Dr. Laura
June 1, 2023
Summer Skin Care
Our top picks for your summer skincare routine by Dr. Laura
While most of us dream of clear, glowy skin for summer, the reality can often be a lot different. Clogged pores, pigmentation, sunburn all like to rear their nasty head. Which is why we should give some consideration to our skincare routine for summer and try and avoid any major issues.
Do you really need to change your skincare with the changing seasons? The honest answer is - it depends. With patients I see in clinic, I might switch them to a light weight moisturiser in the summer time, if needs be. But for the most part they are on a good routine to keep them through the whole year - both winter and summer. They have the essentials to keep them going. What are these I hear you say? SPF as a non negotiable, an antioxidant serum, an exfoliating acid and a retinoid. If you like to play with your routine, or you haven’t yet found your perfect routine, then perhaps you might like to make some changes and ill chat through these below. If however, you are ready to get the right routine for you today - then come and see us in clinic to get you started on your perfect skincare routine.
Dr. Laura's top tips for summer skin
- Apply SPF
- Up your antioxidant game
- Use lightweight moisturisers
- Invest in a skincare mist
- Wash your face twice daily
- Don't stop your active ingredients
1. Apply SPF
Most of us have a love-hate relationship with sunscreen for the face. It protects our skin against hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, DNA cell damage, and the big one, skin cancer. The problem is, for many it can be hard to find the right one for you.
“My one piece of advice on this is to try and find one that you like, and use it every day, ideally reapplying regularly. You should apply SPF to those areas that are exposed every day - so not just face, but don’t forget about your ears, hands and chest too! During the summer time in Ireland, if you are going to be spending time outdoors then you should be reapplying SPF every two hours ideally and more if swimming or sweating, Check out our range of favourite SPFs below.”
- Dr. Laura
The best SPF for your skin type
If you haven’t found the right product for you - then let us help. Some times you have to kiss a lot of frogs, before you find your prince, but we’ve kissed a lot of frogs for you and have some suggestions below based on how our patients get on!
Oily / acne prone skin
Start with either Heliocare Gel Oil Free or SkinCeuticals Oil Version Others that acne prone skin likes are the La Roche Posay Anthelios fluid (super light) or if you want a mattifying effect then the LRP Oil Control Fluid.
Rosacea / sensitive skin
You might want to try a mineral based SPF to start. Any of the Colorescience products will work here. For a tinted version the SkinCeuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defense is a great option - and the Heliocare Mineral Tolerance. For a non tinted version I actually really like the LRP Anthelios Mineral Baby. We also have the mineral based options from iS Clinical which are thicker in consistency and some people love them.
Dry / more mature skin
Look for something a little bit heavier like the Fluid Cream from Heliocare or the Bondi Sands Face SPF. Make sure you use a hydrating moisturiser under your SPF if it isnt thick enough for you.
Pigmentation prone
Our best seller for pigmentation prone skin is the Advanced Brightening UV Defense from SkinCeuticals followed by the Pigment Solution fluid from Heliocare - both containing pigment fighting ingredients alongside SPF.
Normal skin
If like me you have pretty normal skin, then you can choose from any of the above, Some of our best sellers include those I’ve mention above and another great all rounder is the Ultra Facial UV Defense from SkinCeuticals
Check out the Colorescience collection for a selection of make up SPF products
TOP TIP
Make sure you apply enough sunscreen - this means 2 full finger lengths of product for face, and 3 if including the neck, which of course we all should be (include pic here)Ideally your sunscreens would be SPF 30 or higher - we don't stock any lower here in clinic and again should offer both UVB and UVA protection - all our products do!
2. Up your antioxidant game
With more powerful UV rays getting through in summer months, then our skin can do with more protection on the daily. For this reason its sensible to up the ante on your antioxidant formulation. Check out some of our top tips below.
Consider adding an antioxidant supplement to your diet
Did you know that you can take a supplement that enhances your UV light protection and can help prevent heat rash and polymorphic light eruption? Enter polypodium leucotomos extract now available on Dr. Laura Clinic from Heliocare - our much loved SPF brand.
Fernblock extract, the Heliocare Superstar
Every Heliocare product contains Fernblock (R) a powerful natural ingredients that is unique to the Heliocare range. Fernblock comes from the fern Polypodium Leucotomos. Over time this plant has developed a natural protective mechanism from the sun - and fern block technology allows us to harness this natural plant power to benefit the skin - by defending skin cells from damage caused by the sun and protecting our skin cell DNA. The supplement also contains n-acetylcysteine which helps us to produce natural anti-oxidants, vitamin B3 (niacin amide my favourite skin ingredient) alongside vitamin C and E, and some contain vitamin D also. Its also shown to reduce sunburn, and other issues people experience with the sun. Why not add it to your summer routine today.
