by Susan Isom

Reality check: Summer break has already come and gone. It’s September, which means the relaxed, lazy days of summer are about to give way to backpacks, homework, after-school activities and, the hardest of all, waking the kids up early.

I have to admit, I don’t miss those days at all. When the wheels on the bus were going round and round, I was sweating through my shirt and watching my foundation slide down my face and feeling my perfectly applied eyeshadow, lipstick and blush melt into Tammy Faye. Today, more than ever, I brave the hot days makeup-free.

 There are easier ways to recreate this smudgy, softly, shiny look. Which makes this the perfect time to get going on your back to school skin care routine!  

Maybe you’re a teacher, student, parent of a student or maybe your college days are long behind you – either way, the post-Labor Day period is your chance to get well-organized on how to turn the warm, humid weather into a beauty advantage.

There will be days when you are tired, busy and the last thing you have time for is hair, nails, makeup or even the time and energy to devote to a daily skin care regimen. This doesn’t mean your skin care routine has to interfere with your responsibilities. After all, we still want “all things beauty.”

You may not be used to waking up early, and you may have a lot less free time overall, but here are some ways to make the transition easier:

Move any parts of your skin care regimen to weekends or evenings – give yourself a break in the morning! You need some time to adjust to these early mornings, so take anything off your plate you can. Stick to the necessities. In the mornings, splash your face 20 times with warm water then add your favorite moisturizing lotion and get your kids to school on time.

Keep up with the daily sunscreen, at least on your face and neck. Just because it doesn’t look as bright or feel as warm does not mean that the sun’s rays aren’t damaging or prematurely aging your skin. If you are driving your kids for a longer distance, apply sunscreen to your arms. Solar exposure is stronger through glass windows.

Get to bed early. This seems like a very obvious tip, but it may be tempting to continue your late night routine and try to balance the kids’ homework with your summer lifestyle and social life. This will catch up with you, and your face won’t hide those sleepless nights for long. Getting adequate sleep is so important for overall health, but especially your skin!

Sleep on your back, with adequate neck support and a pillow that is firm enough to prop your head up and allow fluids to drain!

Keep your favorite beauty products on hand. You may be spending more time away from home but there is no reason to not have everything on hand. Look into travel-sized bottles you can fill with your must have creams and serums or ask for samples of your favorite products so you can freshen up in a pinch.

Maintaining balance and setting aside time for yourself is very important in keeping you healthy, sane and the best you can be for your family. You invest a lot of work into making your family happy, safe, well fed and loved. Next time you’re feeling run down or stressed, try to set aside a day just for you. You may even develop the extremely contagious need for “all things beauty.” It just might give you the rejuvenation you need to get you through this school year!

Susan Isom

Susan is well known for her personal attention to each and every client and for developing a treatment program or skin care regime just right for that individual. Since beginning her career in 1990, Susan Isom has received ongoing education and training in the latest developments for skin care products and treatments. She has received advanced training as a cosmetic injector with certifications from Allergan, the creators of Botox and Juvederm injectable gel fillers. Susan has received numerous awards and special recognition during her career.