It's a time of renewal to which the epidermis must adapt: major temperature variations, sensitization due to the first rays of the sun...
How can we take care of our skin in this transition to summer?
The entire living world is governed by cyclical mechanisms, and your skin is no exception!
Understanding these mechanisms allows us to respect your skin's natural rhythms and anticipate its needs, so you can better adapt your skincare routine.
Skin has its own chronobiology, with a different rhythm during the day than at night, and epidermal cell renewal averaging 28 days...
The skin's daily cycle:
This is known as the nycthemeral cycle, and corresponds to the 24 hours during which the skin will :
- during the day, it organizes itself around cell protection,
- and at night, focus on cell regeneration.
During the day, the skin has to defend itself against various external aggressions such as the sun, cold, wind and pollution... The epidermis therefore needs to protect itself, and secretes more sebum in the morning until 2pm.
Sebum thus reinforces the skin's protective barrier role.
Similarly, the body temperature, which is low in the morning, gradually rises at the start of the day, to facilitate micro-circulation and promote the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the epidermis.
In this way, the skin puts in place what it needs to defend itself.
And it's during the night that the skin repairs itself. The skin cells, less solicited than during the day, will then devote themselves to regeneration. This takes place between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. (with a renewal peak around 1 a.m.).
During this period, cells divide eight times faster, accelerating the reconstitution of skin components.
The epidermis is also more permeable, favoring exchanges. The skin can then eliminate toxins, reconstitute its hydrolipidic film and produce collagen and elastin.
That's why, after a good night's sleep, you wake up with a fresher complexion and less dark circles.
The skin renewal cycle
The natural cell renewal cycle lasts 28 days. This is the time needed for skin cells to regenerate and move upwards from the deep layer of the epidermis (= basal layer) to the surface.
During this process, new cells, the keratinocytes, are formed, then gradually migrate towards the stratum corneum, made up of dead cells that are eliminated by desquamation.
But as we age, this process tends to take longer, and the rate of cell renewal slows down.
That's why it's essential to keep these cycle notions in mind, and not to be too impatient when starting a new skincare routine. Your skin has its own rhythm, and we must respect it.
In addition to these 2 physiological cycles, there are other cyclical influences, such as the menstrual cycle and the seasonal cycle. Don't forget to take them into account to understand their influences and better anticipate your skin's needs.
What happens to our skin in spring?
Our skin is particularly sensitive to climatic variations. In the transitional seasons of spring and autumn, temperatures and humidity can vary enormously over the course of a single day. The skin has to work much harder to protect itself.
What's more, when the weather's fine, the desire to enjoy the sun and spend time outdoors is quite legitimate. But the first exposures to UV rays can be treacherous.
All these changes are likely to make your skin more reactive in spring, with increased cutaneous sensitivity.
But little by little, your skin will breathe more easily, regain its strength and release the toxins accumulated over the winter.
To accompany your skin through these changes, the priority is to soothe it, maintain deep hydration and promote detoxification.
Spring skin care
Help your body get rid of toxins
It all starts with staying hydrated! Continue to drink regularly throughout the day, with water of course, but also herbal teas with depurative properties.
Be careful not to overload your liver, and avoid foods that require extra effort:
alcohol, tobacco, stimulants (coffee, chocolate...), food additives (colorants, preservatives...), processed/saturated fats, refined carbohydrates...
A new skin!
Treat your skin to a deep and complete cleansing treatment (facial sauna, exfoliation...)
Express facial sauna 1 time per week
Once your skin is clean, you can perform a facial sauna. The heat opens the pores and releases toxins more easily. This helps to support the skin in its role as an emunctory.
Once the pores are dilated, your skin :
- benefits from the active ingredients contained in essential oils and hydrolats,
- is prepared for effective exfoliation,
- and will rapidly absorb the treatments to come.
This technique is particularly recommended for dull, problem skin (micro-cysts, acne-prone skin).
Note***Sauna is not recommended for fragile, reactive or blotchy skin (heat and steam accentuate redness and dilate small vessels).
Here's how it works
You'll need :
-A soft washcloth
-1 essential oil: geranium, lavender, ylang ylang, petit grain, incense...
Wet the washcloth with very hot water, open it in the palm of your hand and put in 3 drops of your essential oil, fold in 4 to distribute the EO, re-wet with hot water and wring out a little. Apply to the face without pressing - taking 3 breaths, leave on for a few seconds.
That's it, you're ready for the mask now that your pores are open.
The mask
To finish, apply one of our masks, which will deep-cleanse, lightly exfoliate and re-mineralize your skin.
Follow with a wipe soaked in EAU ESSENTIELLE to complete your facial cleansing. Follow with your day or night care.
Boost your complexion's radiance!
Spring is the time to choose plant oils rich in vitamin-rich, soothing, regenerating and antioxidant molecules!
LUMIÈRE elixir offers you a vitality cure and strengthens your skin against the harmful effects of the sun, which will soon become powerful with the arrival of fine weather.
- strengthen skin structure by improving collagen density
- maintain cell energy levels
- limit the effects of skin aging.
Do this over 4 to 6 weeks, the time it takes for a cell renewal cycle, to boost the energy of your skin cells and revitalize them.
Stop your products 1 time per week
Let your skin breathe!
This will :
-make it less dependent on cosmetics
-purify it
-detoxify
-stimulate exchanges by oxygenating the skin.
Offer your skin a 24-48-hour break from young cosmetics. Doing nothing for a weekend will do it a world of good!
It's time to let your skin BREATHE! This respects its role as an emunctory (eliminating toxins) and promotes better cell regeneration.
The aim of this cosmetic fast is to let your skin work on its own, without any cosmetic hindrance or anticipation of its needs, while allowing it to develop its own natural mechanisms.
Simply cleanse your face in the morning, finishing with your usual ESSENTIAL WATER. That's all there is to it!
Don't apply any make-up, night cream or serum for the next 24 to 48 hours. (Be careful, however, not to go out in the sun during this period.