Each season brings varying levels of moisture, humidity and temperature, which can significantly impact your skin. During these transitions, your skin might grapple with increased oiliness or dryness. It’s important to consider whether adjusting your skincare routine is necessary to adapt to seasonal changes.

Should You Change Your Skin Care Seasonally?

The skin loves consistency. When the weather changes, it tries its best to adapt. A hot and humid climate can increase oil production, making your skin oilier than usual. The excess oil can block your pores and lead to acne breakouts.

Alternatively, cold winter weather can wreak havoc on your skin. Humidity drops inside and outside your home. Lighting the fireplace or taking hot showers removes moisture from the air, causing dry and irritated skin. You may also experience chapped lips as they struggle to retain moisture.

While every season doesn’t require significant changes, it’s ideal for adjusting your skincare routine based on your skin needs. This is especially true if you have sensitive skin, as some react even to the slightest change in temperature.

How to Make Skin Care Changes Every Season?

You may experience relatively warm weather throughout the year or both hot and cold climates, depending on where you live. As skin requirements change seasonally, what works for you in spring might not be suitable for summer. Here’s how you can protect your skin despite the weather:

Winter 

Keeping your skin healthy requires more than wearing gloves, hats and coats. Winter brings a lack of moisture, causing irritation and cracking of the skin. If you have eczema, you may experience more flare-ups.

Use a moisturizer with a rich formula that contains hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica or panthenol. These moisture-binding ingredients help keep your skin plump and hydrated. If you struggle with dull skin, a weekly exfoliation facial helps prevent dead skin cell accumulation, resulting in a brighter complexion. With limited sun exposure, your skin can heal quickly in winter.

However, just because there’s limited sunlight doesn’t mean you can skimp on SPF. UV rays exist regardless of the season. Use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapply as needed. Increase the rating to SPF 50 If you’re participating in winter sports.

Spring 

Expect to experience increased oil production as the weather slowly warms up. Oiliness can clog pores and cause acne. Use a gentle chemical exfoliant to prevent acne breakouts and achieve a brighter complexion. You can apply it twice or thrice a week, depending on your skin type.

Add vitamin C or any antioxidant-rich serum to your routine to protect your skin from free radicals that might cause wrinkles to appear early. Use a lightweight moisturizer every night and sunscreen with at least SPF 30 daily.

Summer 

Use a cleanser with gentle exfoliants to combat excess sebum production. If you have acne-prone skin, choose a product with low salicylic acid levels. For oily skin, use a water-based moisturizer. As the weather gets humid, use hydrating and light products to avoid clogging pores.

It’s the simplest way to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. In the U.S., 20% of people will develop skin cancer. Apply sunscreen from head to toe, especially when going to the beach, and reapply as needed.

Humid heat can add to the body’s thermal load, causing you to wake up more at night. If you experience this, you may also notice changes in your physical appearance. Getting less than seven hours of sleep daily can make your skin look dull. Avoid making the mistake of depending on skin care products alone, thinking they can compensate for inadequate sleep.

Autumn 

Changing your skincare seasonally entails making small changes in autumn. This season brings drier air and low humidity levels, which can cause dryness and irritation. Using a mild cleanser can help lessen the risk of irritation. Avoid hot showers as they can strip the skin of its protective barrier.

Add more hydrating ingredients to your routine, such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides. If you’re using retinol, moisturize your face daily to avoid dryness. Lastly, don’t forget to apply sunscreen and reapply if you have outdoor activities.

Achieve Healthy Skin in All Seasons

Weather changes require you to update not only your wardrobe but also your skin care regimen. Adjusting your skin care needs based on seasonal changes helps keep your skin glowing and healthy, no matter the season. 

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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.