How Weather Affects Skin: Climate and Skin Care

Take a look at the weather where you are. We’re kind of in that awkward transitional period where it’s no longer officially summer, but not quite fall. If you wear a jacket to work, you’re fine in the morning, roasting in the afternoon, and back to normal in the evening. Kinda ridiculous, right?

There doesn’t seem to be an end to people wanting to discuss the power of a good transitional clothing piece. The link between fashion and weather is obvious, but we don’t often hear much chatter about how weather affects skin. Our skin reacts to our environment even if we don’t see a reaction on the surface. This means that your skin care routine can (and should!) depend on the climate you live in. Here’s how weather affects skin, and what to keep in mind about the weather where you are.

If You Live in a Warm, Humid Climate

If you’re living in a climate with high temperatures and high levels of humidity, some people would consider you lucky! Maybe the seasons don’t change where you are; you’re living in an endless summer. We certainly are here at Sebamed headquarters. This is what you need to know if you’re dealing with warm weather and humidity on a daily basis.

The Climate and Your Skin

Warm, humid weather is generally gentle on the skin. Skin barrier function is usually normal, and the hydrolipid barrier can easily maintain its structure. Yet, high temperatures often cause a lot of sweating, especially if you’re out enjoying the heat. High temperatures can also cause excess sebum production on the skin. This means that more people in humid, warm climates would say that they have oily skin.

Cool it with the AC

We all know that air conditioning is one of life’s greatest gifts when it’s hot out.

However, your skin doesn’t feel the same. You might not consider blasting AC to be a kind of weather, but it is! And, it can affect your skin just how weather affects skin. With all that recycled air flowing, constant AC can create a dry indoor environment. Your skin is thus more likely to dry out, as though you were living in a colder, more dry climate. You might not see this effect as much if you’re young. But, keep in mind that you’re more prone to dry skin when you’re older. If the AC is blasting in your home or your office, we recommend stocking up on moisturizer!

What Should You Use?

As always, your routine depends on your skin type. Many people who live in warm, humid areas have oily skin or normal skin. Combination skin is pretty common as well! As long as the oil content in each product is low, all three skin types can benefit from the following Sebamed rockstars.

Sebamed Liquid Face and Body Wash

First off, you need a good cleanser. Our Liquid Face and Body Wash is a great option for both oily skin and normal skin. Its pH level matches that of healthy skin, so it works to strengthen skin barrier function with each use. Some of us who have oily skin feel the need to wash our faces frequently. Liquid Face and Body Wash is incredibly gentle, so it’s heads and shoulders above the rest for frequent cleansing.

If solid cleanser is more your thing, fear not! Our Cleansing Bar is also a favorite for those with acne-prone skin. It’s nearly identical to our Liquid Face and Body Wash, and it comes down to preference. Whether you prefer liquid or solid, we won’t judge!

Sebamed Moisturizing Body Lotion

Just because you live in a warm, humid environment doesn’t mean you can forget about moisturizing.

Your skin loves hydration! That’s the case no matter where you live. Moisturizing your skin is an essential step in taking care of it. A good moisturizer acts as a protective layer, keeping the good stuff (like hydration) in, and the bad stuff (environmental irritants) out. Our Moisturizing Body Lotion is a great option for both normal and oily skin. Its thin formula isn’t greasy, but it still packs a hydrating punch!

Sebamed Moisturizing Face Cream

Here’s where it gets a little different. Someone with oily skin may not want to use a full-blown moisturizer on their face in fear of aggravating their breakouts. Those with normal skin would be more partial to a light face cream that won’t leave behind any residue. Enter our Moisturizing Face Cream. It deeply hydrates the skin on the face, won’t clog pores, and works beautifully as a makeup primer. Plus, it absorbs quickly and strengthens the skin barrier.

Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel

Although Moisturizing Face Cream is light and airy, those of us with breakouts may prefer something that can help with acne. Our Clear Face Care Gel is the perfect choice! Gel moisturizers are generally lighter on the skin, so they hydrate without feeling heavy. Clear Face Care Gel helps fight breakouts and smooth the skin. By giving your skin barrier the boost it needs, Care Gel also gives your skin natural protection against acne-causing bacteria.
If You Live in a Dry, Cold Climate

Cold temperatures and dry air typically go hand in hand, especially in the winter time. While colder temps are still on the horizon, it’s best to be prepared before they hit! Here’s what you need to know about living in a dry, cold area.

