Six ways to help your skin adjust to a new season.

This morning I wiped at least six skin flakes off my face. Elsewhere my hands have lost that luxurious, soft feeling, my legs are verging on scaly and don’t get me started on my feet. While the rise in temperature is a welcome change, transitioning between seasons often means problems for my skin – dry, flaky skin being the biggest culprit.

Luckily, seasonal skin changes don’t have to mean a whole new range of products or a whole new routine. Like fashion, a savvy skin-lover is all about the basics and trans-seasonal pieces that serve all year round, with small changes or additions to specific problems as they arise. More importantly, they don’t have to cost you the world, or lock you into any timely commitments.

We’ve got some simple tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of your skin.

Start with the basics.

It’s all about choosing the right products and adding in extras when necessary. Start with a body-wash that is moisturising, light in texture and leaves skin feeling hydrated and supple every day. Opt for soap-free options to leave your skin feeling soft, and free of that tight feeling. By starting with a solid basic, your skin-care routine instantly becomes a no-brainer.

By building a solid foundation of every day products, you can make sure that your skin is never too close to the brink no matter the season. From here it’s all about making small adjustments.

Drier in winter? Add some oils in at bath time.

Skin feeling the need to breathe in summer? A non-greasy, lightweight lotion is your go to.

Step one: adjust products as necessary. Go for lighter foundations in summer to let your skin breathe. Image: iStock.

Turn down the heat.

Some days there’s nothing better than turning up the heat and enjoying a long, hot steaming shower. Unfortunately, while you might love it, your skin definitely isn’t. Combined with a harsh soap it’s safe to say that you aren’t doing your skin any favours.

An easy solution? Turning the shower heat down just a little, and opting for a soap-free, and gentle cleanser.

It doesn’t end there, while heaters may at times may seem like your only option for survival in the colder months, be mindful of the time you spend in front of them. The same goes for air conditioning. While we often have little control of the office air con (why is it always freezing in winter?), it’s important to keep mindful about the skin-deep issues they may be responsible for.

Excess heat from the shower, heaters and air conditioning is ridding your skin of its precious moisture and hydration.

Avoid a heavy hand.

We often think (and treat) our skin as a strong piece of armour. It’s our first line of defence against the elements and point of contact with the world. In reality, it’s delicate and needs to be treated gently.

Shaving, harsh soaps and using an unnecessarily heavy moisturiser are doing a lot more damage than you may be giving them credit for. Be careful with your skin and it will go the distance.

"Be careful with your skin and it will go the distance." Image: IStock.

Drink up.

While it may be obvious, drinking enough water and keeping hydrated is a sure fire way to keep your skin looking its best throughout the year. While in these warmer months it may come easy, be sure to make sure this healthy habit doesn’t fall to the wayside when the temperature dips.

Not drinking enough water can leave your skin looking dull, dry, dehydrated and wrinkles more pronounced. In fact, in her book The Longevity Book, Cameron Diaz credits drinking two litres of water everyday as one of her top anti-ageing tips.

Take it all off.

Of course what you’re putting on your skin everyday also affects how it looks and feels. While sun protection is crucial, not washing it off properly at the end of the day can cause a build-up of product on the skin. Not removing makeup properly can do the same, resulting in skin that’s less sparkly than it could be.

Brush your teeth morning and night and wash your face morning and night. Easy peasy. Image: iStock.

TLC always.

The same goes for those lapses in taking care of your skin. We all do it (yes, I’m guilty of this too!), but it’s important to remember that your skin is always going to look and feel better when you’re doing consistently good things for it, rather than look for a quick fix when the effects finally appear or become too bad to ignore.

So remember changes in our skin is not just what we do to it when we wash our faces in the morning - it’s what we eat, drink, put it on and of course where we go and the conditions we expose it to. And with only one lot, it’s worth taking care of.

How does your skincare routine change with the seasons?