CosBeauty Magazine #94

Q&A with Dr Burcu Kim SKIN DO WE NEED TO LIGHTEN UP OUR SKINCARE ROUTINES IN SUMMER? Yes, especially if your skin is oily or acne-prone. The heat and humidity of the warmer months, when combined with thick and occlusive products, can clog your pores and contribute to acne and inflammation. It is best to switch to lighter formulations in summer and make sure your makeup products are non-comedogenic or oil-free. SHOULD WE BE EXFOLIATING MORE OR LESS IN SUMMER? It’s best not to overdo it with exfoliation at any time of the year. Generally, I would recommend exfoliating two to three times a week for normal skin. If your skin is prone to acne and on the oily side, you can try exfoliating a little bit more in summer. Conversely, if your skin is prone to dryness and irritation, which is more often the case in winter, then you should exfoliate less. Another thing to consider is that we tend to spend more time outdoors in the sun, and the AHAs / BHAs that we use to exfoliate can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. Remember to apply sunscreen and moisturise to help mitigate any sunsensitivity and irritation. HOW CAN WE KEEP SKIN HYDRATED WITHOUT BEING OILY? It’s important to keep moisturising your skin even during the warmer months, however it is best to switch to a lighter formulation. The combination of heat, sweat and oil with occlusive skincare products and makeup can lead to breakouts. Lighter formations include gel-cream moisturisers, or simply opt for a hyaluronic acid serum under your SPF. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring ingredient which is classified as a humectant – a substance that retains moisture and is capable of binding over 1,000 times its weight in water. As such, it is a key ingredient to look for in your moisturiser. L’Oréal Paris has recently launched the True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum which includes the plumping power of 1% hyaluronic acid. This is a great product to add to your summer beauty routine to help keep your skin hydrated. WHY DOES PIGMENTATION SEEM MORE PROMINENT IN SUMMER? HOW CAN WE HELP TO REVERSE CUMULATIVE SUN DAMAGE? There are many different reasons we might have pigmentation on our face, however the greatest enemy is UV radiation. Your epidermis contains cells called melanocytes that store and produce pigment known as melanin. These melanocytes produce more melanin in response to UV radiation. With increased sun exposure, pigmentation often gets worse in summer. Wearing a physical sunblock, such as zinc oxide,

helps to block visible light which can contribute to pigmentation. It should be applied daily and reapplied every two hours, and used in conjunction with other sunprotective measures such as wearing a hat and seeking shade. With regards to reversing cumulative sun damage, there is nothing that will completely reverse sun damage and that’s why prevention is critical. The numberone ingredient I always recommend is sunscreen. Antioxidants such as resveratrol and Vitamin C are also great scavengers of the free radicals that damage DNA when skin is exposed to UV radiation. Retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A, also helps to repair damaged skin cells by encouraging cell turnover and increasing collagen production. It is the gold-standard anti-ageing ingredient which can help with correcting texture, tone and pigmentation and help with fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin A is available in various forms, including over-the-counter retinol products to prescription-strength retinoids, which can be more effective but more irritating. It is best to start with a retinol which is ultra-stable but less irritating, starting with a couple of times a week, then bumping up the application if your skin isn’t irritated. Another way of addressing sundamaged skin is laser and lightbased therapies. Some of these technologies can target pigment and are great at fading sun spots. Others are great at targeting the redness and vascular changes that arise as a result of sun damage. We can also resurface the texture of the skin using certain types of lasers, which can help correct some of the signs of ageing and sun damage. www.cosbeauty.com.au 43