Add a vitamin C product to your AM skincare routine
Add a vitamin C in to your AM routine for the ultimate sun protection. Antioxidants stop the deleterious effects of UV rays on our skin cells. Ideally vitamin C should be used every morning to help protect our skin. Make sure to find the right vitamin C for you. Shop our selection of Vitamin C products below and see some of our suggestions.
The best Vitamin C for your skin type
We have tried and tested many vitamin C products in clinic on both ourselves and with patients so we really do have a vitamin C serum for every skin type.
Oily / acne prone skin
While I love niacinamide as my antioxidant of choice for acne prone skin if you wish to add in a vitamin C then we have 2 options. Silymarin CF from SkinCeuticals with added salicylic acid and silymarin extract to work on those pesky spots, or the Alto Defense from SkinBetter Science, a completely new formulation with 18 different antioxidants to protect against all environmental aggressors.
Rosacea / sensitive skin
Again I like niacinamide for sensitive skin types, but if you want to add a vitamin C Serum then Serum 10 from SkinCeuticals is the place to start, with 10% L Ascorbic acid compared to 15% in others. Gentler on the skin. Alto defense from SkinBetter Science is also an option as it has a gentler form of vitamin C alongside a host of other antioxidants and ingredients to soothe skin.
For seasoned vitamin C users
For seasoned vitamin C users why not try the GeneXC Serum from iS clinical which has 20% L-ascorbic acid, the highest that we stock - alongside enterozymes, an iS Clinical propietary product shown to stimulate genes associated with ageing and hydration.
Pigmentation prone
You can either go for CE Ferulic if normal / dry skin type, or Phloretin CF if more oily (this doesn’t have vitamin E so more suited to oily skin types). Another option for pigmentation is C Fx Clarifying Serum from Obagi which has the addition of arbutin a fantastic option for breaking down pigmentation in the skin - this is a really good option if you find you get a lot of sun spots in the summer months.
Normal skin
Go with SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic the gold standard across the industry with added vitamin E and Ferulic acid to give 10 times the protection of just vitamin C.
Don’t forget, no matter what the temperature, your skin needs to be moisturised. Some people will not need to change, but some of us willll find a lighter hyaluronic based moisturiser will serve us better in the summer months. They can really help maintain hydration without being overly sick of heavy feeling.
3. Use a lightweight moisturiser
4. Wash your face twice daily
With sweat, and extra SPF it becomes even more important to wash your face, right up into your hairline twice daily. If you’re pulling back on actives elsewhere in your routine this can be a nice place to add them in in a more gentle form. Some of our favourites are included below.
Cleansing Complex Polish thoroughly cleanses the surface and pores of the skin without drying or stripping essential natural oils. This light, foamy gel contains eco-friendly microparticles of Cellulose and Jojoba combined with powerful botanical extracts and Salicylic Acid to provide both physical and biochemical exfoliation. A complete facial experience in a single product, this multi-purpose cleansing scrub instantly smooths, polishes, and softens the skin.
A firm favourite in clinic this cleanser from SkinCeuticals combines potent cleansing agents with Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid that help the product to exfoliate, smooth the appearance of irregularities and brighten the skin.
Removes excess sebum and make up
Accelerates skin surface exfoliation and smooths irregularities
Brightens the skin
Gentle Cleanser is a creamy, mild cleanser formulated with an emollient-rich surfactant and 3% concentration of key ingredients combining allantoin, glycerin, and orange oil to soften and restore skin’s surface. This non-foaming, gentle skin cleanser efficiently removes impurities and long-wear face and eye makeup without any traces of residue. Skin is left feeling soft and moisturized. Suitable for dry, normal, sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
5. Invest in a skincare mist
Although definitely not an essential in your skincare routine, you can use a face mist to refresh your skin throughout the day. One of our new products, that I absolutely love and lives on my desk in clinic is the new Phyto Corrective Essence Mist from SkinCeuticals - with a powerful blend of antioxidants this refreshing mist will help keep you cool all day long. For something more simple why not try the La Roche Posay Face mist.
6. There is no need to stop actives
“Our skin doesn’t change that much in the sunshine, and still needs retinoids and exfoliating acids from a corrective point of view. While there are many myths about them making you more sensitive to the sunshine, in theory they don't. As long as you are wearing your SPF every day in the morning you are good to go. If you do find you get a little sensitive, then you can reduce the usage, but I would say that this really should not happen, especially if you are using the right one for you. ”