Seasonal changes can be a nightmare for your skin and hair. Spring, summer, autumn and winter each have a distinct range of temperature and humidity, and these changes have an impact on your skin.
We usually look forward to the change of the seasons, but the time from winter to spring right through to summer can be particularly hard on your beauty regimen.
For instance, if you battle with breakouts, you could notice your skin is feeling tighter or dryer than usual. Your hair may be affected by the rising humidity. More frizz and manageability issues can arise.
Even though we have no control over these transitional periods, there are several things we can do to mitigate any negative effects it can have on our skin and hair.
Why does changing seasons affect our skin?
Think of your skin as a creature of habit – it loves routine. When its environment changes, it has to work harder to maintain moisture and has to adjust to new conditions.
As a result, your hydration levels may decrease, your barrier function may be damaged, and you may become more prone to inflammation. Your skin needs to adjust to the warmer temperatures and increased humidity levels as we move from winter to spring. As more oil is trapped on the skin’s surface, this can frequently cause the skin to feel greasy, which in turn can lead to more breakouts and clogged pores.
How can we counteract these effects?
To keep skin healthy, happy and blemish-free, it’s important to control excess sebum and exfoliate regularly. The two best ingredients to achieve this are glycolic acid and salicylic acid.
Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic acid help to break up the bonds that connect skin cells in the epidermis, encouraging exfoliation and skin cell turnover. It works well to treat acne and outbreaks, lessen fine lines and wrinkles, get rid of dead skin cells and even out skin tone.
Salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA), helps to cleanse and unclog pores while exfoliating the skin. It helps lessen the redness and swelling of inflammatory regions and is frequently used to treat acne, outbreaks and blackheads. Additionally, it aids in softer and easier shedding of dry skin.
Why does changing seasons affect our hair?
Humidity has a significant impact on the texture and manageability of our hair. The higher the humidity, the more likely it is to be frizzy. The bonds in our hair are known as “hydrogen bonds”. These bonds are weak and can be broken by water and then re-established when dried (this is why we can set our hair into different styles with styling tools).
Water in the atmosphere (aka humidity) also breaks these bonds, causing them to reset, which is why you’re likely to have kinks and frizz throughout the day. Even if your hair feels drier due to exposure to warmer weather, your hair and scalp may appear greasier as the warmer weather sets in. It is critical to remember that not everyone will experience the same changes when the new season sets in.
How can we counteract these effects?
Your hair care regime for the transitional season is twofold: you need to pay attention to your scalp as well as to your hair.
For oily hair, use a gentle shampoo that effectively removes grease without drying out your scalp or stripping your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Wash your hair frequently.
A creamy shampoo that adds moisture to your hair and scalp, infused with castor oil, shea butter and vitamin B5, is recommended for dry hair.
Regardless of your hair issues, taking care of your scalp is crucial. If your hair becomes dry or itchy, it is recommended that you use some moisturising oils to help protect dry and damaged hair from breaking and to help stimulate healthy hair development on your scalp. Additionally, it conditions the scalp to promote strong hair development.