Beauty Tips

Post-Summer Skin and Hair Rehab

As fall sets in, you notice that your skin and hair have gone from sun-kissed to sun-stressed. “When a patient comes to me in September, the most common complaints are brown spots, broken capillaries and fine lines,” says Rebecca Fitzgerald, M.D., a Los Angeles dermatologist. And while a season of sun, sea and chlorine has left your skin dehydrated and blotchy, your hair is likely to look fried and lifeless. “Hair needs extra TLC at the end of summer,” says Los Angeles hairstylist Rebecca DuMoulin, “especially if it’s color treated.”
Here are the top fixes for summer’s beauty blunders; some you can do on your own and others with a little help from the pros.
How to Get Your Glow Back
Your dermatologist can help erase sun damage by literally shining a light on the problem. Intense pulsed light treatments (also known as IPL, Fotofacial or Photofacial) deliver high-intensity bursts of light to areas of pigment that don’t match your regular skin tone, such as red, tan and brown spots as well as tiny broken capillaries. The melanin in those areas absorbs the light, and over the next few days, the spots darken and then flake off, replaced by new even-toned skin tissue. (IPL, however, may be less effective on skin that already contains a lot of pigment, so women with darker skin tones should discuss with their dermatologist whether the treatment is right for them.)
Another option your doctor may suggest is a light chemical peel that uses salicylic or glycolic acid to exfoliate the top layers of skin, helping to slough away discoloration, fine wrinkles and coarse texture. Your doctor may also write a prescription for a topical retinoid — a vitamin A derivative — that smoothes the skin and evens out discoloration by speeding cell turnover. “The only caveat with retinoids is that the gain is long haul and not overnight. Give them a few months,” advises Fitzgerald.

Skin Fixes From the Drugstore
Over-the-counter retinoids are lower in strength than their prescription sisters, but still highly effective. Look for the word “retinol” on the product’s label. And while nonprescription retinoids are less likely than prescription formulas to irritate your skin, they can still cause dryness, so start by using your new cream every other night.
Other great drugstore ingredients to look for are AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids, commonly listed as glycolic or salicylic on the ingredients list). Like the chemical peels you’d receive in a doctor’s office, these products work to exfoliate the top damaged layers of skin.

Tips for Pedicure

Feet, being so far below our eyes, often get overlooked when it comes to a regular beauty routine. The result? Most of us walk around with cracked heels, callused toes and dirty soles that never seem to scrub clean — not exactly the look you want to show off in your new beach sandals.
Summer is the cruelest season for feet, says Reham Bastawros, co-owner of the Nail Garden, a Los Angeles mani-pedi spa that cares for the cuticles of Renee Zellweger, Miley Cyrus and Megan Fox. “During the winter, when your feet are covered in socks and boots, there’s less damage done to them,” says Bastawros. But by late summer, weeks of flip-flops and sandals can cause the exposed skin of the feet to chafe against the straps with every step. “I’ve seen heels that are cracked to the point that they’re open wounds,” she says.
For stunning tootsies all year round, follow this nourishing routine:
The 6-step Professional Pedicure
Twice a year (once before the summer season and once before the winter holidays), treat yourself to an intensive professional pedicure. Choose a treatment that includes the following steps:
1. A salt bath to soften feet.
2. Callus removal, which therapists usually carry out by first brushing a special softening solution onto the affected area and then using a brand-new or properly sanitized tool.
3. A sugar scrub to exfoliate the whole foot.
4. A foot massage, using a natural oil such as grapeseed, which deeply penetrates your skin, returning feet to supple form.
5. A hot paraffin wrap, which seals in moisture.
6. And finally, the fun part: the classic pedicure, during which your toenails are cut and filed, cuticles are softened and nails are painted.
Do-it-yourself Daily Maintenance
1. Sit at the edge of your bathtub and apply a foot scrub. Choose one that contains your favorite essential oils or make your own by combining 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon raw sugar, oatmeal or chickpea flour. Massage the scrub into your feet and leave it on for five minutes. If time permits, soak hand towels in warm or hot water, and wrap them around your feet. This seals in moisture and works in the same way as a paraffin wax treatment.
2. Keep a foot brush or designated washcloth in the shower. Pour liquid soap onto your chosen scrubber and rub until your heels and toes are thoroughly clean. Three times a week while showering, run a foot file vigorously across your heels and soles. Be sure to replace your file once a month to avoid bacteria buildup.
3. Immediately after your bath or shower, slather your feet with a thick body butter, taking care to massage the lotion into your heels and soles.
4. For an added moisture boost, twice a week before you go to bed, rub olive oil all over your feet and soles, and sleep with socks on.
Summer’s Hottest Toenail Colors
In-vogue toenail colors change just like lipstick shades, and this season brings surprising hues. Naja Green, who owns Extremydys 2012, a West Hollywood hand-and-foot spa that tends to the toes of Lady Gaga, Fergie and Mary J. Blige, says yellow, bright whites, fluorescent pink and light blues are all big this summer, and soft, creamy colors “look amazing on sun-kissed toes.”
Nail Garden’s Bastawros is a fan of metallic nails like those seen in Sex and the City 2. “Matte lacquer is cutting-edge for sophisticated style, pink always feels flirty with sweet summer dresses, and dark polishes are almost accessories in themselves,” says Bastawros. For an extra touch of edgy chic, slip on a toe ring or ankle bracelet.

Moisture and Shine Repair for Hair
“End-of-summer hair looks dry because the cuticle on the hair shaft isn’t lying flat, causing strands to lose moisture and gloss,” says DuMoulin. A trim at a salon is the only way to get rid of split or ragged ends, but there are also deep-conditioning treatments available that help the scalp and flood your hair with moisturizers. These deep-conditioning treatments smooth the scale-like cells of the cuticle, instantly boosting shine. At home, switch to moisturizing conditioners and fake shine with a silicone spray. Silicone gives hair an instant gloss and tames flyaways while you are babying your hair back from summer damage.

Reversing Hair’s Brassiness and Blahs
After months of sun exposure, hair that has been colored often looks brassy and dull. “Women who color their hair dark brown or red suffer the most because these colors really fade in the sun,” says DuMoulin. A toner can help add some extra depth to your hue. While blondes don’t suffer from fading in the summer, too much sun “and their hair looks one-dimensional,” says DuMoulin. One solution is to add some lowlights to give your light tresses more depth.