spa 20200415

Summertime Spa Skincare Tips

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Get ready for the sunshine with these tips from the spa skincare experts

The warm sun on your face. Those lazy afternoons by the pool or seashore. Summertime is fast approaching – you’re ready, but is your skin?

Long winter months of heavy clothing and dry air can wreak havoc on any skin type, leaving you less than ready for skin-bearing summer styles.

“Women are shifting gears from the chilly months where we’re mostly covered up, and (they are) dealing with how the winter affects the skin,” says Dorothy Andreas-Tuel, president of Sewickley Spa, in Sewickley and Ligonier. “We need to remove the buildup of excess moisturizers, makeup and sunscreens used to combat the elements that the skin is exposed to during the colder weather; open up the pores and get the oxygen to the surface.”

Think of it as a spring cleaning for your pores: a deep-cleansing facial removes dry dead skin cells and creates a fresh foundation for your summer beauty regimen.

“If the pores aren’t cleaned out before you start your next regimen, you’re basically just polishing the surface – you can’t get the nutrients down in them,” Andreas-Tuel says.p>

For those looking for a more intense treatment to start off the season, a medical-based facial could be the way to go.

“A lot of women get dry and flaky from the cold months, so they need treatments to help normalize and balance the skin,” says Charlene Kelly, head aesthetician at The Spa at Antique Medical Center in Greensburg.

A glycolic treatment (a mild chemical peel) or a microdermabrasion treatment addresses those problems with a bonus: they produce “collagen-stimulating, anti-aging effects,” says Dr. Theodore A. Lazzaro, Aestique’s medical director.

Once you have a fresh face, the next step is maintenance. Using the right skincare products will keep that glow long after the sunsets.

Summertime is also the right time to check your moisturizer. Richer, heavier moisturizers work for the winter, but can clog pores and lead to blemishes in the summer, says Dr. James K. Smith, director of Genesis Cosmetic Surgery and Day Spa in Moon Township. The solution is a lighter moisturizer, coupled with a customized skincare plan.

“The aesthetician and I take a look at the skin and decide how much environmental damage has been done along with what has worked in the past,” Smith says. “We come up with what we think is a reasonable starting point with a cleanser, conditioner, and moisturizer.”

After repairing and treating the skin, you can start working on that tan. Forget those unhealthy UV rays, the only healthy tan comes from a jar. Soft, smooth skin is a must before any kind of tanning treatment.

“You want to exfoliate first, choosing the right scrubs because the dead keratin cells will block moisture coming into your skin,” says Eva Sztupka, spa director of ESSpa Kozmetika Day Spa and Organic Skincare Salon in Aspinwall.

ESSpa carries a variety of self-tanning products – Sztupka prefers lotions to the tanning sprays – and offers applications that come with an exfoliating body scrub beforehand. For the finishing touch, add a sun-kissed glow to your face with their line of professional mineral makeup, Glominerals.

“If your skin is toned and happy and you’re glowing,” Sztupka says, “you can wear a $5 T-shirt and look great.”

Bring on summer.

· Aestique Medical Center,, One Aesthetic Way, Greensburg, 800-832-6501.

· The Center for Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery,530 South St., Greensburg, 724-836-0400.

· ESSpa Kozmetika Day Spa & Organic Skincare Salon,17 Brilliant Ave., Aspinwall, 412-782-3888.

· Genesis Cosmetic Surgery & Day Spa, 1009 Beaver Grade Road, Moon Township, 412-262-4202.

· Sewickley Spa, 337 Beaver St., Sewickley, 412-741-4240; and 112 N. Market St., Ligonier, 724-238-3878.

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