Acne, dry hair, faded color … How to repair the damage of summer beauty?

Updated article of August 24, 2011

Holidays are synonymous with rest, of course, but for the skin, hair or nails, these few weeks in the sun they are not always funny. Although it is true that we do not necessarily notice it at time T, at the beginning of the school year, we often find ourselves somewhat venerable reverse which we would prefer to avoid!

How to repair damage caused by sea ​​water, swimming pool water, sand and sun ? We give you the right tips to allow your hair, skin and nails to regain their full health.

SOS: skin in trouble!

“Put yourself in the sun, you’ll see, your pimples dry up” : This is the advice that all people who have acne have received at least once in their life. The problem: It’s a welcomed idea that’s far, far from the truth ever since the sun has, in fact, a somewhat perverse effect on the epidermis …

At first, the rays seem to erase the pimples as well the spots seem to heal at sight. It is almost magical. But you should never declare victory too quickly as a few days, or even weeks after the performance, a boomerang effect appears – and here’s the drama!

Okay, we’re abusing it a bit, but basically, the buttons are back in effect and they usually take their friends with them to spice up the party.

But why does this happen? In fact, all those weeks where you exposed yourself thinking your skin was getting better and better, they made it. more often to protect from the sun’s rays. Suddenly, the sebum has difficulty flowing normally, the pores become clogged, the dead cells accumulate and blackheads inevitably form. This is called the return from vacation effect.

What to do in these times?

When you get home, think about yourself exfoliate the skin ! But not like a nag with a cereal scrub, too aggressive for the skin barrier: we recommend it instead bet on a chemical exfoliant which will gently remove dead cells, refine skin texture and unclog pores.

Obviously, hydrate ! Even if you have pimples and your skin appears oily in some places (mixture mainly due to the phenomenon of dehydration), the latter still needs you to provide it with a good dose of hydration to consolidate its barrier. So don’t hesitate!

I have super dry hair

Salt, sea, but also pool chlorine and repeated shampoos (sulphates and silicones) they are often right about the health of your hair. For simplicity, they gnaw keratin (of which the hair is composed of 85%) which makes the fiber dry and “naked” against daily aggressions (UV, pollution, styling) …

What to do in these times?

According to hairdresser Frédéric Van EspenIl (of the Didier & Rosalinde salon) interviewed by Elle Belgium, “the exfoliation of the scalp is not necessary, because the latter has already been cleaned and attacked enough during the holidays with the sand and the sun” – but it’s still importantgive your hair a great dose of post-holiday care.

For starters, if you have split ends with white tips (the last sign that the fiber is damaged), consider going to the hairdresser to have them trimmed slightly (5 centimeters is enough), just to prevent split ends from rising up on your hair. lengths and comes to break the hair for several tens of centimeters.

So, place to take care of! To fix your hair, you can do it a keratin cure for a period of 3 weeks. If, on the other hand, the product you are using is very concentrated, try to stop using it after this time, with the risk of creating addiction.

Sure, think about the essentials aloe vera and vegetable oils ! When the first comes to provide hydration and soothing, the others that are applied more like a mask to be left on all night and prevent the water from evaporating: a perfect combination for the return from vacation.

My color has faded

We remain on a hair problem with a concern that many people with colored hair encounter: color tarnishing with prolonged exposure to sun, salt and chlorine. The problem: these elements come to oxidize the coloring …

What to do in these times?

According to Frédéric Mennetrier, master colorist of L’Atelier Blanc interviewed by Marie Clairethe right things to do when a color fades are as follows:

“We recolor the hair with products suitable for the color of the moment, taking into account the possible reflections and color differences throughout the hair. This involves preparations with dosages and mixtures tailored.

Since the hair is often dehydrated, we opt for delicate technologies called “gloss” which, in addition to coloring the hair, act as a deep care thanks to their acid pH, which will allow the hair fiber to be reconstituted, to close the scales and to obtain a color. long lasting and brilliant.

The more porous the hair, as is generally the case when returning from vacation, the more effective this technology will be ”.

I have body skin in lizard mode

body skin sometimes it resists climate change badly, resulting in tightness, dull skin and even itching. This phenomenon usually is associated with skin dehydration due to a hydrolipidic barrier that is no longer very insensitive to aggressions.

What to do in these times?

Make a good scrub to begin with, to allow dead cells to break free and unclog pores. Therefore hydrates well!

It starts in the shower: choose a moisturizing cleanser so that the limescale in the water does not further weaken the skin barrier. So, bet on a moisturizing conditioner that you can apply morning and evening to clean skin.

I have super soft nails

The application of semi-permanent varnish, the use of acetone or repeated bathing in sea or pool water can weaken the nails. Duplication, rupture, fragility… They don’t always look great at the end of the summer.

What to do in these times?

You can start with oil bath (jojoba or sweet almond) where you can dip your nails to fix them. In a second time, consider massaging your cuticles and fingertips with a nourishing cream for a few minutes twice a week.

I have cracked skin

Thanks to the sunburn! When you have peeling skin, this is what it means your skin gets rid of dead cells (so sunburned) to make way for a beautiful brand new skin.

What to do in these times?

Do not pull the dead skin initially, to avoid delayed healing. Next, consider after sun or aloe vera – two products that will soothe the skin, reduce itching and deeply rehydrate the epidermis.

With this, enjoy the end of your holidays, make the most of the heat and the sun, while staying protected!

One image credit: Unsplash.