As the seasons change, we often prepare by trading our swimsuits for sweaters. However, preparing for a new season requires more than changing your wardrobe. You also need to practice habits that help your skin prepare for that season.
As summer turns to fall, the changing seasons can have a significant impact on your skin health. Extreme shifts in weather can worsen current skin conditions or make new ones arise. Although fall usually begins with mild temperatures that are ideal for spending time outdoors, cold weather is quick to follow. These changes usually lead to moisture loss in the skin.
So how can you enjoy fall and protect your skin at the same time? Here are seven fall skin care tips you can use to transition your skin care routine into a new season.
1. Dress for the weather
As the temperature drops, make sure you dress for the weather. Long-sleeved shirts, scarves, gloves, hats, and cowls can help protect your skin from harsh winds, cold air, and prolonged sun exposure. Sun-protective clothing blocks harmful UVB rays from your skin. Dark fabrics typically absorb more UVB rays than light colors. In addition, certain fabrics are better at blocking UVB rays, such as denim, nylon, and wool. If you enjoy outdoor sports and spend a lot of time exposed to the elements, make sure you pay attention to what kind of clothing and accessories you wear so you can protect your skin when you’re having fun.
2. Wear sunscreen
Sun damage and sunburn aren’t “summer-only” problems. It’s a concern that must be thought about daily for healthy skin. Damaging UVB rays can lead to premature aging, hyperpigmentation, and even skin cancer, so it is essential to protect your skin. Unfortunately, many sunscreens contain harmful chemicals like oxybenzone that can be absorbed by your skin and get into your bloodstream. When you’re outside, apply a zinc oxide-based sunscreen on your face and on exposed areas of the body before heading out, and reapply every two hours (more if you’re sweating heavily).
3. Moisturize your whole body
Keeping moisture in your skin is essential as the weather gets colder. In addition to moisturizing your face, make sure you take time to moisturize the rest of the skin on your body. Thin-skinned areas lose moisture faster, such as your hands, feet, and elbows.
Using products with a pH level over 5.5 can dry your skin out and make it prone to rashes, eruptions, and premature aging. Furthermore, moisturizers that contain artificial ingredients like parabens, fragrance, and petroleum by-products can irritate your skin. The Spa Dr. HYDRATE Body Moisturizer is pH-balanced and made with natural, nourishing ingredients such as apricot kernel oil, which provides protective moisture and has a calming effect on the skin. To really lock in moisture, apply after showering when your skin is damp. Then, massage HYDRATE into your skin.
4. Avoid hot showers and baths
After spending a day outdoors in the cold air, it’s tempting to take a hot shower to warm up. Unfortunately, dry, cold air aggravates skin issues such as eczema. A long, hot shower will not only dry out skin even more, but it can also cause cracks, discomfort, and redness. That doesn’t mean you need to take a cold shower on a cold day. Simply use warm water to bathe or turn down the heat a notch from what you usually prefer. You can also keep skin hydrated by using a cleansing body oil before in the shower.
5. Avoid drying soaps
Have you ever noticed that some soaps are more drying than others? If the skin on your face or body feels tight after bathing and cleansing, this is a clue that the pH level in your products is too high. Your skin has a typical pH of around 5.5. Using drying soaps strips the skin of moisture and its natural oils, leading to that tight feeling, skin irritability, dryness, and imbalance of your skin’s microbiome. Unfortunately, many soaps have high pH levels. Clean your skin with a natural cleanser made with organic non-comedogenic oils that soften and hydrate skin while bathing, such as The Spa Dr.® CLEAN Body Wash.
6. Use a humidifier
Your skin is your body’s first line of defense – and to do its job, it needs to be hydrated. In the fall and winter, artificial heat makes the air indoors very dry. At the same time, the outdoor air is also very dry. Switching between these two types of dry air can have a big impact on the hydration of your skin and aggravate conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Low moisture in the air dries out skin quickly – and there’s one tool that is truly underrated. That tool is a humidifier.
When you use a humidifier, you can actually improve your skin while you sleep, play with your kids, or while you work. A humidifier pushes moisture back into the air and helps your skin retain hydration to avoid dryness and itchiness. To prevent dry skin, room humidity of at least 60% is ideal.
7. Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water is a simple skin care solution for so many issues, including skin changes that might occur during the changing seasons. Skin is your body’s largest organ and it’s made up of mostly water – nearly 65%! Your skin without water will become dry and tight, which can dramatically increase the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.
Staying hydrated improves skin elasticity, helps your skin maintain pH balance and its plump and supple appearance, and reduces puffiness. Staying hydrated also improves the balance of oil and water on the surface of your skin. Plus, water flushes toxins out of your skin and your body. Adding electrolytes to your water can further improve balance in your body.
Making a conscious effort to make seasonal shifts in your skin care routine can have a big impact on your skin health. Use these fall skin care tips to make changes. Even when the weather turns dry, cold, and windy, you can protect your skin by taking simple steps that won’t take much time out of your day. In turn, your skin will stay radiant and glowing throughout the entire year
The Spa Dr. ® Approach
At The Spa Dr.®, our approach is to help shine the light on skin care information and offer our guidance to nurture your skin care journey. We believe we provide information that will help support your self-care and healing, and we want you to feel safe and cared for within our community.
The Spa Dr.® offers natural skin care products that are safe and free from chemicals and toxins that can harm your skin and health. Our products are formulated to contain key nutrients in their pure and active form in order to provide optimal results. In addition, our products are pH balanced towards mild acidity to promote and protect a healthy skin microbiome.
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