With summer heating up I am switching things up to keep my routine minimal and keep my skin clean, fresh, and glowing. Before I share how I take care of my skin this time of year, it is important to address skincare from the inside out. No amount of creams or serums (even prescriptions) can fix skin issues that start on the inside. Most of the time skin issues can have a root cause in the gut. So taking care of your gut can help your skin look better and help you live your healthiest life as the microbiome supports many important functions, including hormone regulation, maintaining a balanced weight, immunity, inflammation, and skin health. So what are some ways you can support your microbiome? Eating a diet high in nutrient density, mostly plants, including a large variety of plants. Try including 30-50 different plants per week, this provides the gut microbiome with a diversity of nutrients and lots of fiber.
Speaking of fiber make sure to include 30-50 grams of fiber each day in your diet. This is easy to achieve when eating mostly plant-based, however, I also like to add a scoop of prebiotic fiber to my smoothies and even a tablespoon in my coffee or tea each day. I love this Bullertproof Innerfuel Prebiotic as it contains acacia fiber and natural fibers of the Larch tree that contain free-radical fighting polyphenols. This easily mixes into any hot or cold beverage and you won't notice a change in texture or flavor.
Eating probiotic-rich foods like pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, coconut yogurt, miso, kefir, or kombucha. These foods can help to balance the gut microbiome include benefits for weight loss, digestive health, immune function, and more. Probiotics are transient, meaning they don't take up residence in the gut permanently, so you do need to eat these things daily for benefit.
Taking a high-quality probiotic supplement is another way to support the balance of your microbiome. My favorite probiotic is Seed. This product has the best science backing it and is a Broad-spectrum 24-strain probiotic + prebiotic formulated for systemic health and engineered to survive acid, enzymes, moisture, and heat.
Limit sugar and processed food consumption. Sugar is bad, we know this, but sugar is really bad for the microbiome because it feeds the bad bacteria, giving them an unfair advantage over the good bacteria. There is even evidence now that these bad, sugar-loving bacteria can influence our sugar cravings. The good thing is that once you eliminate sugar you can rebalance the microbiome and the cravings will lessen. Get your sugar from fruit, a few pieces a day with fiber that comes along with it. If you need added sweetness try monk fruit or stevia.
My final suggestion is going to be to limit alcohol consumption. The liver, especially in anyone over 25, needs are much support as it can get, and the less we burden it with alcohol the better. Personally, I choose to limit drinking wine to once or twice a month. I don't find I miss it, when I go out I order sparkling water with lime (mint if they have it) and I enjoy myself just as much. Plus I have the added benefit of not waking up dehydrated and feeling like crap the next day.
Now that we have covered the internal aspects, let's get to the fun part- skincare. Once the temperature and humidity start to rise it is time for me to switch to a deeper cleansing routine that supports my oily skin. My skin is dry-combo in the winter and more oily in the summer. I just switched to Tata Harper Clarifying Blemish & Oil Control Cleanser which is a gentle foaming gel cleanser that targets blemish-causing impurities and balances oil with natural salicylic acid and AHAs for clear skin. This doesn't dry my skin out or make it feel tight. I use this at night after my oil cleansing step, to remove makeup. My favorite oil cleanser is the Tatch Camelia Cleansing Oil. Once we get into July-August I will likely drop the oil and just do a double cleanse with the gel-based cleanser.
Now that my skin is cleanser my touring routine is to layer serum and sunscreen, I don't need an added moisturizer. I have been using Tatcha Dewy Serum and Sunday Riley C.E.O Brightening Serum, I usually mix these together. The Tatch Dewy Serum is has a 3-in-1 serum that gently resurfaces with lactic acid in Hadasei-3 (Tatcha proprietary blend), plumps with hyaluronic acid, and locks in moisture with squalane for smoother, plumper, dewier skin. The Sunday Riley serum is 15 percent vitamin C (THD ascorbate) to visibly minimize pores, brighten dark spots, and target signs of aging. I love these two together or separate, and I feel this is enough to keep my skin hydrated for summer.
The next layer is sunscreen. While I have a few favorites, I currently am loving the Supergoop Glowscreen. Not only does this leave the skin glowing with a pearlescence, but it also has an added boost of hydration with a blend of hyaluronic acid and Vitamin B5 that leaves skin naturally supple and dewy from the inside out. Finally, for a little coverage, I use Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation. It is very light coverage and more of a serum texture than a tinted moisturizer, but I love that it has niacinamide, squalane, and hyaluronic acid. It uses a mineral sunscreen, so I like that I am getting two-layer of sunscreen one physical and one chemical. Since this has all the benefits of a serum, on days that I don't need the extra hydration I will definitely skip the Tatach Dewy serum and just use my C.E.O serum. The Ilia serum can feel a little sticky so I love to finish with a loose powder to set this look and prevent too much shine. Even with a powder, you will still glow, it just takes away that tacky feeling. For powder, I love the Ilia Soft Focus Finishing Powder or the Tatcha The Silk Powder Protective Setting Powder.
