Spending time outside helps keep us healthy and sane (!) but with it can come a few unexpected changes in our skin. As we move into Spring, with its longer and warmer days, you may want to keep in mind the following outdoor skin hacks as you venture al fresco…
The first thing that normally comes to mind when making outdoor plans is remembering to apply your favourite SPF 20 minutes before leaving the house. However, in this post I’d like to share with you some lesser-known but equally important skincare ingredients that can remedy some of the other exterior stressors our skin faces.
Windburn: Unpredictable weather can make us to lower our guard when it comes to protective gear. A combination of low temperatures and wind can cause havoc on the upper layers of our skin, leaving behind a trail of dehydrated, red and swollen patches, especially around the cheeks and nose.
Ingredients that can helps soothe and repair wind-chapped skin are:
Centipeda Cunninghamii Extract – A native Australian plant packed with sesquiterpene lactones, a compound with outstanding soothing properties known to provide quick and effective relief.
Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Extract – Famed for its high luteolin content, which comes handy for calming reactive skin.
Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract – Formulators often turn to this high-performance ingredient for its antioxidant abilities. However, recent studies have also shown how well it not only soothes irritated skin but can also help in cases of acne, thanks to its antimicrobial properties.
Burns: Socialising is (normally!) part of our culture and most of the time this involves sharing food. However, either because you’re out of practice or like me, you are just a bit clumsy, barbecues can often leave us with unexpected burns on our hands.
Traditional ingredients such as Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter or Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Extract can be great skin salves to treat superficial burns.
Pollution: Avoiding the great outdoors doesn’t save you from pollution, unfortunately, as there are quite a few indoors pollutants that can affect us also – Like mould, carbon monoxide and even lead particles. The good news is that there are some powerful natural antioxidants able to neutralise the negative effects of pollution such as Buddleja Davidii Extract and Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract.
It’s also important to pay attention to the way we cleanse as this can help to remove pollutants and diminish their effects on our skin. My advice is to use a mild cleanser, one that is delicate on your skin yet effective. A great option is to go for squalene-based cleansers, as they tend to give back to the skin some of its key components, thereby also minimising the damaging effects that the act of cleansing can have.
Sweating: Although, in general, sweating is good for the skin as it’s a natural process that helps eliminate impurities from the body, it can become problematic if it’s left to sit on the skin, as it carries the all grim accumulated in your pores (amongst other things). The key here is to cleanse your face before/after exercising or after strong perspiration to avoid any unpleasant skin reaction.
So, the next time you step outside your front door remember that nature has got you more than covered with these outdoor skin hacks.
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