What your skin needs in late summer: the power of slowing down, softening and caring

September. Life may be settling back into a sense of normal, but your skin sees it differently. It’s still carrying hours of sun in its pores, salt on its cheeks, and perhaps a touch of dryness, pigmentation or tightness. In short: late summer is when your skin needs some extra care.

I still remember years ago, standing on the beach after a sun-soaked summer, touching my face and thinking: wow — this feels like leather. No need to panic, it does recover. But it needs a little love. Late summer is the moment when your skin wants to settle down.

What the sun does to your skin

The Spanish sun is no joke. Even with sunscreen, the heat finds its way in. Your skin slowly slips out of balance: moisture evaporates, elasticity dips, pigment cells become more active.

You might not notice it straight away, but come September it suddenly shows: a duller tone, less radiance, fine lines that look a little deeper. That’s not ageing — that’s fatigue. Your skin has had its holiday, but now it’s ready for recovery.

The three S’s of late-summer skin

In my practice, I use three simple key words to help people understand their skin better at this time of year: slow down, soften, support.

1. Slow down

   Stop trying to do it all. Give yourself fewer stimuli. Yes, your skin too. Skip the peels and the harsh scrubs for a while. Let your skin breathe.

2. Soften

   Use products with calming ingredients: aloe vera, cucumber, hyaluronic acid. And drink enough water — not because it works miracles, but because hydrated skin is less prone to irritation.

3. Support

   Gently massage your face with oil (almond oil is a favourite here). Cleanse softly but consistently. And avoid hot showers — your skin barrier needs calm right now.

Following your skin’s rhythm

What I’ve learned: your skin doesn’t want to be perfect, it wants to be in balance. And balance isn’t achieved by constantly adding more, but by noticing what can be less.

In late summer, caring for your skin often means less: less make-up, less chemical sunscreen, less fussing around. It’s in that calm that your skin recovers — a bit like nature itself when the heat slowly begins to fade.

Bonus: steaming out the sun, salt and sweat

I sometimes end the summer with a visit to a hammam. Not for the luxury, but for the reset effect: warm steam opens your pores, a scrub removes the last traces of sunscreen and sand, and your skin feels fresh again. I once wrote about those temples where you can experience ultimate wellness.

But you can do it at home too. Take a warm shower, scrub with a homemade olive oil and salt mix, and finish with a cold splash. Happy skin, happy you.

What I’m doing now

In September, I only use the following:

• a gentle cleansing milk

• rose water as a toner

• a few drops of oil

• a sun hat (seriously — it helps!)

• and occasionally a yoghurt and honey mask

Not because I have to, but because it helps. My skin feels calmer, smoother, less tight. And for me, that’s the sign I’m in the right rhythm.