This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.
How To: Keep Your Skin Clear as the Seasons Change
As winter slowly rolls into spring, the weather changes can damage your skin in the worst ways possible. The constantly fluctuating dew points can leave your skin dry and oily, leaving you confused whether to lather with lotion or constantly wash your face. But your skin’s biggest enemy is the emerging sun. Without sunscreen UV rays can negatively and permanently affect your skin, even if you don’t get burned. Caring for your skin is one of the most important things to look and feel your best during seasonal transitions and luckily, it’s pretty easy to do too.
- Wear Sunscreen: This is the number one rule for your whole body all year round. But sunscreen becomes especially important during the spring when your skin is still getting used to frequent sunlight. An SPF 15 is all you need, any higher is unnecessary unless you’re vacationing near the equator. Use an all day, non-comedogenic, lotion specifically geared for facial skin. Johnson and Johnson makes a great, light lotion called “Purpose,” as does Olay. Even if you’re skin is naturally oily, still moisturize every day, it will help even out your skin.
- Stay Hydrated: While it is not true that chocolate and French fries make your skin breakout, it is true that water keeps it clear. Water detoxifies our bodies to get rid of the bacteria that not only keeps our skin clear, but our bodies healthy as well.
- Choose Makeup Wisely: A lot of makeup today is made for skin types that can handle plenty of stress or heavy oils. Most college students’ skin is still in a vulnerable stage, so it’s important to choose your makeup wisely. Stay away from heavy concealers that are liquid-based. If the product contains too much oil, it will make skin greasy; on the other hand, if there is a lot of alcohol, the product will dry the skin out.
- Cleanse: Washing your face in the morning before you moisturize is important, but washing your face before bed is even better. Always remove all makeup with an oil-free makeup remover at the end of the day and finish with a quality soap or cleanser. Ivory or Dove is very light and will not dry out your skin. If you’d rather use a cleanser, stick to the most basic such as Cetaphil. Facial wipes are convenient for travel or mid-day, but never replace your daily cleanser with a wipe.
- Wash more than your face: The gadgets we use daily are covered with bacteria and oils from our fingers and face. Cell phones are the main culprits for blemishes on the side of foreheads and faces. At least once a week, wipe down your cellphone with alcohol to remove excess bacteria. Computer keyboards should also be disinfected. In addition, when you’re in an area with lots of people traffic (such as the gym, mall or computer lab), avoid touching your face until your hands are completely sanitized.