In brief
- After summer your skin is often thicker and duller. The top layer has protected itself against the sun and is now only shedding slowly.
- New dark marks are usually pigment that your skin has made because of the sun. Some of them fade on their own, and some stay.
- Start with recovery: moisture and rest first, building up only after that.
- Autumn is the best time for peels and microneedling. There is less sun, so less chance of the pigment coming back.
Written by Nilay, owner and beauty therapist at Moons BeautyUpdated on
Why your skin looks different in September.
Your skin protects itself against the sun in two ways. It makes more pigment, and you see that as colour. It also builds up a thicker top layer. You often only notice the latter in September: your skin is rougher, it has less of a glow and your moisturiser suddenly doesn't sink in as well.
Your summer habits add to that. Salt water, chlorine, the air conditioning in the car and on the plane, and sunscreen that you didn't always wash off properly. As a result your skin is often dry and unsettled at the same time, with a clogged pore or a spot here and there where you are not used to getting them.
Then there is pigment. Dark marks that appeared in July only show clearly now, because the tan around them is fading. Some of them disappear on their own in the weeks that follow. What is still there in November usually stays, and then it is time to do something about it. You can read more about this under pigmentation.
The order in which your skin recovers.
It is very tempting to scrub hard straight away, to get that dead layer off. But that only makes dry skin more unsettled.
September
Moisture and rest first
Leave the strong acids and scrubs alone for now. Choose a mild cleanser, something with hyaluronic acid and a moisturiser that leaves your skin feeling comfortable. A nourishing facial helps to get the basics back in order.
October
Building up gradually
Once your skin feels normal again, you can add a mild peel. It removes the thicker layer, so your skin once again absorbs what you apply at home more readily. Often you see the glow starting to come back at this point.
November
Pigmentation and texture
See which dark marks are still there. Now is the time for a series of peels or microneedling, because there is a whole winter between you and the next strong sun.
Spring
Finishing and protecting
By around March you will have a series behind you and can see the result. From then on, daily sun protection is the only thing that stops you having to start all over again next year.
Good to know after summer.
You need sun protection even with a bit of a tan
A tan gives your skin very little protection, roughly factor two to four. It is more a sign that your skin has already suffered damage than a sign that it is safe.
Recover first, exfoliate afterwards
Scrubbing dry, irritated skin hard makes it worse. Give your skin time first. After that you can exfoliate, preferably with a mild peel rather than a grainy scrub.
Some of the new dark marks fade on their own
Others stay. What is still there two to three months after summer usually does not go away without treatment. That is the time to deal with it.
What we like to do in autumn, and what we look out for.
A good idea if
- A nourishing treatment, so your skin is calm and replenished again.
- A series of peels for dull skin and pigmentation, now that the sun is less strong.
- Microneedling for texture and fine lines, with the whole winter to recover.
- A skin analysis if you are not sure where to start.
Check with us first
- If you have just come back from a sun holiday, we wait about two weeks before doing peels or microneedling.
- If you are still going on a sun holiday or a ski trip this autumn, let us know. We will take that into account when we plan your treatments.
- If your skin is dry and red at the moment, we calm it down before we do anything stronger.
- If a mark changes shape or colour, itches or bleeds, ask your GP to look at it first.
Frequently asked questions about your skin after summer
Why does my skin feel so rough and dull after summer?
Your skin has protected itself against the sun by making the top layer thicker. That layer is now slowly shedding, and until it has gone, your skin feels rougher and has less of a glow. Give your skin moisture and rest first and a mild peel afterwards, and your glow will come back.
Do dark marks from the summer go away on their own?
Some do, in the weeks after summer. What is still there in November usually stays if you do nothing about it. A series of peels or microneedling is then the logical next step, with daily sun protection alongside.
When can I have a peel after my holiday?
About two weeks after the last strong sun. Your skin needs to calm down first, otherwise you get irritation and more pigment rather than less. If you are unsure, we can take a look at your skin with you in the salon.
Why is autumn a good time for skin treatments?
Because the sun is less strong then. After a peel or microneedling your skin is more sensitive to UV. In autumn and winter there is a much smaller chance of pigment coming back over the course of your treatment.
Do I still need sunscreen in autumn?
Yes, especially if you are having a series of peels. UVA is there all year round and passes through cloud. You can read why that is under sun protection.
From reading to doing
