Do you find yourself grappling with moody, even misbehaving skin when the seasons change? Some people find they get clogged pores leading to breakouts, while others find their skin looks much better in the warmer seasons. The inverse also holds true in the colder seasons, where some find their skin improving while others get dry and itchy patches.
Our skin isn’t always great at telling us what it needs so that we tend to develop – shall we say – a complicated relationship with it. Oftentimes, even trained professionals have trouble getting to and solving the root cause of redness and bumps.
When finally we think that our relationship with our skin is mended and all rosy, a mysterious rash pops up out of nowhere just to remind us that our skin doesn’t have an exclusive relationship with us. It’s our shield, the outer shell that we show the world. And as such, it interacts with our environment.
This means for one, the weather affects our skin. Our skin will let us know something is amiss when it’s too cold or humid. During winter, we face cold winds and stay mostly indoors with heating. This combination robs our skin of its natural moisture. Dry skin often goes hand in hand with red botches, excess red skin cells leading to dull skin, or even worse clogging pores and causing acne.
That is not to say that summer is all fine and dandy. Of course, higher levels of humidity soften our skin and bring back the moisture lost in the cold seasons. But summer also takes a toll on our skin: Scorching heat, pollution, high UV intensity, and also high humidity wipe off the natural glow, and sometimes, invites infections.
Zits also tend to get worse as in the warmer seasons. There are several contributing factors: excess heat and humidity increase sweat production, which means more oil available to clog pores. Summer activities such as lounging in swimming pools or having a day out on the beach have a huge effect on your skin. Swimming pools chlorinate their water and chlorinated chemicals can cause a particularly bad form of acne called chloracne. Next, SPF can aggravate your skin.
As this is not bad enough, when the seasons change, there are fluctuations in temperature and humidity. And through it all, your skin is always trying to remain hydrated.
What can you do?
A solid routine should apply to all seasons and all climates. So, once you’ve found a skin care routine that works for you, you can make small changes for each season.
Skin care all through the year
Treat yourself holistically. That is to say, when your healthy, this is reflected on your skin. Put differently, your lifestyle choices can be seen sooner or later on your complexion. Healthy skin is beautiful and taking care of it doesn’t even need to burn a hole into your pocket.
Skin care in the spring
When the days grow longer and warmer, we’re drawn to the great outdoors. Especially after a long and cold winter, there’s nothing better than to spend time outdoors and in the sun. It’s a good time to throw out expired SPF and stock up on new ones. On a side note, consistently wearing sunscreen really helps, all through the year.
When the air temperature rises, it can hold more moisture. This means, in spring, your skin adjusts to a higher level of moisture in the air. You may want to switch to lighter formulations so as not to clog your pores but to prevent your skin from feeling tight and dry. See the post Adapt your skincare from winter to spring with 5 simple tips for how to transition from winter to spring.
Skin care in the summer
During summer you wear lighter clothing so that your skin is more exposed to UV. Moreover, you have BBQ parties, swim, spend time in the sand, and mostly sweat. These are all things that can result in skin irritation and rashes. Do not mention bug bites and nettles.
Wearing SPF all through the year was already mentioned. If you see your skin getting congested, up to getting blackheads and breakouts, try a charcoal cleanser or pack. Charcoal draws out oils and impurities from the pores.
Even if these tips are spoilsport, don’t expose yourself to sunlight if you see a dramatic change to your skin. Should you detect skin discolouration, a changing mole and a rough red patch visit a dermatologist as soon as you can. In general, don’t expose yourself to sunlight, to prevent burns. Even if you can soothe a burn with aloe vera, it’s only a temporary relief. With each burn you get, the chance of you getting skin cancer rises. It can take years for a sun burn to develop in skin cancer.
Skin care in the autumn
The days grow shorter and also cooler. The dry cooler air saps the moisture out of your skin. Even if you don’t normally have dry skin, consider increasing your moisturiser or using more heavy-duty formulations. Even if it’s doesn’t sound right, to compensate for a drier environment, oily skin can overproduce oil. If you find your skin is out of balance, reconsider the formulations of your product or add a layer of facial oil.
Skin care in the winter
Winter is not very kind to our skin. This is the season your skin gets the driest. Even if you don’t have dry skin, you may want to think that your skin type is dry during winter and adhere to skin care tips for dry skin. This is the time to use heavy-weight formulations in your products and add a layer of face oil.
To protect your skin, it’s a good idea to wear hats and gloves. It’s not only a great way to protect against the cold, it’s a simple and easy way to help shield your hands from the dry air that triggers eczema. The cold can also have an impact on your nails so that they can become brittle and cracked.
No matter the season, if you’ve got a solid skin care foundation, you only need to listen to your skin and make light adjustments to keep the glow. Treat your skin all year long with care and tenderness. If you’re good to yourself, your skin will be just as good to you and show it.
What are your thoughts on how the seasons affect your skin and do you make changes to your skin care? Leave it in the comments.
