Summer is here, and patients are getting ready for the hot and humid months ahead by restocking their favorite lightweight moisturizers and SPFs at home, plus scheduling the occasional office visit for a renewing, gentle facial. Here are our top product recommendations for summer-friendly treatments and at-home skin care for the months ahead.
Summer Regimen Updates
Higher humidity and temperatures mean it’s time to shift patients towards lightweight and protective products to avoid excess oil buildup and clogged pores, which can lead to breakouts, blemishes, and dullness.
Use these recommendations to adjust each step of a patient’s regimen for summer:
Cleansing is more essential than ever. More time spent outdoors means greater risk of pollution and sun damage, plus more sweat and potential for oil buildup. Use Chamomile Facial Cleanser to remove excess oils, unclog pores, and replenish skin with a hydrating boost.
Exfoliating will help keep the skin surface free of debris and dead cell buildup, further decreasing risk of clogged pores, breakouts, and dullness. Vita-B Enzyme Polish will help patients keep their skin refreshed, hydrated, bright, and clean thanks to its hydrating B vitamins and gentle fruit enzymes. Note that exfoliating products should only be used at night to avoid any increase in photosensitivity.
Treat skin with a lightweight and protective serum. C-Stem® is great year-round and it’s especially effective in the summer months for boosting sun protection, reducing hyperpigmentation, and soothing irritation. Green Tea Antioxidant Serum is another choice, with mattifying oil-control, antioxidant protection, and oil-free hydration. These two serums can also be combined for even better results.
Despite the heat and humidity, moisturizing is still imperative to avoid dryness, blemishes, and irritation. Avoid heavy moisturizing creams – instead, choose a sheer, lightweight formula like Oil-Free Moisturizer, which glides onto skin for healthy hydration without clogging pores or contributing to excess oils.
Last but certainly not least, SPF needs to be used at all times during daylight hours, especially if patients are heading outside. Radiant Shield SPF 40 is a lightweight, tinted anti-aging SPF that protects from all sources of environmental damage, including UVA, UVB, IR, and visible light and microparticle pollution. Radiant Shield fortifies the skin barrier to sustain a glowing, hydrated, and youthful complexion, and it can also double as a noncomedogenic makeup primer.
All of the above products are available in both retail and professional (backbar) size. We recommend keeping them on your backbar and treating patients with them in the office to feel their benefits; then, recommend these products on a prescription pad to send patients home with clear instructions to use their medical-grade, dermatologist-approved regimen to support, sustain, and boost their results.
Summer Friendly Facials
Even though summer isn’t usually thought of as procedure season, don’t rule out the impressive results from a non-chemical treatment. Enzyme peels gently digest away keratin protein in the outermost layer of skin, while other actives such as marine extracts can help normalize the barrier function, creating a perfect summer alternative for glycolic or other acid-based treatments.
Our Blue Tidal Enzyme Peel is the perfect choice for a summer-friendly facial. It contains non-irritating fruit enzymes and is packed with vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and other skin nutrients. Blue Tidal is well tolerated by skin and shows great results, including reducing acne, correcting sun damage, reducing the appearance of mild scars and wrinkles, improving hyperpigmentation, removing blackheads, and temporarily reducing excessive skin oils.
With no downtime, Blue Tidal Enzyme Peel works great as a summer “lunchtime facial” – a quick procedure that your patient can receive during their lunch break before heading back to work. For that purpose, consider updating your office’s summer hours to allow appointments during lunchtime if you aren’t already.
Consider using this Blue Tidal Enzyme Peel protocol during your patients’ appointments:
- Cleanse skin with a sulfate-free cleanser such as Chamomile Facial Cleanser.
- Gently exfoliate using Vita-B Enzyme Polish, which removes buildup of dead skin cells and debris.
- Measure approximately a quarter-sized amount (three to four cc) of Blue Tidal Enzyme Peel in a small bowl. Apply evenly to the skin using a fan brush or cotton swab. The peel can be massaged into the skin with gloved hands for one to two minutes. Never apply to the eyelids or beyond the orbital rim around the eyes.
- Leave Blue Tidal Enzyme Peel on the skin for five to ten minutes. Rinse off with at least five rounds of tepid water until the treatment has been fully removed.
- Apply serum, hydration, and SPF from your summer backbar: use Green Tea Antioxidant Serum, C-Stem®, Oil-Free Moisturizer, and Radiant Shield SPF 40.
For patients to get the best results from their facial, it’s essential that they follow up with an effective at-home regimen that supports, sustains, and protects their skin. Recommend the above products for at-home use to help preserve their best look. If they’re a regular client, double check that they aren’t running out of any products at home, and prescribe an effective regimen using your prescription pad.
To learn more about our top recommendations for summer, read this article next.
