4 ways the hot weather affects your skin

While we've all been crying for Winter to end its miserable reign (well, I have), we're not sure we were quite prepared for Summer to come storming in, actin' like it owns the place. Yes, we know it's still technically Spring but tell that to the last 28ºC day we had! 

We can admit that the hot weather might be hitting us a little harder this year because, for some of us, this is the first chance we've had all year to fully appreciate spending time outside. For instance, I went to a park for a picnic the other day and only lasted 2 hours because I could quite literally feel the skin melting off my face. What a lovely visual for your reading. You're welcome.

Anyway the point is, hot weather will wreck havoc on your skin, just like cold weather does, albeit a little differently. While you're sunnin' it up at the beach covertly checkin' out the fittest guy you've ever seen to your left, your skin is probably begging you to lather on some damn sunscreen (and rightly so, c'mon girl). Or, you might have chosen to stand right in front of the AC so you can try to bring your body temperature down to a respectable level in order to stop yourself from bursting into flames, however your skin is trying to tell you to sit the f**k down before it dehydrates. 

Whatever the situation may be, we're in the know (being the extremely knowledgable skin sisters that we are) about how Summer is gonna affect your skin and we might even give you some tips on how to avoid it. If you're lucky*.

*something tells us you're gonna be lucky. 

1. heat pumps up oil 

"Pump it up, you got to pump it up. Don't you know? Pump it up, you got to pump it up" - your skin, probably (also a great song to exercise to but I digress). 

Tbh, it's unclear whether or not the heat increases your skin's oil production or if the sweltering humidity just makes it look like you just stuck your face into a vat of melted butter (either way, love that for us). 

Regardless, hot weather heats up the oil on your face, making it all liquid-y and visible for the world to see. Unfortunately there's nothing much you can do to help fight this other than staying inside (yeah right, after the year we've had?!) or trying to keep your face as cool as possible. 

Try blotting the excess oil off your face so as not to clog your pores, however we all know clogged pores inevitably happen so a gentle face exfoliant will come in very handy to help you get rid of the grime and oil build-up. 

2. dry, stale air is not your friend 

With the change from cold to hot weather comes the change from wet, moisture-filled air to dry, stale air that not only makes it harder to breathe (anyone else feel that way!?) but dehydrates your skin 'til it resembles a dull, flakey mess. 

All this excess gunk on your face will inevitably clog your pores and prevent any of the good stuff you're applying to it (moisturisers, serums etc) from actually doin' its thang. 

This is also where a good but gentle exfoliator comes in to make sure your skin is as clean and prepped as it can be, ready to absorb all of the nutrients and antioxidants it needs in order to look healthy and glowin'. 

3. wrinkles, come on down 

You know what goes perfectly with hot, stale and dry air? A side order of wrinkles. 

Yep, that's right. Hot weather and wrinkles go together like Scooby Doo & Shaggy, a movie and popcorn, and an episode of friends and a glass of wine. 

When your skin is dry, your wrinkles are more likely to be poppin' (and not in a cute way). The trick is to keep your skin at an even, normal room temperature so if you have a humidifier then use it. Your task is to keep your skin as hydrated as possible. This also means that you really shouldn't be blasting your AC even if it does feel like you've descended through the Earth's core into hell. 

If you want to try to combat this, try wearing your regular face cream throughout the day to keep your skin fresh and moisturised. Spritzing your skin with a face mist every now and then wouldn't hurt either. 

4. slip, slop, slap folks 

As much as we all love the sun and usually can't wait for it to show its smiley, little face every year, we also all know that exposure to the sun means sun damage to your skin. Like honestly, who came up with that idea. 

Not only can the sun cause skin cancer but it can also cause dark spots and wrinkles whilst also leaving your skin lookin' like leather (it's a no from us). 

This means anytime there's daylight, you need to put on sunscreen, and we really do mean anytime. Yes, even in Winter. The sun is a tricky gal and can reflect off of the sand, water, snow or even light-coloured buildings so it's always better to be prepared then to be burnt. Perhaps even carry a small tube of sunscreen in your bag so you can reapply throughout the day? What a great idea.