What effects does humidity—especially during the summer months—have on my skin?
Humidity, like during a rainy day (or season), is actually good for the skin. It simply helps to hydrate whatever it comes in contact with, therefore your skin. So normal humidity from moist weather superficially hydrates your skin (even in a dry climate like Colorado).
Humidity during the summer and in extremely humid locations (like Houston, TX for instance) can cause the oil glands to become more active. This makes oily skin oilier. Because humidity during the summertime can make us sweat more, this can translate to more breakouts.
When I was working in Dallas, I had many more clients with issues of what I’ll call humidity breakout than I do here in Colorado, where the air is very (very) dry. Keeping the skin clean and well-exfoliated, no matter where you live or what your skin type, is my best advice. How?
Humidity during the summer and in extremely humid locations (like Houston, TX for instance) can cause the oil glands to become more active. This makes oily skin oilier. Because humidity during the summertime can make us sweat more, this can translate to more breakouts.
When I was working in Dallas, I had many more clients with issues of what I’ll call humidity breakout than I do here in Colorado, where the air is very (very) dry. Keeping the skin clean and well-exfoliated, no matter where you live or what your skin type, is my best advice. How?
- Using a non-alkaline cleanser (daily, morning and night)
- A clay-based mask for deep cleansing (1-2 times weekly)
- And whatever your exfoliator of choice is to remove the dead cell buildup (which is hopefully Yonka’s Gommage!)
Scrubs (both for face and the body) are
excellent at gently removing dead skin and debris
off the surface of your skin. A scrub is a good exfoliation choice at any time and
especially if you’ve been out sweating on a hot summer’s day.
Don’t let sweat dry on your skin, or you may experience tiny bumps or irritations just beneath the surface of your skin—wherever you have been sweating, face and/or body. If you don’t have access to water or for whatever reason cannot rinse the sweat off your skin, do so as soon as you can. You really don’t want sweat to dry on your skin!
Treating skin that is affected by humidity isn’t that different from helping to clear breakout and problem skin caused by another reason. The main difference is you can always cut down on sugar or whatever may be causing a breakout diet-wise, but you can’t just pick up and move away from a humid environment that you might call home. Keeping your skin clean and well-exfoliated is always your best bet for healthy-looking skin.
For more information, see:
Treating skin that is affected by humidity isn’t that different from helping to clear breakout and problem skin caused by another reason. The main difference is you can always cut down on sugar or whatever may be causing a breakout diet-wise, but you can’t just pick up and move away from a humid environment that you might call home. Keeping your skin clean and well-exfoliated is always your best bet for healthy-looking skin.
For more information, see:
- What is a clay mask and why use one?
- What IS Gommage?
- Proper pH & your skin care products
- NO SWEAT: What happens when sweat dries on your skin?
