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When the seasons change, it can have significant impacts on our skin. Whether you’re in a climate of hot and dry, cold and dry, experiencing both extremes due to air-conditioning or high humidity, our skin can go through a range of changes that require extra care to be taken. In this episode, Jen shares what you need to look after your skin every season, including water intake, moisturising, spritzing, bathing, soaps and essential oils.

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SHOWNOTES

Last night we dropped to 10 degrees, which is freezing for us here on the Gold Coast, on the eastern seaboard of Australia. This seasonal change wreaks havoc with your skin.

Here’s a quick guide, but we’ll delve into each of these in more detail:

Dry cold (coming into winter) – Bathing and showering minimum and dry lips need extra protection
Dry heat (warming in air-conditioning in winter) and Air-Conditioning – Blood rushes to the face for cooling
Cool air-conditioning (cooling in summer) – Drink a lot of water and spritz
Humidity – This is the best condition for your skin; you age slower and won’t need much skincare in general

Water evaporates from the surface of our skin to help our body move heat. When we’re in a dryer environment, it’s far more dehydrating on our body. Many things can change this, including chemicals and diseases, but what we’re talking about today is that seasonal change.

Dry Cold

Frost and snow conditions for the skin mean moisture is very minimal on the surface. As body temperature is not having to be lowered, the sweat glands are not producing much sweat (moisture), and sebum (oil) is being produced at a reduced rate by your sebaceous glands.

The two combine to form the acid mantle (see Episode 47 and 48 on How to Have Great Skin for more on this), protecting the skin from bacteria and keeping moisture in.

Bathing and showering, especially in hot soapy water, should be kept to a minimum as it strips what little oil is produced. Oiling your body every day with a vegetable carrier oil mixed with essential oils will protect you from dryness and dehydration. I recommend avocado, macadamia and almond. Jojoba is also good for the face as it doesn’t clog your pores.

Dryness Protector

3 drops Sandalwood or Lavender
1/4 teaspoon Jojoba oil (Flaxseed if extremely dry)

Seal from the air and only mix small amounts – enough for a month at a time, as you are not using preservatives, and in that time, the seasons can change. Apply by spreading on to your fingers first and then patting on to your skin. OR 25ml Avocado Oil25ml Macadamia Oil2 drops Indian Sandalwood or Frankincense2 Drops French or Australian Lavender

If you’re too cold to do an oil rub after the shower, try bathing in the morning and adding oil and essential oils to the bathwater. This is especially good for those who feel the cold in the mornings.

Plenty of Omega 3 essential fatty acids and taking a daily tablespoon of flaxseed oil will help moisturise you from the inside.

Dry Lips

Your lips don’t have any oil glands, so extra protection is needed. Pure lanolin or Beeswax applied directly to your lips will put a stop to dry lips. I prefer Beeswax. Just the tip of your fingernail applied to your lips is enough.

When it comes to dehydration, it’s worse in cooler weather as we go for more hot drinks and don’t drink as much plain water.

Drinking hot water with lemon or herbal teas is a great way to increase your water intake and decrease caffeine drinks as this is one of the biggest causes of dehydration.

Dry Heat

In dry heat? Then drink, drink and…drink more water! Dry heat has the sweat glands producing a lot of moisture to be evaporated for cooling purposes, which must be replaced.

Spritzing is good to rehydrate the skin topically throughout the day. Remember, if you perspire, it must be replaced internally. Dry heat is normally combined with sun.

Air-conditioning – Heating

Red faces come out very easily in heated environments. Try to keep the thermostat down low and if climate conditions are not too extreme, sleep without heating on.

When we get too hot, blood rushes to the face for cooling, which can cause capillary damage, and this leads to red noses and cheeks. Jojoba oil will help protect from dryness and add essential oils that will assist the constriction of the blood capillaries.

If in an environment where it is hot, avoid stimulants like tea, coffee and alcohol as they increase the blood flow even more, risking further capillary damage. At home, use a humidifier to keep the air moist or a bowl of water in the room if you don’t have a humidifier. Adding essential oils to this can make it even better.

Air-conditioning – Cooling

Again, drink a lot of water and spritz if feeling particularly dry and cold. If evaporative cooling, dehydration is not a problem as it does not take the water out of the air. Refrigerated air-conditioning, however, sucks moisture from the air (and your skin). Jojoba on your skin will help stop dehydration and, once again, keep up your intake of essential fatty acids.

Humidity

With a high water content in the air, your skin will automatically stay soft and hydrated. You will not need much skincare in general. In extreme high humidity, I would avoid using all-over oil massage every day, even Jojoba, as this will hold the heat in.

If you want to apply an all-over oil blend, do it about 30 minutes after a shower to allow your body temperature to settle. Spritzing with essential oils is also good, and a cool aromatic showering works well. Clogged skin will find humidity cleansing, as do all skin types.

Very oily skin will need cleansing regularly but not with soap to ensure sebaceous glands don’t become blocked.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed Oil is a good source of Omega 3 and Omega 6 EFAs in an organic form to provide ingredients essential to cells bonding together. Take one tablespoon a day for flaking and dryness, internally and topically.

Alternatively, massage into your skin and essential oils can be added. Sandalwood is especially good for flaking. It also has a very high phytonutrient value.

Glycerine

Also known as glycerides which are fatty acid esters of glycerol. Glycerine is a colourless sweet viscous liquid formed as a by-product in soap manufacturing (better soaps have the glycerine kept in them).

Glycerine acts as a humectant, which means it draws in moistureeither from the air or deeper layers of the skin, making it unsuitable for long term use, as it will dry deeper layers of the skin, making skin dependent on it. It’s good for immediate relief of dryness or dehydration.

Hydration Mask

Use vegetable glycerine as a mask to restore moisture. Mix equal amounts of honey and glycerine, add two drops of sandalwood or frankincense essential oil and apply to your skin. Leave for 10 minutes (or longer as this mask will not ‘crack’ or dry out).

Do not use moisturisers that contain glycerine as they will draw out the moisture from the skin in the long term.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba Oil is a carrier oil for essential oils and an alternative to moisturisers. Jojoba oil supports collagen and elastin, holds moisture and is non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn’t form blackheads. Also, it should go without saying, be sure to hydrate your skin from the inside with water.

Healthy Life Hacks

So, the healthy life hacks I want to leave you with today is:

Determine what your skin like right now.
Come from a place of prevention

Are you looking for more great resources? Get a free copy of my Feed Your Body ebook here and be sure to explore my blog while you are there.

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