Get Your Glow Back: Caring for Summer-Stressed Skin

By the time August arrives, your skin has quietly been through a lot. Beach days, pool afternoons, salty air, sweat, and sunscreen reapplied every couple of hours — it all adds up. You might be noticing it now: skin that looks dull, feels rough when you wash your face, or shows new spots and uneven tone that weren’t there in June.

Here’s the good news — summer-stressed skin bounces back beautifully when you give it the right attention. And it doesn’t take a ten-step routine or a bathroom full of products to get there. I tell every client the same thing: about 20% of your results come from what you do at home, and the other 80% is what we accomplish together in the treatment room. Your home routine keeps things steady — the real transformation happens in studio.

So what is summer actually doing under the surface? Sun exposure speeds up pigment production, which is why freckles and brown patches deepen. Heat and dehydration leave skin thirsty, so it overcompensates with extra oil — hello, August breakouts. Chlorine, salt, and sweat strip your barrier, and built-up dead skin makes everything look flat instead of luminous. But none of it is permanent — it just needs the right reset.

Here’s where I’d start:

i. Hydrate from the outside in. After a summer of drying sun and salt, your skin is craving water more than anything. A hydrating serum like GlyMed Plus Ultra Hydro Gel, layered under your moisturizer, makes a bigger difference than most people expect — think of it like watering a plant that’s been left in the sun too long.

ii. Don’t quit your SPF. I know, summer feels “over” — but the sun doesn’t take September off. A daily sunscreen like GlyMed Plus Oil-Free Protective Moisturizer SPF 50 protects all the progress you’re about to make. If you take one thing from this article, let it be this one.

iii. Gently fade what summer left behind. A brightening serum like GlyMed Plus Pigment Brightening Serum slowly evens out the spots and discoloration summer left behind. Slowly is the key word — fast fixes usually mean irritation, and irritated skin never glows.

iv. Ease back into exfoliation. A gentle renewal serum like GlyMed Plus Bio Renewal Serum, a few nights a week, lifts off dull summer buildup so your other products can actually sink in. Notice I said gentle — scrubbing harder just sets you back.

That’s your at-home 20% — all from the GlyMed Plus line I carry at the studio, pharmaceutical-grade and chosen because it works. The other 80% is where a professional treatment earns its keep. My go-to for a post-summer reset is the HydraFacial — it clears congested pores, sweeps away built-up dead skin, and floods everything with hydration in one painless session. Most clients walk out glowing the same day with zero downtime.

And if your skin feels hot, puffy, and overworked from the heat, GlacialFX is a wonderful August reboot. Its cooling therapy calms redness and inflammation while it tightens and refreshes — think of it as an ice bath for your face. Pair it with a HydraFacial or enjoy it on its own.

The biggest mistake I see? Waiting until skin looks “really bad” to act. Skin responds best to small, consistent care — a little attention now saves a lot of frustration later. Pick one habit from the list above and start this week.

If your skin is feeling the after-effects of summer and you’re not sure where to start, that’s exactly the conversation I love having. Every face is different, and a quick consultation tells us more than guessing ever will. New here? Use code NC20 on your first visit — my way of welcoming you in.

Here’s to getting your glow back.

Kristen Hansen is a licensed esthetician and certified makeup artist, and the owner of The Skin Tune, a private skincare studio in Ramsey. Learn more at theskintune.com.

The Skin Tune
19 Spear Rd Suite 206 Ramsey
201-846-7854
www.theskintune.com