I like that these products all go together, I can mix and match depending on my day. They all have skin-nurturing ingredients and allow my skin to glow naturally. There are a few other products that I will mention. I sometimes use the Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer instead of the Ilia Serum Foundation. The Saie has a bit more coverage and isn't as sticky, so depending on how much coverage I feel I need that day I might use this one instead. Now if I want even more coverage, like going out to dinner or my skin just needs a little extra, then I love adding a few drops of Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint into the Saie tinted moisturizer. This gives the perfect amount of coverage. The Fenty drops by themselves have a very matte finish, it's very lightweight and I like it alone with a moisturizing primer for a full coverage but lightweight look. However, it is also fantastic mixed in (just 1-2 drops) to a tinted moisturizer for a little extra coverage.
At night after I cleanse I am using a serum and a moisturizer. I alternate serum between The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% and The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA. Lactic acid is gentle enough for my sensitive skin while still being a high-strength lactic acid peeling formula for smoother, healthier-looking skin. And the niacinamide is helpful for calming my rosacea but is also useful for pores and oiliness. After serum, I simply use a moisturizer. Currently, I am enjoying Tatcha The Silk Cream a light, silky moisture-binding veil on the skin. Imparts a youthful radiance: Beneath the silk, our Hadasei-3 complex, a trinity of anti-aging Japanese superfoods, restores a healthy-looking glow. Gives the look of firmer skin: New Akoya Pearl extract helps to protect skin from the yellowing or browning that comes with age for more supple skin.
Products I use a few times a week are masks and exfoliants. I like a light exfoliator a few times a week, the Tatch Rice Polish is my all-time favorite, it transforms from a powder to a creamy foam for smooth, polished skin with a healthy glow. I use this on days that I add a little Tan Luxe THE FACE Illuminating Self-Tan Drops to my routine to give me a little bronze. Then once or twice a week I do a mask. I like either Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Peel Mask to cleanse and purify my pores, which also leaves the skin soft and smooth, or the Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask which I find also leaves the skin really soft. It is good for dryness, redness, and dullness, and uneven texture.
I have also been getting monthly facials regularly for the past 7 months, this was always something I meant to do but never established a routine. I go to the same person, as she knows my skin, I trust her and she helps me to build on my current skincare routine outside of the spa. She has been doing a lactic acid treatment each time, I noticed the difference right away, it cleared out my pores and made my skin soft, and improved the texture. This was one of the reasons I added the thrice-weekly lactic acid serum at night. Since I made this a regular part of my routine my skin has been consistently improving. It is really important to find someone who understands your skin concerns and addresses them. Try a few people before making a commitment and then stick with the routine for best results. Most salons now offer a monthly membership with a built-in discount if you commit to going regularly for a year- it's totally worth it.
In addition to the gut-loving tips above, it is also worth mentioning that I also take a few supplements that benefit my skin. The first is vitamin C, I like this one from Dr. Mercola as it is liposomal and 1000mg dose. Vitamin C promotes collagen production, which has the potential to thicken the dermis, diminish fine lines, and is essential for firm, youthful skin. It is also an antioxidant, meaning it protects skin cells from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure. Liposomal refers to an advanced form designed for better absorption and utilization within the body. Liposomes are small spherical cells that are composed of an outer layer made of fatty acids known as phospholipids these protect the vitamin C as it passes through the stomach and allows better absorption in the intestines.
I also take borage oil daily for rosacea, it is also useful for acne and inflammation among other benefits. Borage oil has a high GLA or linolenic acid content. GLA is a type of fatty acid that your body converts to prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). This substance acts like a hormone in your body, helping reduce inflammation tied to skin diseases and cardiovascular issues.
Vitamin D is most often made when sunlight is absorbed by your skin. Cholesterol converts to vitamin D when this happens. Vitamin D is then taken up by your liver and kidneys and transported throughout the body to help create healthy cells. This includes the skin, where vitamin D plays an important role in skin tone.
Hum nutrition has a bedtime product called Mighty Night that I also love. It improves skin texture, promotes sleep (a good night's sleep is also good for skin), and supports cell turnover. It contains ceramides to help skin retain moisture and improve texture, ferulic acid, an antioxidant that combats free radicals that cause early signs of aging. CoQ10 helps protect the cell membrane + eliminate free radicals. I don't take this every night, but if I find myself needed the sleep support, this one rocks because it improves your skin too.
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