Journal

Seasonal Effects on the Skin, and skin peels
Wednesday 2nd October 2024
Spring, summer, autumn and winter all come with associated weather patterns. Each has its own temperature and humidity range, and these fluctuations affect your skin.
As summer turns to autumn, you've likely noticed the air cooling and growing drier. When this becomes winter, this intensifies, and we get even colder air and brisk, chill winds.
Throughout this, your skin is doing its best to stay hydrated. But when there's less moisture in the air and harsher conditions, it becomes more and more of a challenge. Especially when we escape indoors to avoid the weather and turn up the central heating to warm up.
Unfortunately, since everyone's skin is different, there isn't one solution that will work for each of us. What you can do, however, is work to protect your skin from harsh seasonal weather by adjusting your skincare routine.
Shift to a gentler facial cleanser during the winter to avoid harsher chemicals that might further dry out your skin. Use a toner less often.
You might want to try a heavier moisturiser to retain your skin's moisture. You should also ensure you're using a serum that gives your skin the hydration it needs to avoid dry patches.
Exfoliate if you feel the need to, but do so gently, to remove dead skin cells. A physical exfoliator is likely to be less friendly to your skin in the cooler months. Consider opting for a chemical exfoliant that doesn't disrupt your skin's barrier.
Chemical peels can be a good option for treating seasonal skin changes, with Autumn being a good time to reduce the appearance of sun damage from summer. With changing temperatures it can make skin dry, dull, and flaky so a chemical peel removes the outer layer of damaged, dehydrated skin, revealing healthier skin underneath.
Our professional facials from Sublime Skin include new customisable solutions: Glow Peel, specific for radiance, and Super Peel with a Peel Booster followed by Delicate peel (25% acids) or Age Peel (38.5% acids) according to specific needs.
They are also ideal before the Pro-Lift Facial which includes a peel-off mask and Kobido massage to deliver exceptional firmness and volume.
So what is Glycolic acid used in our peels?
One of the most commonly known and widely used alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) is glycolic acid. Boasting a plethora of anti-aging properties, glycolic acid is considered by many skin care professionals as the gold standard of AHAs. It's oh-so-gentle yet oh-so-effective at combating acne, hydrating skin, and reversing the appearance of aging.
AHAs are derived from naturally occurring substances like fruit, milk, and sugar. Glycolic acid is derived from sugarcane and classified as a humectant - which means its molecules are inclined to attract moisture to them, rather than repel. This aids in the naturally-occurring acid to provide ample moisture to skin.
When added to skincare products, glycolic acid's properties are powerful. It acts as a chemical exfoliant instead of a mechanical one so it can be employed for a variety of skin types. After gently exfoliating dead skin cells, dirt, and grime away, its molecules pull in moisture, amplifying the effectiveness of your hydrating toners, moisturizers, and creams. In doing this, glycolic acid products help prevent further wrinkling, aging, and fine lines.
This super skincare ingredient has a whole host of benefits that can greatly improve the overall health, appearance, and feel of almost any skin type. Here's what you should know about this powerful alpha hydroxy acid.
How does Glycolic work?
Glycolic acid is the smallest in molecular size out of all AHAs. Its miniscule size allows it to move down into pores, lifting dirt, grime, and sebum up and out. Many other cleansers are only able to remove top-layer slough, leaving blackheads, clogged pores, and a dull appearance in their wake.
Because it can penetrate deep, glycolic acid is a great option for those battling acne or hormonal breakouts. Exercise enthusiasts also tend to choose glycolic-acid based products because of its penetrative powers. Hair follicles and large pores tend to ensnare sweat and other microscopic debris, exacerbating breakouts and possible infections. Glycolic acid moves through multiple layers of the dermis and dissolves this gunk while replacing moisture. Your skin won't feel the need to overreact in replacing sebum but will be able to remain free and clear from pesky pimples.
Benefits of Glycolic;
Removes dead skin cells
Do you want glowing skin and dew-kissed cheeks without having to apply makeup? It's hard to achieve without an effective exfoliating cleanser. Glycolic acid dissolves dead skin cells that often caters to a drab, lackluster skin tone and removes the top layer of build up. By then attracting moisture to newly uncovered skin, it helps your face appear bright, dewy, and glowing.
Anti-aging properites
Fine lines, dark spots, and wrinkles lend themselves to an older, tired appearance. Plus, aging skin tends to lose moisture more easily than youthful epidermises. Glycolic acid's hydrating and exfoliating properties combat each by encouraging cell turn over and attracting even more moisture to aging skin.
Ability to allow other skincare products to penetrate deeper into the skin
Glycolic acid boosts the efficacy of your anti-aging products, like retinol serums and vitamin C boosters. It removes the top layer of dirty, dead skin, which allows your creams and serums to penetrate deeper, elasticizing the skin, plumping fine lines, and injecting moisture into a dehydrated dermis. Because it exfoliates so well, GA clears a path for other products to work their magic on newly minted skin.
Brightening and smoothing
As a chemical exfoliant, glycolic acid disbands dead dull skin cells and prompts cell turnover. This leads to a smoother appearance of the forehead, cheeks, and chin. Glycolic acid also helps minimize the appearance of acne scars, age spots, and sunspots.
Acne-fighting
Because of its size, glycolic acid penetrates deep, unclogging surface dirt and subcutaneous blockages. Blemishes are caused by trapped dirt and grime that irritates the pore and causes pus to build. Blackheads are also a result of clogged pores and are trickier to extract without irritating the skin and risking infection. Glycolic acid helps minimize the appearance of pore size with frequent use.
Combats dryness
Women experiencing menopause struggle with extreme dryness, flaking, and acne, often at the same time. Glycolic acid can help improve skin texture while fighting dryness when paired with other hydrating products like hyaluronic acid and antioxidant rich moisturizers.
Are there risk factors with Glycolic?
Glycolic acid is generally well-tolerated by all skin types because it is so mild. Additionally, it doesn't exacerbate irritation like mechanical exfoliants may sometimes do. However, because it does exfoliate very well, extremely sensitive skin types like those with psoriasis, eczema, or rosacea may want to first test the ingredient in extremely small doses.
If you can, consult your therapist first and discuss whether glycolic acid is a good option for your skin. If redness or irritation does arise, discontinue use and discuss with your therapist. Sunscreen is an absolute must when using cleansers with glycolic acid as your skin's new layer will be particularly sensitive to sunburn and damage.
Glycolic is safe and effective
Regardless of your skincare goals, glycolic acid can help you achieve a youthful glow, minimize breakouts, and restore skin to health by increasing the efficacy of other products. [ comfort zone ] invests an abundance of time and energy into creating products that are beneficial for the people who use them and the planet from which they are derived. Their glycolic acid products are mild yet effective, helping our clients achieve the skin they've always dreamt of and promoting beauty from the ground up.
Sublime Home Care
The Rejuvenating Home Care
The Intensive Serum - with Hexapeptide-8 and Achillea Millefolium to correct wrinkles and expression lines - and the Replumping Cream are recommended daily along with the Micropeel Lotion for delicate daily micro-exfoliation.
As for special at-home spa care, the range offers Double Exfoliation Pads to intensively correct loss of radiance and photo-ageing, the Lift and Firm Ampoules with epidermal growth factors and peptides increasing firmness after just one application.
The rejuvenating Eye Cream is suggested daily, while the Eye Patch with peptides and Hesperidin are for an immediate SOS correction of puffiness and signs of fatigue.