Aloette Newsletter: June 2007 

Summer heat and dryness can really affect your skin, making oily skin even shinier and contributing to the development of lines and wrinkles. Shifting to a new skin care regimen during the summer months, however, can keep your skin luminous and healthy despite the heat. Read on for tips from Aloette experts on the best ways to care for your skin this summer. 

Protect With SPF!

Spending time in the sun feels wonderful - until fine lines and wrinkles invade your skin’s smooth surface. The sun, specifically ultraviolet (UV) rays, contribute to visible signs of premature aging, while UV rays break down collagen and prevent new collagen from forming. The best way to protect your skin from future damage and keep it looking youthful: wear sunscreen! Moisturizers with SPF, such as Cellular Day Defense with SPF 15, protects your skin from sunrise to sunset. Best of all, it's light enough to go on under makeup and won't leave a greasy residue behind like other pore-clogging sunscreens.

If your skin is oily to start with, however, you will need to pay extra attention to your moisturizer's ingredients. Try an oil-free moisturizer, like Clarifying Moisture Balance, which also contains alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids to protect and hydrate the skin.

>>>TIP: If you really want that bronzed summer glow, try sunless tanners instead of frying your skin in the sun’s rays.

Moisturize Overnight

In addition to daily moisturizers, using an intensive moisturizer on your face overnight - especially during summer - can help repair damage from the day's activities. Night Recovery Complex, for example, helps plump your skin and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles through its unique formulation of natural ingredients, including the rare Kombuchka mushroom extract.

>>>TIP: If you want a lighter cream for overnight use, try Time Repair Anti-Wrinkle Serum.

Cleanse – Don't Scrub!

Summer is the time to avoid more abrasive facial cleansers, as harsh exfoliators combined with more constant sunning can result in hyperpigmentation, a "condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin," according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Instead, choose a gentle moisturizing or foaming face wash, such as Aloette's Gentle Foaming Cleanser, that can effectively cleanse your skin and remove impurities.

>>>TIP: Anti-aging cleansers are also good for summer. Try Pure Radiance Revitalizing Cleanser with anti-wrinkle ingredients like Lumitone, for skin brightening, and lactic acid, a natural AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) that aids in cell turnover.

Refresh From the Inside Out

Your skin needs a lot of loving care, and that means watching what you take in just as well as what you put on. As many professionals will tell you, proper hydration – especially in the warmer months of the year – is vital to maintaining healthy skin and a youthful complexion. Drinking water everyday – the recommended eight glasses – will keep your skin glowing and help it retain its elasticity. All this water also helps your body flush out any toxins that could be clogging pores and contributing to problem skin.

>>>TIP: If you hate the bland taste of water, try adding ice cubes made with orange juice or fruit punch. It's low in calories and adds powerful flavor to your drink.

Enjoy the summer - but just remember that your skin will need extra pampering and protection as you spend more time outdoors. Following these tips, however should help your skin stay refreshed even as temperatures soar.

Dermatologist's Viewpoint

Dr. Alexander Gross of the Georgia Dermatology Center in Atlanta, Georgia, spoke with Aloette about the best ways to take care and repair summer skin.

Aloette: Why is drinking water so important?

Dr. Gross: Most of the skin's water actually comes from internal consumption, and is bound to a substance called hyaluoronic acid in the dermis. One of the first noticeable physical signs of dehydration is a doughy skin consistency. Because of increased water loss due to evaporation and perspiration, it is doubly important to increase water consumption during the summer.

Aloette: Why is moisturizing in summer so critical to maintaining healthy, youthful looking skin?

Dr. Gross: Increased evaporation of water from the skin can cause dessication, or drying, which creates flaking, peeling, and a dull appearance. Moisturizers help hydrate the top layer of the skin, called the stratum corneum, to help maintain a healthy skin tone and texture.

Aloette: If you already have sun damage, is there anything you can recommend to help repair the skin?

Dr. Gross: There are a number of products that are beneficial for repairing skin damage. Tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova) is probably still the most effective of these. Products that contain retinol, vitamin C, peptides and growth factors, and isoflavones can also be beneficial.