A Skin Expert’s Recipe for Post-Summer Rescue
A summer well spent can show up on skin as dryness, flakiness, dullness, and more. Athena Hewett has the antidote, in the form of a moisturizing, glow-boosting facial. If you can’t get to Hewett’s storied skin studio in San Francisco, she’s created this facial to do at home. Trust us: It works miracles.
“Your skin is often more exposed to the elements during summer, making it more prone to irritation, inflammation, and congestion,” says Hewett, the founder of Monastery Made skin care, one of our favorite brands. “You don’t need a ton of products for a really effective facial,” she says. “Focus on high-quality clean ingredients, take your time massaging and masking, and, above all, keep it gentle and nourishing.” Here, her end-of-summer facial to bring your skin back to life in under 45 minutes.
1
DEEP BREATHS
It might seem obvious, but pick a time when you can really relax. “You want to take your time with a facial,” Hewett says. “I love to do one at night, when I’m most relaxed. Take some deep breaths beforehand to help ground yourself.”
2
OIL CLEANSE
Using an oil (or an oil-based balm) is the best way to smooth away dirt, grime, dryness, and lingering makeup. “Start by really massaging the cleanser on dry skin—you’ll remove anything on the surface of skin without disrupting the skin barrier,” says Hewett. “After the massage, rinse with a warm damp cloth.”
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Oil
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Balm
3
GENTLE EXFOLIATION
“I love exfoliating ingredients like glycolic or lactic acid for resurfacing and retexturizing,” says Hewett. “Alternatively, you could apply a gentle retinol, like our REI cream, to help brighten, smooth, and boost cellular renewal.” The biggest mistake clients make, she says, is exfoliating too much—pick one of the below rather than using multiples. Splash off the scrub or mask with warm water, but it’s fine to leave the retinol cream on skin.
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Glycolic acid scrub
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Lactic acid mask
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Retinol serum
4
FACE OIL
“I’m an oil fanatic,” says Hewett. “Oils are so great for moisturizing, balancing, soothing, and treating skin.” She’s on a mission to help disprove the beauty myth that oil (even your own natural oil, or sebum) is bad for skin. “Oil can be so healing,” she says. “Just make sure you’re using oils that are noncomedogenic so they don’t clog your pores.”
Tip: If you’re not sure whether the ingredients in your face oil might cause clogged pores, put the ingredient list in this formula checker on aesthetician Sofie Pavitt’s website.
5
SCULPT AND TREAT
Once you’re oiled up, give yourself a nice long gua sha massage, says Hewett, who loves the temporary skin-lifting effect of the traditional Chinese skin therapy. “To take it up a notch, I love the LYMA laser,” she says. “The oil gives the LYMA the best glide, and the results are incredible.”
6
EYE MASKS
Next, Hewett recommends the eye masks from Augustinus Bader to fight dark circles, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation. “These are so quick and easy to use, and they feel amazing on,” she says. “They help soothe, plump, and brighten.”
7
MOISTURE BOMB
Hydrated, supple skin that’s plump with moisture has a glow all its own. “Layer Flora, our cream-serum (it’s lighter than your average cream but creamier than your average serum) made with hyaluronic acid and flower oils, with Attar, our cult-favorite soothing balm made with rose hip and essential fatty acids, to lock in hydration and protect the skin barrier,” says Hewett.
8
LED
Once you’ve sealed all the moisture in, Hewett recommends finishing with an LED mask for about 5 to 10 minutes: “It’s a great tool to help boost collagen production, brighten and soften skin, and help all the moisturizing ingredients you’ve layered on absorb better.”
