Like nature itself, our skin is constantly changing, and it too has its seasons. The Skin Seasons are very much co-related to the calendar.
As we move out of winter and into Spring, we see issues that arise because of the long months of cold weather, high winds, shortage of daylight (this can be a bonus as well as a problem) and months of living with central heating, fires, air conditioning etc. All of these play a role in how the skin presents itself.
Another factor we see often at this time of year is the legacy of winter illnesses, which require the use of antibiotics which are directly reflected in the skin hydration levels.
If your skin is suffering from fatigue after the winter, it probably appears as dull, and tight, with a mild to moderate rough feel. Your make-up is probably forming clumps on your skin and /or peeling off. If any of these apply to you then it is time to book in for a really good facial.
Our number 1 recommendation for this time of year is Microdermabrasion and our second favourite is a peeling facial.
We use the ThalgoSkin Expert Microdermabrasion system, and we find it fantastic to quickly and effectively slough away that layer of dead skin cells that have built up over the winter months. Depending on your skin type and sensitivity level we can adjust the depth to which we work but even the most fragile skins respond fantastically to this treatment and within 24 hours any sign of redness is gone and is replaced by a glowing complexion.
With our microdermabrasion, we follow the peeling phase by the application of magenta light which has an anti-bacterial and healing effect on the skin so that even highly vascular and fragile skin is soothed and benefited by this.
Immediately following the light phase, we apply a chemical peel. This is a glycolic/lactic acid 5% solution. Initially, there is quite a heat within the skin, but after 5-6 minutes it subsides. We neutralise and follow with phase 4 which is the application of a Creamy Hydrating Mask which soothes and restores the outer layer of the epidermis to a smooth radiant texture.
Finally, we finish with a short massage and the application of a nutritious cream and SPF50.
SPF 50 must be worn every day but never more so than after a deep peel like this.
We highly recommend this treatment to get your skin set for the summer which is just around the corner and is a time of year when many of us like to let our skin go nude without foundation. This helps to put it in great condition to do this.
If you are not keen on the idea of microdermabrasion (although we cannot recommend it enough. Both Debbie & I love it) or you have very crepey skin and are not suited to it, then a regular peel can go a long way to getting you similar results.
Environ Cool peel is a very mild peel that is great for skin that has acne or just small outbreaks but Thalgo also do an amazing range of peels that start at 5% and go all the way up to 15% but the higher grade peels can leave you with some peeling for 2-3 days so a little downtime may be required. We always recommend a course of 4 peels where we start with the lower dose and move up to the higher grade when we know how your skin reacts.
To complement their peeling programme, Thalgo also offers a fantastic homecare line if you cannot make it into the salon but want the benefits of a peel at home.
If you are buying the peeling range you need to get the 4 products in the range which are the peeling marine water essence, the peeling marine regenerating night serum, the peeling marine balm and the peeling marine SPF 50. You will find all 4 products on our webshop.
After any peeling treatment home care is essential and you will need to be extra diligent about applying your serum and creams to allow the skin to repair and renew. In the immediate 12 hours after our best recommendation is the Creamy hydrating mask which can also be used as a night mask to keep the skin optimally hydrated.
The body also suffers through the winter, we see this so much when people come back for their leg wax which maybe they haven’t had since Christmas, and we find that as much dry/dead skin as hair comes off with the wax!!
This is a great time to think about doing a Body Peel & Polish. It truly is a fabulous treatment and will leave your skin feeling like silk all over.
The entire body is exfoliated with one of our fabulous products and after showering off in a beautiful warm shower we apply a layer of super nourishing body cream all over leaving you feeling wonderful, 45 minutes of sheer bliss.
It is important to exfoliate regularly especially as we age as otherwise the skin tends to develop Actinic Keratosis which are raised dry patches that develop on the skin and if not kept at bay need to be removed either with diathermy or via cryotherapy with a dermatologist which can be very costly and is entirely avoidable.
We have a great selection of homecare products from Thalgo for body exfoliation and overall body care. Please feel free to call us with any queries or email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.