles at night.

5. Avoid eating before you go to bed, especially salty food as it can dehydrate your body which can lead you to wake up with puffy eyes in the morning.

Azaria’s suggested list of products include:

Face Shield Flex spf 50- Colorscience