how the seasons affect the skin

how the seasons affect the skin

Did you know that your skin changes along with the seasons? Shifts in temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors can all have a big impact on how your skin looks, feels, reacts, you name it. As if we needed another reason to keep track of our skin, right? Well, here’s how each of the four seasons can impact your skin — and what to do about it!

wow-worthy winter skin

As the temperatures start to cool — okay, really, as the whipping winds and freezing temperatures really kick in — our skin can unfortunately take a beating. The cool, dry air and windy winter conditions can leave skin feeling dry, inflamed, sensitive, and irritated. It’s important to combat the winter chill with thicker, richer moisturizers and super-hydrating serums to help defend against these aggressors and bring added nourishment to the skin.

Look for a super-concentrated serum that helps calm, restore and defend sensitized skin, like UltraCalming Serum Concentrate. Meanwhile, opting for heavier moisturizers in the winter, like Super Rich Repair, gives an extra layer of protection against the winter conditions and preserves the skin’s moisture content with Shea Butter, Oil of Evening Primrose and antioxidants. And all of this means no more whipping winter chill bothering you during this time of year!

say hey to spring fever

Springtime is such a beautiful time of year. Flowers blooming, birds chirping, weather warming … what could go wrong?! Well, when it comes to the environmental irritants you may come across (hello, pollen!), sadly, a lot. Your skin may already be dull and dry from winter weather, and these irritants definitely don’t help matters. Allergies already are no fun for your sinuses, and it turns out they aren’t fun for your skin, either. During allergy season, the medications you may take for flare-ups can dry out your skin, leading to flaky patches or some fine dehydration lines.

Luckily, it’s easy enough to combat this with soothing products that help support the skin’s moisture barrier. Add a brightening serum, like BioLumin-C Serum, and a gentle exfoliant, like Hydro Masque Exfoliant, to brighten dull winter skin. You can also try Smart Response Serum, which contains Oligosaccharides from hydrolyzed Beta Glucan to respond to dehydration signals, helping skin to maintain optimal hydration levels.

have fun in the summer sun

There’s really just nothing quite like the feeling of warm summer sun on the skin. It’s the time of year when you just want to frolic on the beach or enjoy outdoor happy hours with your friends. And while that’s all well and good, it’s also the time of year when UV exposure is at an all-time high. This exposure equals damaged, dehydrated skin, thanks to (or actually no thanks to) photodamage from the sun’s harmful UV rays. The humidity of the summer months can also lead to oily skin and clogged pores, especially if you’re not using the right moisturizer (AKA you’re piling a thick moisturizer on, well, thicker).

Be sure to apply sunscreen Every. Single. Day. (This is just good, common sense year round, but even more imperative in the summer.) Look for one with at least SPF 30, like Prisma Protect SPF 30 or Oil Free Matte SPF 30. A lighter, oil-free moisturizer, like Cooling Aqua Jelly, has a weightless, water-like texture that gives you a dewy glow.

fall into a new skincare routine

As summer winds down and you start crunching through the colorful fall leaves, you may notice that your skin starts to appear dull. The cooling temperatures can leave skin looking and feeling dehydrated, especially since it’s time to switch out some skincare products in your arsenal!

The appearance of sun damage — like fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots — can be a little more than striking after those fun summer months at the pool. Resurface that away with an exfoliant like MultiVitamin Thermafoliant, which combines chemical and physical exfoliants to refine skin texture, enhance vitamin delivery and polish off dulling skin cells to reveal smoother, fresher skin. Add brightening products into your fall skincare routine, like AGE Bright Clearing Serum, to help prevent breakouts while reducing visible skin aging.

As you traverse your path throughout the year, be sure to pay attention to what your skin is telling you. Is it sensitive? Inflamed? Dehydrated? Dull? The different signals it’s giving you will help you determine a course of action, no matter what time of year it is. And now, it’s time to enjoy the seasons ahead!