It’s time to speak skin now that fall is really here (yes, PSL). Autumn brings with it a decline in humidity and cooler (sweater!) weather, which leads to stale, dry air and even drier skin. “Combine this with dry heat from radiators, and you have a recipe for skin calamities like eczema and dry, itchy skin,” explains New York City dermatologist Shari Marchbein.
Having said that, PSL season is also an excellent opportunity to review your usual skin-care regimen. Additionally, it’s generally a good idea to approach skin care in the same way that you would your wardrobe: seasonally. According to Mona Gohara, a board-certified dermatologist in Connecticut, “your skin care should change as the seasons do.” “It’s minor tweaks that can make a major difference.”
Here are dermatologists’ top five suggestions for preventing freakouts connected to seasonal skin concerns so you may escape the itching fest.
Use a more potent moisturizer.
Bid farewell to the thin, oil-free moisturizer you’ve been using all summer long. Marchbein advises bulking up with a larger hydrator. Ceramides are the “essential and healthy fatty acids that occur naturally in the skin but need to be replenished during the colder months,” and she suggests a thick cream formulated with them.
As fellow board-certified dermatologist Sejal Shah of New York City previously told Allure, those ceramides are extremely important since they act as a support system for your skin barrier. “When the skin lacks ceramides, the barrier becomes compromised, resulting in dryness and irritation,” she had previously stated. Therefore, Marchbien cautions against the troublesome eczema that might result from reduced ceramides.
Gohara says that another excellent strategy to avoid skin dehydration is to incorporate an additional layer of hydration into your regimen. “As chill settles in, water heads out for a host of reasons,” she says. “You layer clothes as it gets colder; you should layer on hydration, too.” Her advice is to combine a thicker moisturizer with a serum or sheet mask containing hyaluronic acid in your skin-care regimen.
Blend in a body lotion.
According to Joshua Zeichner, head of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, the skin may become dry and itchy as the summer humidity disappears because there is less moisture in the air to keep the skin hydrated.
How can the itching be stopped the simplest? by drinking enough of water from head to toe. “Moisturizers provide a protective barrier over the skin, allowing it to retain hydration and draw in hydration to the outer skin layer,” according to him. We enjoy La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Body Cream and the Best of Beauty-winning H2O+ Beauty Milk Body Butter since they contain the same kind of ceramides as previously described.
Limit your exfoliation.
Retinoids and glycolic acid are examples of strong components that should be reduced in the winter months, according to Elizabeth Tanzi, an associate clinical professor in the dermatology department at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Whether you’re cold-weather or not, exfoliation is often a problematic topic because it’s quite simple to overdo it. Zeichner previously told us that “[over-exfoliation can] create tiny cracks in the skin barrier that lead to more loss of hydration and inflammation.”
Purchase a humidifier.
Another hazard to your skin barrier is the dry heat from your house, apartment, or place of business. According to board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman of New York City, “low humidity levels degrade the skin’s natural moisture barrier, which can lead to flaking, cracking, and peeling.”
Fortunately, Tanzi says you may use a humidifier to add your personal moisturizer to the air in your home to increase its moisture content. The Dyson Humidifer and Hey Dewy’s Portable Humidifier are two of our favorite skin-friendly humidifiers (perfect for desks, travel, and small apartments). For optimal results, turn it on as soon as the heat is turned on.
