The drier and colder it is, the worst acne tends to get.
That’s because when temperatures plummet, so too does humidity – in cold weather we lose up to 25% of our skin’s moisture. As a result, our skin does two things: it becomes prone to hyperkeratinisation (where skin cells shed and stack up) and it overproduces sebum (the oil which the skin produces to keep it hydrated). The combination of stacked skin cells and more sebum means more blocked pores and we all know that more blocked pores equals more breakouts.
But I have oily skin, how can it be dehydrated you cry?
Oily skin produces more oil, it does not have more moisture – you can have oily and dehydrated skin at the same time.
So, what can you do?
Here’s our top five tips – stop using hot water, don’t over-use skin acids & avoid product formulations with high levels of alcohol or fragrances to prevent damage to the skin barrier (and irritation) which can increase water loss. Use products with moisture boosting ingredients such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, peptides & ceramides (such as our 28 Day Skin Repair Serum 😉). Finally (and most painfully) cut down on sugar, salt, caffeine and alcohol as these deplete the skins water content – 20% of our hydration comes from food. Instead drink more water, and top up with superfoods such as blueberries, fatty fish, watermelon, cucumber & bananas.
Next blog – finally why this cold weather is bad for my skin – and how colds, stress & Netflix (yes Netflix) influence your skins health.
