Step 1: clean deep
Sebaceous glands tend to produce more sebum (oil) during warmer weather, so cleansing twice daily is essential. Your skin does most of its restorative and regenerative work from 1am to 6am while you’re asleep, so it’s important to cleanse away any potential skin cell and product build-up, including perspiration that occurred during this process.
Don’t forget the absolute rule: you should never, ever go to bed with your make-up on!
Seasonal switch: Choose a detoxifying cleanser to unclog pores, rinse away impurities and brighten skin.
Step 2: reveal the radiance
It’s time to exfoliate. Exfoliation removes dead cells on the skin’s surface, revealing the “fresh” skin just beneath, and prevents a build-up of products and oil that can clog pores, leading to blackheads and blemishes. Exfoliation is also essential for cell renewal, as it encourages nutrient delivery to the skin cells and ensures that serums and moisturisers are more easily absorbed.
Seasonal switch: Melanocytes (the cells that create melanin that are responsible for skin tone) react more aggressively to injury in darker skin, causing blemishes, so choose an exfoliator that has smooth granules.
Step 3: add a serum
Serums target specific issues and are more effective than normal moisturisers. They have a smaller molecular structure so they can penetrate your skin and work at the basal layer where skin cells are produced. This means that the product is improving the quality of your skin cells, creating better-looking skin in the long-term.
Seasonal switch: If you have oily skin, you want to balance and control the oiliness as the weather warms up, so look at replacing your moisturiser with a serum.
Step 4: replenish, nourish and protect
You wouldn’t venture out into the world naked, in the same way, your skin, too, needs to be properly 'clothed' to protect it from everyday toxins. A moisturiser replenishes skin, while a day cream protects against pollutants.
Seasonal switch: If using a moisturiser and a day cream seems too much effort, try a day cream that includes an SPF. BB creams are also fantastic all-in-one products. Remember though, nothing beats an SPF for full protection. Don’t forget to dab on some restorative night cream before bed to repair skin.
Step 5: banish the ashiness
Ashiness is dry skin, but in darker skin, it may show up grey, dusty or chalky. The key is to moisturise often, as your skin needs a good dose of hydration to banish the ashiness.
Seasonal switch: Avoid gel and foaming cleansers and toners that contain alcohol, as they have a drying effect on your skin.