Whether you’re headed back to middle school, high school, or college, you may want to think about a back-to-school skincare routine.
That’s because going back to school can be stressful. There’s the new environment, schedule, academic demands, peer expectations, and more to deal with.
All these changes can increase inflammation, disrupt the outer barrier, and set off the immune cells in the skin. That means more acne breakouts, redness, irritation, dullness, and tired-looking skin.
Plus, your new schedule is likely to disrupt your regular skincare routine. You may find yourself pressed for time and even (gasp!) skipping your routines.
To help make this transition easier and increase your odds of enjoying vibrant, healthy skin, try these 10 tips.
7 Tips for Healthy Back-to-School Skin Care
1. Establish a New Routine Time Now
Look at what your schedule is going to be once school starts. Where will you fit in your skincare?
Most of us spend 5-10 minutes morning and night taking care of our skin. Whatever time you’ve been used to doing it in the summertime might need to change once school starts.
Keeping your care consistent will help your skin to adapt.
2. Consider a Minimal Routine
Take a look at your current routine. Is it possible you could condense it so it takes less time?
The best way to do this is to have products that can multitask. Our CV Skinlabs products are great for this. Our Calming Moisture, for example, can serve as your daily and nightly oil-balancing moisturizer, and it also works great as a foundation primer.
If you have sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea, this should be your go-to moisturizer because of all the calming, soothing and healing ingredients. It can help get the red out and calm acne inflammation too!
Our Rescue + Relief Spray works great as a refreshing mist anytime, but you can also use it as a toner or soothing aftershave. It’s non-clogging so it works perfectly for any skin type, even oily and acne-prone.
Our Restorative Skin Balm soothes wounds and scrapes and also doubles as a lip balm. It’s 100% natural, petrolatum free, and absolutely no harmful ingredients. Plus, it speeds the healing of dry, cracked skin.
Set all the products that you usually use on the counter. Then consider which two or three you may be able to replace with just one product. Cutting back on the steps you have to take in your routine will help you speed up your skincare without neglecting your skin.
3. Skip the Harsh Chemicals
If you struggle with acne, particularly when you’re stressed, you may be tempted to use harsh chemicals. Sometimes acne products can irritate your skin, dry it out, and lead to your blemishes being even more noticeable.
Your best approach is to balance the oils in your skin. Cleanse regularly with a gentle, clarifying cleanser. Tone with an alcohol-free toner (like our Rescue + Relief Spray). Then use a moisturizer (like our Calming Moisture) that moisturizes your skin without increasing oiliness. Be consistent with this routine and see if you notice less acne.
4. Go Gentle on the Serums
Serums can help you enjoy your most radiant skin. But be careful. Some are likely to contribute to skin irritation and breakouts during stressful periods.
When you first go back to school, consider taking a short break from your serums. Particularly those with retinol, when combined with stress, may increase the risk of breakouts and skin reactions.
Your goal is to reduce the stress on your skin as much as you can. Give yourself a few weeks to get into the groove of school, then feel free to gradually add back in your favorite serums.
5. Relieve Stress Every Day
Going back to school can be extra stressful because of all the changes that are involved. Stress is not good for your skin. It will react with acne, dryness, redness, and more if you don’t take steps to moderate the stress.
Your best option is to choose a stress-relieving activity that you enjoy and do it every day. Exercise is a great one. It helps shed stress while boosting feel-good endorphins. It also increases circulation and pumps nutrients to the skin, which helps it cope.
Other good options include yoga and tai chi, meditation, journaling, pet therapy, gardening, and crafting.
6. Take Care of Your Eyes
You may already be using an eye cream. But if you’re not, this is the time to consider it. Late-night study sessions or nights out with friends can make your eyes look tired, dark, and puffy.
Adding an eye cream to your routine can help you keep the skin around your eyes looking its best. Look for formulas that contain caffeine, as it affects circulation and can reduce puffiness. Other good ingredients include hyaluronic acid for plumping moisture and bisabolol for reducing irritation and fading fine lines.
7. Address Hyperpigmentation
If you were out in the sun over the summer, you may be noticing some new dark spots on your skin. Or it could be that your skin just looks dull and lifeless.
Now is the time to think about repairing any damage you may have suffered in the last few months. Even if you used sunscreen, you may have noticed new dark spots or old ones that are now more visible.
Look for a gentle but effective lightening product. Check for ingredients like kojic acid, arbutin, vitamin C, azelaic acid, glycolic acid, and licorice. Castor oil, turmeric, bisabolol, and water lily all help with dark spots too (and are in our CV Skinlabs products). They will help you achieve a more radiant complexion.
Make sure that you use sunscreen every day. Some lightening ingredients may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun.
Do you have a back-to-school skincare routine?
Featured image by Anastasiya Gepp via Pexels.
