Seasonal Skin Care – Why I Change My Product Regimens Seasonally

My product regimens are partly about climate……because climate affects our skin significantly.  For example, I live in the most northwest corner of the U.S., near Canada.  It’s cloudy, rainy and cold (but not snowy) about 7-8 months of the year with usually beautiful springs/falls, warm with low humidity, and sometimes a nice spring (like this year!).  This particular climate affects my specific seasonal skin care needs.

There are four basic climates for skin but they vary by the season depending on where you live:

  1. Cold & dry
  2. Cold & humid
  3. Warm/hot & dry
  4. Warm/hot & humid

Then ………….you also have to factor in how much you are indoors in houses/offices that are centrally heated or air conditioned.  These are dry climates.  For example, if you live in New York City in summer it’s very hot and humid outside but many people spend much of their day indoors in air conditioning so you have to adjust.  Dry/desert climates will always be dry.

So…… seasonal skin care has to do with both your skin type and your climate!!  You may even need four separate skin care product regimens if your climate and the amount of time you’re outdoors varies a lot over the year.  I just need two because essentially we just have two climates in Seattle.  Even though it rains a lot here, we are indoors much more in the winter, so I adjust my skin care seasonally for that factor.

What are the main differences in my regimen in the summer?

  1. I increase the sun protection in the summer with higher zinc/titanium sunscreens and double sunscreen when I’m outside running, cycling or swimming.  I use water/sweat-resistant sunscreen when outdoors;
  2. I stop my fall/winter Renova/glycolic at night and change to a lower strength SkinMedica Retinol 0.25%, because I’m outdoors in the sun so much more in the summer;
  3. I added the SkinCeuticals Advanced Pigment Corrector as a preventive, because I tend to get more pigment (brown spots) in the summer;
  4. I have added the Jenu, which is a fairly expensive home-use device that delivers moisturizer around the eyes with ultra-sound for extra hydration because my swim googles seem to increase the crepiness around my eyes;

I keep using the Lemon Cleanser, the antioxidant Phloretin CF, the moisturizer Blueberry Soy Night Cream.

My Seasonal Skin Care Regimens

Spring  and summer:

Morning:

Cleanser: Eminence Lemon Cleanser
Repair: SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel – antioxidant
Sunscreen Face: New Elta MD Daily SPF 40 (tinted) or the SkinCeuticals water/sweat-resistant when outdoors
Sunscreen Neck/Chest: Dermaquest ZinClear SPF 30 (not tinted)
Repair Eyes/Lips: Jenu Pro Skincare System  for extra hydration
Eye Treatment: NeoCutis Lumiere Riche Eye Cream w/PSP with
New Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50 over the brow and crow’s feet
Lip Treatment: Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 or
Laura Mercier SPF Lip Balms – can use these over lipstick

Evening:

Cleanser: Eminence Lemon Cleanser
Repair: SkinCeuticals Advanced Pigment Corrector
Moisturizer: Eminence Blueberry Soy Night Recovery Cream
Repair Face: SkinMedica Retinol  0.025% about 3 times a week
Repair Neck/Chest: SkinCeuticals Neck, Chest & Hand Repair
Eye Treatment: NeoCutis Lumiere Riche Eye Cream w/PSP

Fall and winter

Morning:

Cleanser: Eminence Lemon Cleanser
Repair: SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel
Moisturizer: Eminence Blueberry Soy Night Cream (I use this morning and night)
Sunscreen: NeoCutis Journee Day Cream SPF 30 or the New tinted Elta MD Daily SPF 40
Eye Cream: NeoCutis Lumiere Riche Eye Cream
Lips: Jack Black Intense Lip Therapy Balm SPF 25
Neck only: Eminence Tropical Vanilla Day Cream SPF 32 (not tinted so it won’t stain clothes)

Evening:

Cleanser: Eminence Lemon Cleanser
Repair and Moisturize: Eminence Blueberry Soy Cream with Renova 0.02% over it and Vivite Night Renewal Cream (glycolic 20%). Use the glycolic and the retinoid on alternate nights
Eye Cream: NeoCutis Lumiere Riche Eye Cream
Neck and Chest: SkinCeuticals Neck, Chest & Hand Repair
Lips: I may brush a little lip balm on, but I don’t really use a lip product at night

Great skin care products can be expensive!   If you’re on a budget, spend the money on a really good quality sunscreen, the antioxidant and the retinoid (Vit A) cream!!  These products belong in any seasonal skin care regimen.

I hope this helps,  Dr. Irwin

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