The end of summer is when you want “a new routine”. It is also when your skin is coming out of several weeks of sun, chlorine, salt and air conditioning, and when the worst reflex would be to greet it with five new products at once.
The back-to-routine transition happens in three stages: soothe, reintroduce, adjust. In that order.
In brief
After summer, skin mostly needs soothing: a first week with a gentle cleanser, good hydration and a break from exfoliants. Then you reintroduce the actives you paused, one at a time and gradually, and adjust the texture of your cream as temperatures fall. Sun protection stays daily, and a mole that has changed should be shown to a doctor.
What summer has left behind
Nothing dramatic in most cases, but signs that look similar from one person to the next: skin that feels a bit tighter than usual, a less even texture, a complexion going from tanned to dull, sometimes areas that are still peeling.
What all of this has in common: the surface of the skin has been put under a lot of strain. It doesn’t need to be pushed around any more; it needs water given back to it and to be left in peace for a few days.
Week 1: soothe, and nothing else
During the first week, the best back-to-routine plan is a boring one:
- A gentle cleanser morning and evening. If yours leaves your skin feeling tight after rinsing, that’s the one to change first.
- Generous hydration, possibly with a texture one notch richer than your summer one.
- A break from exfoliants and strong actives, until the uncomfortable sensations disappear.
It’s frustrating when you’re craving something fresh, but soothed skin will respond far better to everything you introduce next. If the discomfort doesn’t pass within a week, perhaps your skin barrier needs more rest.
Weeks 2 and 3: reintroduce the actives you paused
Many people pause their exfoliants or retinol in summer, and rightly so. Back to routine is the right time to pick them up again, one at a time and gradually: two applications the first week, every other evening the second, then every evening if your skin keeps up.
This progression is detailed in the order to apply your products, and it applies to anything new, not just to picking things back up.
If you plan to add a serum to your routine this season, choose it for what you see on your skin, not for what’s trending. Niacinamide, for example, is a good first back-to-routine active: well tolerated, versatile, with no difficult adjustment period.
Should you change your cream when summer ends?
Not on principle. The rule is the same as in any season: texture follows what your skin tells you, not the calendar. If your summer cream is still enough, keep it. If your skin feels tight at the end of the day as temperatures drop, switch to a richer texture, first checking whether it is dry or dehydrated skin, because the right product isn’t the same. It is often the only truly useful expense of the season, as explained in the minimalist four-step routine; for everything else, a back-to-routine plan on a small budget shows where you can save without risk.
SPF doesn’t leave with the summer
This is the most common end-of-summer mistake: putting your sunscreen away with the beach towels. UV doesn’t take holidays: the American Academy of Dermatology points out that it is present whatever the season, and that a good part of it passes through cloud. We explain what that changes at the office and behind a window.
One last, serious point
Use the return to routine to take a close look at your skin. A mole that has changed over the summer, in size, shape or colour, isn’t a matter for a cosmetic routine: it means a visit to a doctor or dermatologist, without delay. Dermato-info points out that a change in a mark is the most important criterion of the ABCDE method. That is the check that really matters at this time of year.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to change your whole routine after summer?
No. You soothe first, then reintroduce actives one by one. Changing all your products at once makes it impossible to know what suits your skin.
When should you restart retinol or exfoliants after summer?
After a week of soothing, if your skin feels comfortable. One active at a time: two applications the first week, every other evening the second, then every evening if your skin keeps up.
Should you keep using sunscreen after summer?
Yes. UV is present in every season and passes through cloud; the detail of what that changes at the office is in our article on SPF behind a window.
What should you check on your skin after summer?
Moles. According to Dermato-info’s ABCDE method, a mark that changes in size, shape or colour should prompt a consultation, even if the other criteria seem normal.