Seasonal Skin Care Tips
When you transition into a new season, changing your wardrobe isn’t the only thing you should be taking care of. Your skincare routine depends on weather no less than your choice of clothes. And if you want to avoid various weather change skin challenges, you need to choose a proper skincare regimen every winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
With the winter kicking in, we decided to share a few seasonal skin care tips to help you keep your skin healthy and radiant no matter the weather. Read on to discover our tops picks.
Why Is Seasonal Skin Care Important?
What works for your skin in summer, might not work for it in winter, and vice versa. The weather change comes with different humidity levels. It means that in summer and spring the air is much hotter and humid, so your skin might be more oily and prone to breakouts. Whereas in autumn and winter, the air is drier, so your skin tends to be more dehydrated too. This obviously also depends on where you live, so keep that in mind.
“Different seasons affect our skin because of the humidity, dryness, and change in temperature that the weather brings. You’ll notice your skin drying out during the winter, or your skin being more greasy and sweaty during the summertime.
Some tips to combat this is to stick to a skin regime. This means washing your face every night and morning, using a cleanser, and applying lotion if needed. Supplementing some vitamin D is great for your skin too!
Another random tip that has been helping my patients with cystic acne is to watch how long your showers are as well as the temperature you’re using. If you take long, hot showers, you might be damaging your skin.”
Dr Robert Karsch of AICA
Seasonal Skin Care Guide
Autumn Skin Care: You’d want to use products that won’t dry your skin and help it rejuvenate after a hot and humid summer season.
Winter Skin Care: Switch to more nourishing and gentle products that would help your skin survive cold temperatures and keep it well-hydrated.
Spring Skin Care: You’d want to focus on products that can help you restore your skin’s radiance and get rid of dullness after a harsh winter.
Summer Skin Care: Focus on skincare products that can help your skin stay clean and matte. You’d also want to choose lightweight moisturizers to avoid oil buildup and acne.
“SPRING & SUMMER
The vitamins you should have on hand (with the approval of a healthcare professional) are:
- Vitamin C enhances the production of collagen and is a powerful antioxidant.
- Vitamin E rids the body of impurities but most importantly protects from sun damage.
- Vitamin A helps the skin repair from sun damage and reduces the risk of skin cancers.
AUTUMN & WINTER
These vitamins should be used during the cooler months (with the approval of a healthcare provider):
- Vitamin B may prevent a vitamin B deficiency that causes flaky, dry skin and lips.
- Vitamin D helps in the prevention of premature aging, helps heal your dry skin this time of year.
- Omega 3 helps retain moisture and healthy oils, keeping you hydrated during the colder weather.”
Stephanie Ivonne, Licensed Esthetician, Smart Style Today
Top 7 Skin Care Tips for All Seasons
If you want your skin to survive heat and cold without severe damages, you’ll need to stick to a specific regimen that suits your skin the best. Here are some seasonal skin care tips that may help you keep your skin flawless any time of the year.
“Tips for seasonal skincare are going to be dependant on the individual. You must first observe the changes that your skin goes through during the seasons. Once you have observed the issues and changes in your skin, you can build a routine around the seasons. Generally, the air in the winter holds less water, which leads most people to have dry skin. To alleviate this, you will want to use a more gentle cleanser.
Exfoliating is great for removing dry, dead skin cells, but too much of this during any season can irritate the skin, especially during the winter when skin may be more sensitive. Using a moisturiser with humectants and occlusives is best. Occlusives help to create a film over the skin to hold the moisture in, and humectants (hyaluronic acid is an example of one) help to attract water to the skin.”
Vanessa Thomas, Cosmetic Chemist & Founder of Freelance Formulations
1. Cleanse Regularly
Cleansing should be one of the key steps of your skincare routine. A cleanser can help you get rid of extra oil, grease, and bacteria stuck on your face and body. Yet, your choice of cleanser will depend on the time of the year.
Once autumn/winter comes, you’d want to choose a more creamy and hydrating cleansing formula for your skin. However, when you transition towards spring/summer, it’s time to go for a lighter cleanser in the form of a gel or foam.
