Since summer is a time of year when we are exposed to the sun much more often than the rest of the year, we need to eliminate all those ingredients that are photosensitive and irritating from our daily cosmetic routine as they can cause greater sensitivity , dryness or worse, pimples… Noemí Recasens, director of R&D at La Cabine, reveals the cosmetic ingredients that you should put aside in summer, because they can not only take care of your skin, but also ‘neglect’ them.
These active ingredients that should disappear from the daily beauty routine are:
- AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids): including glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, acids derived from fruits
- BHAs (beta hydroxy acids): such as salicylic acid. They are cosmetic formulas with a very acidic pH that remove the superficial layers of the skin, and if we expose them to the sun, they can burn easily. For acne-prone skin, the mild alternative to salicylic acid can be azelaic acid, which is much milder than AHAs and BHAs, although use is recommended every other day during the summer.
- Another ingredient that we don’t recommend applying in the summer is using Retinol, due to the irritation it causes on the skin during use, which increases with sun exposure. It is true that if we wash our face well the morning after application, there is nothing to be afraid of. But just in case we withdraw it for a few months and return ‘to the load’ in September. In addition, we can use natural alternatives to Retinol such as Retinal, which is much more powerful than Retinol, or ‘Retinol-like’ products, such as bakuchiol.
- We would not recommend Vitamin C either in acid form (ascorbic acid) or not stable, as it oxidizes when exposed to the sun and darkens. When you apply it, you will see that the pores darken or dark spots appear on the skin.
Ingredients you can use in the summer
The sun causes photoaging, which translates into loss of firmness, dryness, lack of hydration, blemishes, redness or the formation of free radicals that are harmful to our skin. Therefore, it is important to use cosmetics that contain in their formulas:
- collagen: prevents prolapse.
- daisy: to avoid stains.
- carnosine: in most ampoules, a powerful antioxidant that prevents damage from solar radiation, such as the formation of free radicals.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Aside from its anti-aging properties, Hyaluronic Acid is a year-round staple, but in the summer, because it can hold water, it keeps our skin hydrated in the heat or changes in temperature.
- Ceramides: recovery and prevents the skin from drying out.
- Siempre Viva Extract, Magnolia Bark: soothing anti-aging ingredients for sensitive skin. Avoid redness when exposed to the sun, in addition to its restorative and calming power. If you have suffered from excessive sun exposure, it will immediately soothe your skin.
Source: Marie Claire
