Climate-Shifting Skin Care Tips

As the weather changes with each season, so must we adapt to it. The food we eat, clothes we wear and even our skin care routine are all affected by the forecast. Usually we have a bit of a buffer, commonly known under the aliases “fall” and “spring”, to prepare for the harsher seasons. There are though, of course, the occasions when the climate change is so radical (don’t worry, this isn’t a political post) that there is very little time to prepare. 

That’s the situation I find myself in today with a cross-country flight just a few short days away. For those unaware, it’s been an unusually warm winter in Arizona. It’s currently 72 degrees and we hit 80 a few weeks ago. So when I looked at a weekend forecast for Boston earlier this afternoon I damn near had a heart attack. A low of 18 degrees…CAN HUMANS EVEN SURVIVE THAT!?!? After reassurance from a few East Coast-based friends that humans can, in fact, survive those conditions (and after digging my warmest winter coat out of storage), I began wondering how my skin will react and what I can do to prepare it for the sudden winter blast.

The main thing I found is that my moisturizer will need to change. Living in Arizona (even in the winter) my focus has always been on lighter, SPF-rich moisturizers, and I often prefer serums over creams. So I’ve scrapped the serum and have been prepping my skin with a thicker, deeper penetrating product. I have also been more diligent in how often I reapply it as well. (Fortunately, I work in an environment where it’s more commonplace than odd to witness a mid-day moisturizing.) I’ve also packed an exfoliating cleanser knowing the cold temps and harsh winds will only further dry out my skin.

And I will of course be following Samantha’s tips for air travel and steering clear of any soda or salt offered on board the aircraft.

What say you, fellow InWithSkin-ers? Any skin care tips and tricks for cross-country, climate-shifting travel? Leave them in the comment section below!

Written by Micah Gould, a mildly obsessed Arizona Cardinals fan whose current aspiration is to live in accordance with the “Swanson Pyramid of Greatness.” Follow his journey toward male skin care enlightenment, which he promises will be more successful than a typical Cards season.