The Climate and Your Skin

Dry air usually means dry skin. As temperatures decrease, so does your skin’s oil. Cold air actually goes as far as to deplete your skin’s moisture content. Lower hydration levels mean dryness, and dryness means dead skin cells piling up on the surface of the skin.

Yes, it’s a little gross to think about, but dry, cold air causes build-up on the skin, but not in the way you would think. All these dead skin cells on the skin’s surface can act as a barrier between your skin and the environment. While you may think it’s better this way, let us be the first to say it’s not. They pretty much keep your products from penetrating the skin, so the good stuff can’t get in.

The best way to beat this? Heal your dry skin. Stopping dryness in its tracks can help lessen the dead skin cell-build-up on the skin’s surface. We recommend using a good moisturizer daily and a good exfoliator weekly.

Consider Wind Chill

Without getting too far into it, wind chill is the temperature it feels like outside, and is based on the rate that heat is lost from exposed skin. More wind means that the skin cools faster, and consequently, it feels colder outside.

If the wind chill is high where you are, consider using a thicker moisturizer on those days. We suggest using emollient formulas that lock hydration into the skin. Trust us, your skin will thank you later.

What Should You Use?

Dry air and cold temperatures are pretty much a recipe for dry skin. We suggest using products that stop the dryness before it starts. Emollient products are also suitable for cold, dry climates. In areas of extreme cold, you may even need to take it a step further.

You probably don’t live in the tundra, and if you do, more power to you! But, if you did, you might opt for water-free skin care products. These products are formulated to protect against the cold. If you’re in somewhere slightly more temperate, we suggest using our Anti-Dry line.

Sebamed Anti-Dry Wash Emulsion

The first step to reinvigorating dehydrated skin is to use a hydrating cleanser. Our Anti-Dry Wash Emulsion provides reliable protection against dry skin symptoms, including itching, flaking, and dry patches. It also works to prevent loss of lipids in the skin. When your skin doesn’t have adequate lipid levels, your risk of irritation skyrockets. So, Wash Emulsion not only stops dryness in its tracks, but also helps rebuild your skin barrier from the ground up. Plus, you can use it on both your body and your face. All the better to keep your skin moisturized!

You might be thinking, “Hey, what’s wrong with my regular cleanser? It cleans my skin just fine!” And yes, it might, but we’re pretty sure it doesn’t give your skin the hydration it needs during the colder months. In fact, more than likely it strips away the skin’s protective layer. Most cleansers on the market are not pH-balanced, and do more harm than good to the skin. Show your skin barrier some love with a pH-balanced, mild, hydrating cleanser. Both you and your skin will better survive the cold!

Sebamed Anti-Dry Hydrating Body Lotion

When you’re using a hydrating cleanser, you may think that’s enough and that you’re free to skip moisturizing after you get out of the shower. Though it would be convenient, that is not the case, especially when you consider how weather affects skin.

Using a lotion like our Anti-Dry Hydrating Body Lotion helps lock in the hydration that your cleanser worked to restore. It contains a moisturizing complex that moisturizes, soothes, and smoothes the skin. It also absorbs quickly into the skin and won’t leave behind a greasy residue. In fact, in a three-week dermatological test, Anti-Dry Hydrating Body Lotion improved the skin’s moisture content by up to 26% despite intermittent washing. We suggest keeping a bottle on hand if you find yourself washing your hands often throughout the day.

Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream

Raise your hand if you’ve been searching for a face cream that keeps your skin feeling hydrated and smooth allllll day long. Yep, us too. Our Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream is full of nourishing ingredients that won’t leave your skin high and dry. It applies easily over the skin, and it won’t leave any sticky traces.

Sebamed Anti-Dry Night Intensive Cream

When you live in an environment that cause your skin to need a little extra hydration, you may need a different moisturizer for night. Your skin undergoes a restorative process as you sleep, and the right skin care can help this process along. Think about it. Whatever you put on your skin at night will stay on your skin til morning.

You won’t be sweating it off, washing it off, or removing it until you wake up. This gives the products plenty of time to do their duty. That’s why we love our Anti-Dry Night Intensive Cream. It deeply soothes your skin, counteracting any dryness that may have sprouted during the day. It also helps restore your skin barrier as you sleep. Your skin will be ready to face the next morning, no pun intended!

No matter how weather affects skin, Sebamed’s skin care has you covered. Our wide range of cleansers, moisturizers, and hair care products are suitable for all skin types and all types of weather. Each product is pH-balanced, dermatologist-tested, and trusted by skin care lovers around the world. Check out our complete product lineup here.

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