Aug 28

Aug 28 Repair Summer Damage to Your Skin and Hair with These Products

It’s hard to believe the end of summer is upon us. I think a lot of people, myself included, spent more time in nature than ever this summer. Whether that was at the beach, at the park, or even in our backyards! We found time to appreciate the simple joys in the sun and in the water. And while that’s great, it also means our skin and hair took a beating.

But before you decide to purchase a ton of products to restore your skin and hair, let’s discuss what you should be looking for while you shop. I partnered with Walmart on their “Here for Every Beauty” campaign for this post because I believe we should have access to good, quality beauty products for all of our needs and at every price point. I love that Walmart has a focus on different beauty categories, especially on dermatologist-recommended skincare because you can find a mix of products I recommend. There are mass brands like Neutrogena and CeraVe along with medical grade brands like Obagi and iS Clinical.

Now let’s get to it, starting with my favorite topic — skincare! Post-summer skin usually needs a gentle routine that will restore your skin barrier, but also deal with some UV-induced hyperpigmentation. The good news is, you’ll want to keep your routine simple while you get it back on track with the following types of products.

CLEANSER

iS Clinical Warming Honey Cleanser ($36) feels really luxurious because it has a rich lather and warms as you use it. It has papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate your skin without stripping it, along with humectants to hydrate and protect your natural skin barrier.

If your skin barrier is really damaged, you might want to avoid a typical cleanser and opt for a gentle swipe of Bioderma Sensibio H20 Soothing Micellar Water ($15). It’s a great product to gently refresh your skin and wipe it clean without stripping it. I always recommend rinsing micellar water off, but this one is probably fine if it’s left on. You can use it in the morning or even as a first cleanse at night.

HYDRATION

Avene Thermal Spring Water Facial Mist ($21) isn’t just fancy water. It’s thermal water from the springs of France where there are spas dedicated to healing the skin thanks to the minerals found in the water. If your skin is inflamed from being in the sun or dried out from too much contact with chlorine, spray this on after you cleanse and it will help calm the redness quickly. I use it as a simple toner to prep and hydrate my skin too!

I almost always recommend a vitamin C serum like Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum ($87) to help brighten your skin, along with some type of retinoid like Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM ($42) to keep the signs of aging at bay, but most people I speak to seem to need repair first.

Avene Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream ($21) is one of my long-time favorite skin-restoring creams and I always keep a tube of this in my bathroom drawer. I pull it out if I get any treatments done like lasers or microneedling, or in this case, to get my skin barrier back in shape. It can be used on the most sensitive skin to repair and protect (even if you have a sunburn, which I hope you don’t). It has Avene Thermal Spring Water as a main ingredient, along with a ton of proven occlusives like mineral oil and zinc oxide.

And of course, I assume you were diligent about your sunscreen usage, but just in case, EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen ($29) is one that I know most people love and dermatologists recommend. It goes on clear and won’t clog your pores, which is the last thing you want to deal with when you’re restoring your skin.

Now, let’s get to the hair products! I’ll keep it brief because the main focus should be on hydration and repair.

I recently started using Neutrogena Hydrating Shampoo for Dry Scalp & Hair ($9) and Neutrogena Hydrating Conditioner for Dry Scalp & Hair ($9) because it feels like I’m using skincare for my hair! The products are soothing, there’s a focus on hydrating the scalp (they even use hyaluronic acid), and you really can’t beat the price. Neutrogena launched a whole set of new shampoos and conditioners that focus on scalp health and I fully appreciate it because I think our scalps play a big part in the health of our hair.

If you want a deep conditioner, I discovered Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner ($6) when I started to wear my hair natural and wavy. A few of my viewers recommended it for wavy hair and I haven’t looked back. Use it once a week or as often as you think your hair needs it.

Last, it’s been hard to get to see my hair colorist regularly, so I keep my roots and white hairs under control with a little touch of Color Wow Root Cover-Up ($34). My color is dark brown and it’s so simple to use. You apply the powder just like eyeshadow, but to your hair. It washes off when you shampoo. It’s as easy as that!