Back-to-school season is almost here. New classes, new schedules, reconnecting with friends, sports, extracurricular activities, early mornings and sometimes a few new breakouts too.
Whether you're heading back to high school, starting college or university, or you're a teacher or parent preparing for another busy year, August is a great time to reset your skincare habits.
The good news? A back to school skincare routine doesn't need ten products, expensive treatments or an hour in front of the mirror every morning. Especially for teens, simple and consistent is often best.
At Cher-Mère Day Spa, we believe skincare should be approachable, realistic and designed for your individual skin. Here are some simple ways to help keep your skin, lips and nails feeling healthy, hydrated and cared for as summer turns into fall.
Why Back to School Can Affect Your Skin
Summer and the school year can look very different.
Once September arrives, relaxed summer schedules are replaced with early mornings, classes, homework, extracurricular activities, work and often less sleep. Stress levels can change too.
For teens, hormonal changes can increase oil production, contributing to clogged pores, blackheads and breakouts. Add sweat from sports, makeup, touching your face throughout the day and changes to your sleep schedule, and your skin may need a little extra attention.
That's why the beginning of the school year is a perfect opportunity to establish a back to school skincare routine that is simple enough to maintain - even when you hit the snooze button one too many times.
Step 1: Start With a Gentle Cleanser
Cleansing is the foundation of your skincare routine.
Throughout the day, your skin accumulates oil, sweat, environmental debris, makeup and skincare products. A gentle cleanser helps remove that buildup without leaving your skin feeling stripped or uncomfortable.
For most teens, cleansing in the morning and before bed is a good place to start. If you're involved in sports or activities that make you sweat, cleansing after practice can also help remove sweat, excess oil and buildup.
One important reminder: clean skin doesn't need to feel squeaky clean.
Harsh products and aggressive scrubbing can irritate your skin. Choose a cleanser suited to your skin type and treat your skin gently. We have several options of gentle cleansers at Cher-Mere from our Moringa to our acne cleanser.
Step 2: Exfoliate—But Don't Overdo It
Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin and can be helpful when dealing with concerns such as clogged pores or uneven texture.
But more exfoliation isn't necessarily better.
One of the most common skincare mistakes is trying to "scrub away" breakouts. Over-exfoliating can disrupt the skin barrier and leave your skin feeling red, dry, sensitive or irritated.
Depending on your skin and the product you're using, exfoliating once or twice a week may be enough.
And remember: your friend's favourite skincare product isn't automatically the right product for you.
Social media can make it tempting to try every trending scrub, acid, toner and serum, but skincare isn't one-size-fits-all. If you're unsure, talk to an esthetician about what might be appropriate for your skin.
Step 3: Moisturizer Is for Oily Skin Too
"My skin is oily. I don't need moisturizer."
We hear this one a lot.
Oily skin still needs hydration. The key is choosing the right moisturizer.
If you tend to have oily or acne-prone skin, look for something lightweight that doesn't feel heavy or greasy. If your skin feels tight, dry or flaky, you may need something richer or more hydrating.
Moisturizer supports your skin barrier and helps keep your skin feeling comfortable and balanced.
Even when you're rushing to catch the bus, don't skip this important part of your back to school skincare routine.
Step 4: SPF Isn't Just for Summer
Summer may be winding down, but sunscreen season isn't.
Sun protection is important throughout the year.
Walking to school, waiting for the bus, sitting outside at lunch, sports practice, driving and simply spending time outdoors all contribute to sun exposure.
Apply a broad-spectrum SPF as the final step in your morning skincare routine, especially to exposed skin.
Making SPF, like our Cher-Mere Moisturizer with SPF part of your routine now helps turn it into a habit you can maintain throughout fall, winter and beyond.
Step 5: Don't Forget Your Lips and Nails
Your back to school skincare routine doesn't have to stop at your face.
As we transition from warm summer weather into cooler fall temperatures, your lips, hands, nails and cuticles can start to feel the change too.
Keep Your Lips Hydrated
Cooler temperatures, wind and drier indoor air can leave lips feeling dry, tight or chapped.
Keeping a hydrating lip oil in your backpack, purse, locker or desk is an easy way to add moisture throughout the day.
Apply it before heading to school, after lunch or whenever your lips begin to feel dry. It's a simple step that can help keep your lips feeling soft and hydrated as temperatures begin to drop.
Give Your Nails Some Love Too
Your nails and cuticles need moisture as well.
As fall approaches, you may notice your cuticles becoming drier or your nails feeling more brittle.
A cuticle oil is one of the easiest additions to your fall self-care routine. Massage a small amount into your cuticles and around your nails daily. Before bed is a great time to make it part of your routine.
Try to resist picking or biting at dry cuticles. Keeping them moisturized can help your nails and hands look and feel healthier.
A few easy back-to-school bag essentials? SPF, hydrating lip oil and cuticle oil.
Small products, simple habits and easy ways to keep your skin, lips and nails hydrated as summer transitions into fall.
Step 6: Keep Your Hands Off Your Face
Think about everything your hands touch during a school day.
