Our skin is changing all the time. When we feel stressed, we may see more blemishes. When we get a great deal of exercise and drink plenty of water, we may notice our skin is glowing. Another way it changes is with the seasons. We may not think about it as much, but our face has very different needs in winter, versus in summer. However, there are some exceptions. If you live in South Texas, you’re not going to experience four seasons the way people do in other places. However, the rest of us must figure out how to adjust our skincare routine in a way that gets us through both frigid winters and steamy summers.
Identify Your Skin Type
There are four basic skin types: normal, combination, dry, and oily. Your skin type can also change as you age, so don’t assume that the skin that was “normal” at age 25 will be the same at age 40. A normal skin type requires the least amount of maintenance and worry. It’s not over-sensitive to anything, and the pores are almost not visible. People with dry skin must contend with dry patches and less elasticity, while those with oily skin have to deal with a shiny face and oversized pores. If you have combination skin, you sometimes have the worst of both worlds, because part of your face can be normal, part of it can be oily, and another part of it can be dry.
There are a variety of online quizzes that can tell you what kind of skin you have. Once you get that figured out, you should buy products that match your skin type. If you determine that you have oily skin, look for an oily skin moisturizer that provides much needed moisture, without inciting a pimple explosion on your face. If you have dry skin, you won’t have to worry as much about pimples. However, you will need a dry skin moisturizer that treats your red patches. You may have to try a few different cleansers and moisturizers before you land on the perfect mix for you. Even then, you may have to change tactics once fall turns to winter and spring turns to summer.
Your Local Environment
The higher the elevation, the dryer the air. So, if you’re living in Denver, aka the Mile-High City, you may deal with some extreme dryness, especially in winter. A coastal city can help some with the moisture aspect, but living in coastal Maine is a very different experience than living on the coast of Georgia. Don’t let winter surprise either you or your skin this year. When you start pulling out your winter coats, scarves, and sweaters in October or November, take a few minutes to also pick out some products designed especially for winter skin. You may want to relax with a long, hot bubble bath after spending Christmas with your in-laws. However, that’s one of the worst things possible for your skin in winter. It’s also not a bad idea to consider getting a humidifier for your office and/or bedroom.
Also, when winter ends and you can see the ground again, it’s time to throw out the heavy winter creams you use in exchange for something lighter that works for the summer months. Don’t forget the sunscreen, either. While most of us only apply sunscreen in the warmer months, it should often be worn year-round. There’s something called incidental sun damage that you get just from quick trips outside during the day. Overtime, that damage can add up. Few things age us faster than sun damage, but aesthetic considerations aren’t the only reason to be careful. Skin cancer is fatal, and can strike with little warning. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gone tanning every summer since you were a teenager. At some point, your luck is going to run out. We all need exposure to sunlight to be healthy, but we don’t need to get it by tanning. If you want a bronzed look, get it from a bottle.
