OC Woman: summer skincare guide
Written by Danilae Smith
Saving Face for Fall
An after summer skincare guide
Summer is the most active season of the year. From beach days to amusement park adventures, spending summer days in the SoCal sun is inevitable. While that sun kissed skin looks good today, the damage of those harmful UV rays is unmistakable tomorrow, leaving behind wrinkles, brown spots and uneven pigmentation as the telling signs.
“Sun is the number one cause of premature aging,” explained Sophia Paramenter, lead esthetician at Spa Gregories. “Basically, the skin’s collagen is broken down by the sun and the extrinsic factors of the elements that we’re exposed to — free radicals, pollutants, smog, sun, etc. — really affect our skin.” With fall festivities here and holiday celebrations right around the corner, there’s no better time to begin making changes for improved skin today and tomorrow.
The effects of sun damage can be a scary thought, but there are ways to turn back the hand of time. “There are so many amazing treatments and products to help reverse the effects of aging,” explained Paramenter. “For sure, we know that vitamin C reverses the effects of the sun. Retinols are also fantastic, so any type of vitamin A. Also up-and-coming now are peptides, or topical botox,” she said. However, Parementer believes that there’s nothing like the advantages of going to a spa to reverse the effects of sun damage and premature aging.
With kids back at school, holidays right around the corner and new fall services available county wide, now is the perfect time to take some much needed “me time” and pamper yourself with a facial. This year’s Readers’ Choice winner for best day spa in South County, Spa Gregories has a plethora of after summer facials to get you face time ready for fall: Ray of Sunshine, Moisture Surge, Fountain of Youth, and the Scrub-a-Dub. However, debuting this month is the Organic Brightening Facial. The one-hour treatment is designed particularly for correcting the damage caused by summer days in the sun. It includes the use of Kojic acid, lactic acid, vitamin C and for a limited time, customers who receive the treatment will also receive a free take-home of the Mandarin Brightening Peel.
Though spa treatments are both effective and relaxing, not everyone has the time or the money to devote to regular spa sessions. Sun worshippers need not worry, just remember a few simple steps for healthier skin: Sunscreen; exfoliate; vitamins and antioxidants; and hydrate and moisturize.
Sunscreen:
Regardless of age, ethnicity and season, sun block should be used every day. “Many people will say to me that they are not going to the beach so they don’t need sunscreen. But, just from your car, you’re prone to sun damage,” said Paramenter. New FDA recommendations suggest using sunscreen labeled “broad spectrum” with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Exfoliate:
Taking the time to exfoliate your skin is essential for its improvement, as it rids of dead skin cells while smoothing and brightening the skin. “You want to be exfoliating at home because what’s happening is the dead skin cells are just sitting there. When you’re young, they turn over rapidly but, as you get older, that slows down,” explained Paramenter. She added, “Also, if you’re not exfoliating, your serums and anti-aging products won’t be able to penetrate.”
Vitamins and Antioxidants:
More than just a trendy buzzword of today, antioxidants help fight off the damage caused by those extrinsic factors and free-radicals of stress, pollution, smog and of course, sun, in addition to others. They help brighten the skin, improve texture and tone and decrease fine lines. Ensuring they appear in your skin care regiment is incredibly important, look for vitamins A, C and E as well as coffeeberry, honey, coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid and retinoic acid.
Hydrate and moisturize:
Nourishing your skin from the inside out is an easy, affordable way for it to maintain its health. When skin is properly hydrated it’s smooth and plump, but when its dry, it becomes flaky, dull and tight. Drinking at least two liters of water daily is an easy fix. Also, find a quality moisturizer, even if you have naturally oily skin. Skin that is regularly moisturized is known to age slower than moisture deprived skin. It is also better able to fight off the damage of those pesky extrinsic factors and free-radicals.
Lastly, finding quality products and knowing what ingredients to look for is just as important as the skin care regiment itself. “If you’re looking for lightening and brightening, your main ingredients are going to be vitamin C, daisy extract and kojic acid as well as your antioxidants. Vitamin A will help turn over skin cells and produce more collagen. The peptides are going to do the firming and if you’re looking for hydration, hyaluronic acid is good” Parementer added, “If the main ingredient, like vitamin C or peptide, is at the bottom and its full of parabens and perfume, then it’s not going to be a quality product.”
For more information about the Organic Brightening Facial or any of the other mentioned treatments, please visit Spa Gregories online
www.SpaGregories.com