Phones. Laptops. Door handles. Desks. Gym equipment. Pens. Lockers.
And then, without thinking, your face.
Try to notice how often you're resting your chin in your hands, picking at a blemish or touching your face.
And as tempting as it might be to pop a pimple the night before picture day - don't.
Picking and squeezing can increase inflammation and may contribute to pigmentation or scarring.
What About Teen Acne?
Breakouts are incredibly common during the teen years.
Having acne doesn't mean your skin is dirty, and aggressive cleansing usually isn't the answer. Hormonal changes during adolescence can increase oil production, which can contribute to clogged pores and acne.
- For mild breakouts, keep your routine simple:
- Cleanse gently morning and night.
- Use appropriate acne-focused products if needed.
- Moisturize.
- Wear SPF.
- Avoid picking and squeezing.
- Give your routine time to work.
Be careful about combining multiple strong acne treatments or trending skincare products without understanding what they do.
More products don't automatically mean better results.
If your acne is persistent, painful, cystic, leaving scars or significantly affecting how you feel, talk with a parent or guardian about seeing your family doctor or dermatologist. Some acne requires medical treatment rather than spa or over-the-counter skincare alone.
Don't Forget Your Phone, Pillowcase and Makeup Brushes
Your skincare routine isn't only about what you put on your face.
Think about what regularly touches your skin.
Clean your phone screen regularly and change your pillowcase frequently, especially if you're prone to breakouts.
Makeup brushes and sponges should also be cleaned instead of allowing weeks of product, oil and debris to build up.
And if you wear makeup, remove it before going to bed.
No matter how tired you are after studying, practice or a night out, taking a few minutes to cleanse before hitting your pillow is worth it.
Your 5-Minute Back to School Skincare Routine
Busy mornings don't need complicated skincare.
Your morning back to school skincare routine can be as simple as:
Cleanse → Moisturize → SPF → Lip Oil
At night:
Remove makeup → Cleanse → Treatment product if needed → Moisturize → Cuticle Oil
That's it.
You can add additional products depending on your individual needs, but don't feel pressured by social media to use every trending serum, toner, mask and active ingredient.
The best skincare routine isn't the one with the most steps.
It's the one that works for your skin and is realistic enough that you'll actually follow it.
Start the School Year With a Skin Reset
Not sure what your skin needs? Professional guidance can help.
A facial isn't only about relaxation. It's also an opportunity for an esthetician to look at your skin, talk about your concerns and help you better understand which products and habits may be appropriate for you.
Before school gets into full swing, take advantage of Cher-Mère's Mid-Week Summer Specials, available Tuesday through Thursday.
Our summer specials include kids and teen packages making August a great time to give your skin a little extra attention before heading back to class.
Whether you're concerned about congestion, dryness, oiliness or simply want your skin feeling fresh for September, the treatment can be customized based on your skin's needs.
Teachers and Parents, This One Is for You Too
Back-to-school isn't only a transition for students.
Teachers, we see you. Parents, you too!
The beginning of September can mean classroom preparation, lesson planning, early mornings, long days and suddenly having much less time for yourself.
Your skincare doesn't have to be complicated either.
Keep your morning routine simple with cleansing, moisturizer and SPF. At night, thoroughly cleanse your skin and incorporate products targeted to your individual concerns, whether that's hydration, sensitivity, pigmentation or signs of aging.
As temperatures cool, keep that lip oil close and add cuticle oil to your nighttime routine too.
If you've spent plenty of time outdoors over the summer, a customized facial can also be a relaxing way to transition your skincare from summer into fall.
Our Mid-Week Summer Specials run Tuesday through Thursday, so if you still have some flexibility before you're back in the classroom, this is a great time to take an hour for yourself.
What's in Our Back-to-School Bags?
Need some inspiration?
We've been asking Cher-Mère spa staff and students to share their own back-to-school skincare picks - the products they reach for when schedules get busy and the little essentials they like to keep nearby.
Follow @chermere_spa on Instagram and Cher-Mère Canada on Facebook to see what our estheticians, students and team members are choosing.
You may discover a new favourite, but remember that everyone's skin is different.
Use our team's picks as inspiration and ask one of our estheticians if you need help finding products suited to your individual skin concerns.
Ready for Your Back-to-School Skin Reset?
As September approaches, remember that healthy skin doesn't mean perfect skin.
Real skin has pores. It has texture. It changes with hormones, stress, sleep, weather and life.
Your goal shouldn't be to chase flawless, filtered skin. A good back to school skincare routine is about understanding your skin, taking care of it consistently and feeling confident as you head into a new school year.
Before summer officially wraps up, give your skin a little extra attention with Cher-Mère's Mid-Week Summer Specials, Tuesday through Thursday, stock your school bag with SPF and hydrating lip oil, keep some cuticle oil at home for your nighttime routine, and talk to our team about creating an at-home skincare routine that works for your skin, schedule and budget.
Students, teachers, parents and everyone getting ready for September - we're here to help you start the school year feeling refreshed, hydrated, cared for and confident.