If you’re starting to notice that your skin is getting dry or irritated, it might be due to the arrival of a new season. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter all come with associated weather patterns with their own temperature and humidity range. These changes affect your skin and so, as seasons change, you may need to adjust your skin care routine and adopt new methods to ensure your skin is in good health.
When Seasons Transition to Warmer Weather – From Oily Skin to Breakouts
You’ll notice that your skin is oilier during the warmer seasons. This is because during the spring and summer, when humidity and temperature are high, your produces more sebum and sweat which can clog your pores.
Spring is also the time of year for seasonal allergies, which can cause pre-existing conditions such as eczema, rosacea, and atopic dermatitis to flare up. In the summer, we are also more likely to develop skin problems from prolonged sun exposure, such as irregular pigmentation, freckle like spots called lentigines, and even skin cancer.
Adjusting Your Skin Care Routine for Warmer Weather
To keep your skin in good condition despite the changing weather, you may need to adjust your skin care routine.
Cleanse, Apply Vitamin C Serum, Moisturize, Protect, and Repeat!
It is important that you regularly cleanse your skin to avoid the buildup of oil and dirt that can cause and aggravate skin irritations. Your daily skin care routine should follow these four steps:
Cleanse. Incorporate a gentle oil-removing cleanser that contains salicylic acid into your routine to deeply clean and help control excessive oiliness.
Apply Vitamin C serum. Vitamin C serum helps to prevent hyperpigmentation and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by aiding with collagen production, so be sure to apply this on your face after cleansing and before you moisturize.
Moisturize. A lightweight water-based moisturizer is your perfect ally to keeping your skin well hydrated without clogging your pores. Stay away from oil-based moisturizers as these might clog the pores and cause blackheads, whiteheads, and acne problems.
Protect. Remember to be more diligent in your application of sunscreen. SPF protection is necessary, more so in the summer, when we are more likely to spend time outdoors and increase our sun exposure. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Dehydration can leave your skin dry and irritated, and, in some cases, this may result in the formation of dry patches.
When Seasons Transition to Colder Weather – From Dry Skin to Inflammation
Now, as we transition from warm to colder seasons, particularly from autumn to winter, your skin will have to adapt to the drop in ambient temperature and humidity. This causes a decline in the amount of sebum and perspiration produced by your skin. As a result, skin hydration levels plummet and its natural protection barrier is increasingly compromised, leading to skin problems such as dryness, itchiness, irritation, and inflammation.
Adjusting Your Skin Care Routine for Colder Weather
You can’t keep the seasons from changing, but you can definitely adjust your skin care routine to help protect your skin from the harsh cold weather.
Cleanse, Exfoliate, Hydrate, and Repeat!
During this time, you need to be extra gentle with your skin because the transition to colder weather can lead to conditions worse than mere dryness. Commit to constantly cleansing and hydrating your skin to prevent irritations and inflammation.
Cleanse. Shift to a gentler facial cleanser during the winter and avoid using harsher chemicals that might further dry out your skin.
Exfoliate. If you need to exfoliate to remove dead skin cells, choose a gentle chemical exfoliant that will not disrupt your skin’s barrier, as a physical exfoliator is likely to be harsh on your skin in the cooler months.
Hydrate. Use a serum to give your skin the hydration it needs and avoid dry patches. This will help to retain your skin’s moisture and prevent your skin barrier from breaking down from extreme temperature changes.
Beyond the Seasons—Adjusting Your Skin Care Routine with Age
Taking good care of your skin is essential at any age. Ideally, establish healthy skin care habits as early as in your 20s to help strengthen and prepare your skin for the effects of aging down the road. And one of the ways that you can do so is by ensuring that you give your skin the appropriate care it needs as the seasons change.
Undeniably, skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and is no longer as plump and smooth compared to younger years. And years of sun exposure may eventually result in visible wrinkles, age spots, dryness, and even cancer. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make your skin feel and look better.
Understanding What Your Skin Needs as You Age
In your 20s and 30s, your skin’s collagen and elastin production is high. Collagen is a protein that makes skin cells strong and resilient. Elastin is another protein found in the dermis that keeps skin flexible and helps stretched skin regain its shape. At this age, a cleanser and SPF moisturizer are essential in your skin care routine. You can also add a retinol serum to help stimulate collagen production, if needed.
As you enter perimenopause (the period before menopause) and menopause, you will be experiencing hormonal changes and the natural signs of aging will start to show. Beginning in your 40s, you may start seeing fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, and more prominent skin dryness. Your skin is not as plump or smooth as it was when you were younger. You will also notice that facial wounds do not heal as fast as they used to, and they eventually lead to permanent scars.
How Oia Anti-Wrinkle Patches Can Keep You Looking Young
There are anti-wrinkle treatments that you can easily purchase online, such as the Oia Anti-Wrinkle Patches, to help safely smoothen out wrinkles right in the comfort of your own home. These patches are made of silicone that’s soft, mild, and gentle to all skin types. When attached to your skin, Oia patches form a microclimate between the patch and your skin, creating an occlusion effect that helps to hydrate and moisturize the outer layer of your skin. The result—a visible reduction of the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
The Bottom Line
Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and it requires constant care as seasons change year after year. The seasonal changes accompanied by varying weather conditions can adversely affect your skin, altering its texture, color, and elasticity. By applying the proper skin care products and religiously committing to your skin care routine, you can expect little to no changes throughout the seasons and throughout the years.