Boosting Your Business and Skin Care with Summer Essentials

Between travel and having to contend with the kids being out of school, many clients simply don’t make it into the treatment room as often. As result, business tends to slow during the summer months. And yet, this is when skin needs the most support to prevent pigmentation issues, DNA damage and oxidative stress.

To keep clients coming in and ensure their skin gets the support it needs during the hot, dry months, there are a variety of fun, summertime treatments and promotions you might consider offering. From express treatments to home care, each is designed to give their skin the boost of antioxidants and skin-protective ingredients it needs, and may be customized to fit into their summer schedule, no matter how busy or relaxed it is.

What does the skin need this time of year?

The skin is constantly producing melanocytes to help protect our epidermis from UV damage. As we age, however, the skin loses a lot of its natural resources needed to repair and protect it. This happens more rapidly during the summer months because the skin is constantly in protection mode, which depletes these natural resources. Thus, it becomes even more important to help replenish them and support the skin during the summer.

Because melanocytes rise to the surface to help protect the skin from the sun, this activity naturally goes into overdrive during prolonged exposure to UV rays. The key during the summer is to find a balance. We have to be careful not to suppress the melanocytes, while helping ensure the skin is not overproducing them ––that’s when more permanent damage or discoloration occurs.

The goal is to maintain the production, but find a healthy balance. When ingredients designed to inhibit melanocytes are used, they’re not able to respond and protect the cell. Melanin suppressants may be ok in the treatment room, depending on the client’s skin and if they agree to be compliant with staying out of the sun. At home, however, you’ll want to limit these to their evening regimen, blend them with growth factors or a moisturizer, or eliminate them altogether. (More on this later in the post.)

To further support the skin, antioxidants are crucial during this season. Bump up antioxidants with topicals such as the Purifying Lotion or Antioxidant Complex Serum, and talk to clients about consuming more antioxidants through nutrient-rich foods. Topical ingredients like glutathione and superoxide dismutase are antioxidant powerhouses and will help fight against free-radical damage. This time of year, heat also tends to get trapped in the skin. Using chilled masks and ice globes will help get any trapped heat out of the skin and ensure cells don’t get overheated or exhausted.

Summertime treatments

For busy clients, a series of summer express facials will help maintain any skincare program you’ve got them on and keep them engaged throughout the season. Consider offering a series of three, spaced one month apart. The goal of this series of treatments is to proactively catch and correct any looming damage caused by heat and UV rays using ingredients like azelaic acid, natural daisy flower, and reparative stem cells and peptides to prevent prolonged damage from occurring. A few summer express facials might include:

• 123 Refreshed – substitute the Skin Brightening Enzyme for Cherry Jubilee Enzyme
• The Tropical Rejuvenator Facial – this will prevent damage, hydrate, nourish. The Mint Papaya Enzyme has potent digestive qualities, yet is gentle enough for this time of year, and the C-Peptide Complex infuses the skin with antioxidants.
• Tahitian Express – gently exfoliates, hydrates and nourishes the skin.

For clients who will be compliant and don’t plan on being out in the sun much this summer, a few corrective facial options and progressive peels include:

Corrective facials:

o C-Awaken Facial

o De-Pigment/Youth Replenish Facial

o Hibiscus Brightening and Firming Facial

Progressive Peel Options:

o Radiance Peel

o Brighten Up Peel

o “A” Youthful Source Peel

Summer home care options

Again antioxidant support is essential. You’ll want to double up, and in some cases triple up. For a daytime regimen, the Purifying Lotion will infuse the skin with good antioxidants without drying out the skin despite it being a toner. The Antioxidant Complex Serum will further support antioxidant activity with ingredients like glutathione and superoxide dismutase. The C-Peptide Complex is also great for this time of year, but watch during the summer months the skin is not getting dehydrated.

To help diffuse trapped heat and reduce inflammation, turn to Sea Gems, and for strengthening, the MVC Serum is like a multi-vitamin for the skin. With the hydration, you’ll want to keep it on the lighter side ––a few options include, Moisture Au Lait, Blushed Wine Gel, and Exotica Rhodiola. And of course, sun protection is imperative. Look to the eZinc Protection Cream, Sheer Tint Finisher, Daytime Defense SPF30. The Cucumber Spritz is always a summertime favorite as well. It will keep skin cool and hydrated.

At night, focus on corrective support with topicals such as the Mandelic Arginine Serum or ChronoPeptide A, which will strengthen the skin and enhance the skin’s protective abilities during the daytime. Using a corrective that causes the skin to become more dry and flaky will actually work against us this time of year as it exposes the epidermis layer, which makes the skin more vulnerable to the sun. You want to minimize this during the summer months.

The evening is also a good time to help neutralize the melanocyte activity and help ensure its functioning optimally. For this the Brightening Pigment Lotion or Naturale Mega Brightening Serum combined with the Moisture Au Lait or a growth factor are good options. The Brightening Cream Enhanced is another option as it’s not quite as strong, but still provides good melanocyte support.

While there are numerous options depending on your client’s specific skin needs, the above is simply an overview of what we are seeing as most effective during the summer months.

To learn more about summertime skincare, how super extracts help fight inflammation and boost antioxidant support, and for more promotional ideas, like the “Cool as a Cucumber Special,” tune in to our recent webinar: Summer Essentials for Summer Skin.

In the next post, we’ll unveil Rhonda Allison’s favorite summertime ingredient and personal daytime regimen.