2. Remember to Hydrate
“Hydrate with water – half your body weight in ounces and good fats such as avocado, raw nuts such as pecans and almonds, raw oils such as olive or sesame keep the skin moist and diminish wrinkles from within. Sleeping 8 hours is a beauty secret!”
Renee Ascencio, CEO, Natural Healing Center
Drinking a few litres of water per day helps your body stay hydrated as well as makes your skin look healthier. However, if you wish to give your skin an extra hydration boost, you might want to consider serums.
When you’re shopping for a hydrating serum, look for such ingredients as ceramides and hyaluronic acid. They can become your number one skincare friends, especially during the colder months.
P.S. It’s better to apply serums before lotions and heavier creams.
3. Always Moisturise
Whether it’s a hot summer day or freezing winter morning, you need to moisturise your skin in both cases, but a little bit differently.
For spring and summer times, choose a gel-based or lightweight cream/lotion that won’t clog your pores and let your skin breathe.
When you jump into autumn and winter, you can switch to rich cream formulas that would protect your skin from cold temperatures and dry air.
4. Keep Your SPF Handy
If you want your skin to look young for as long as possible, you should use a cream with SPF every single day. You can even put a reminder to do so every time you go outside even if it’s a cold winter day.
“It’s important to remember that just because you can’t physically see the sun doesn’t mean it’s not there. Whether it’s hot or cold, sunny or cloudy, you should be wearing a moisturiser that contains SPF protection This ensures that your skin is protected no matter the weather.”
Adina Mahalli, Hair & Skincare Expert at Maple Holistics
Unfortunately, many people forget how critical to use sunscreen to protect the skin from ageing, wrinkles, and skin-related diseases. SPF moisturiser is seasonless, so stock up on yours and remember to reapply it every 2-3 hours if you don’t want to get those pesky wrinkles ahead of time.
5. Exfoliate
During colder seasons, your skin is more prone to dryness and needs to be moisturised better. That’s when exfoliation comes in handy. It helps you remove the top layer of dead skin cells and lets moisturisers work more effectively.
So, if you strive to have soft and silky “summer” skin in winter, take your time to choose the right exfoliator for your skin type.
6. Monitor Your Food Based Vitamin Intake
Each season offers a lot of different fruit and vegetables full of vital vitamins, and you should most definitely take advantage of that.
“Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, so it helps to combat free radicals. Vitamin E is important if you are exposed to UV rays because UV rays can reduce Vitamin E levels in the skin. Niacin or Vitamin B3 is also effective in protecting skin from sun damage. Another important vitamin for skin health is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an integral role in skin barrier function, moisture, and skin cell growth. Vitamin D has been shown to improve symptoms such as dry skin.”
Vanessa Thomas, Cosmetic Chemist & Founder of Freelance Formulations
“Vitamin D is very good for the skin. So, in the colder or shadier months of the year, having this vitamin is really beneficial as you are still getting those nutrients you would get from the sun. If you eat lighter meals in the summer and spring, Vitamin A is found in heartier meals, so perfect for when you need the nutrients but aren't having those roast dinners anymore.”
Dr.Giuseppe Aragona, General Practitioner & Family Doctor at Prescription Doctor M.D.
7. Sleep Well
There are tons of beauty products you can use to maintain your skin smooth and radiant. Yet, one of the best things you can do for it is to have sufficient sleep and avoid stress.
A healthy and balanced lifestyle should be your number one priority if you want to have a beautiful complexion and prevent premature signs of aging.
Final Words
Taking care of your skin is a year-round job that you should adjust accordingly. There are quite a few environmental factors that can affect your skin during the transition between seasons, and you have to account for them when creating your skincare routine.
In a nutshell, no matter the weather, always stick to these skin care tips: moisturise, exfoliate, and use sunscreen. Invest in quality products; your skin will thank you later. Also, do not forget to maintain a healthy diet, supply your body with vitamins, and have a good night’s sleep.
If you have severe skin problems or not sure what products to choose, always consult your dermatologist first.
