Believe it or not, the weather can play games with the condition of your skin. When the sun decides to be generous and shines its best, your skin responds with fine lines and wrinkles. And when the weather decides to shift gear to cold fierce winds, your skin dries and cracks in response. Which is why skincare is so important.

Your skin is sensitive to the changing environment and I’m not only referring to the weather. Constant exposure to environmental pollution can make your skin inflamed and irritated.

Although you can’t control the weather or the pollution in the air, you are in control of how you can respond to your skin’s needs when it’s exposed to environmental factors that affect the skin. To help your skin handle the negative effects of the environment, you have to understand how each environmental factor affects your skin so that you know exactly what you can do to combat it.

Environmental Factor #1: Exposure to the Sun

Exposure to some early morning sunshine gives you a healthy dose of Vitamin D, but prolonged exposure leaves you at risk of the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most people neglect to apply sunscreen before leaving the house and this increases the risk of experiencing the negative effects of ultraviolet rays.

Exposing yourself to the rays of the sun, even on a cloudy day, can make you experience wrinkles on your face and have uneven skin tone. This is because the UV rays break down collagen that is responsible for keeping your skin elastic.

A simple solution to this is to apply sunscreen even if the weather looks dull and cloudy. This will keep the UV rays at bay.

Environmental Factor #2: Cold and Wind

Your skin is at its best when it is moisturized. But cold weather or exposure of your skin to harsh wind can strip your skin of moisture and leave your skin dry. When your skin is dry it can get irritated.

The best way to deal with the dryness and irritation that comes with the cold and wind is to hydrate your skin. Apply more moisturizer or a hydrating serum that contains hyaluronic acid when the weather is starting to get cold. Make sure that you also take plenty of water so that you also hydrate your skin from within.

Environmental Factor #3: Exposure to pollution

Dust, smoke and smog are a familiar sight in big cities and it’s inevitable.  They are also the cause of premature aging, inflammation and other skin conditions. Free radicals are generated from environmental pollution. This is because the pollution particles penetrate into the skin and break down the collagen and elastin that is responsible for giving you beautiful and healthy skin.

Because of this, it is advisable to double cleanse your skin in the night when your skin regenerates. Make use of skincare products that contain antioxidants that will help fight the free radicals created by environmental pollution. To take your skincare regime up a notch, you should make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants.

How do you protect your skin from the environment?