Have you ever wondered whether skincare is “seasonal?”
As the seasons change, many people feel that their skincare routine needs to change as well. During summertime, we can all agree that the most important skin care step in sunblock, but is that something solely used in summer? As the clouds roll in and the temperatures drop -- what needs to change? To answer these questions, let’s dive into some common myths when it comes to transitioning to winter skincare.
Myth # 1 No sun means no sunblock
Sorry, honey boo boo. That’s not true at all! While many people believe that as the clouds roll in the need for sunblock goes away, that is not the case. Sunblock should be applied all year round!
As a kid, did you ever hold a magnifying glass over a leaf under direct sunlight, and after a few minutes see it cause something to burn? It’s the same logic for our skin. When it’s cloudy, it’s even more dangerous, because the clouds contain moisture and those moisture drops work like a magnifying glass with sunlight causing our skin to actually burn faster. That's why it's important to wear sunscreen and check the UV levels before spending a day outside.
Myth # 2 Winter skin is always more dry
If you’re like me, it feels like Winter sucks all the moisture out of me and I go through a Costco pack of lip chap in a week. That being said, this myth is only half true. The reason many people experience dry skin during the winter is not because your skin actually changes, but external factors that come with colder temperatures.
For example, people tend to run the heater more often, and the heat combined with dry air from the heater dries out your skin quicker.. A humidifier can be a great solution for this problem as well as maybe applying a bit more of your favorite moisturizer before bed for your skin to absorb.
Myth # 3 You need more products in the winter
Many companies will sell you on this idea that come winter it’s time to stock up on every serum and moisturizer under the sun! However, oftentimes what you need is just more water.
During summer our body temperature is higher and we are thirsty more often, which helps signal to our body to hydrate with water. Statistically, people drink less water in the winter time, which can gravely affect your skin. So before you buy more products you might not need, save the money for extra Christmas gifts, because chances are you just need to increase your water intake!