Soggy Skies: How Humid Weather Affects Your Skin

It’s that time of year again, folks: the humid season. That season when your hair poufs up the second you step outside, and you have to change your clothes if you take so much as a step onto the porch to water a plant because you’re instantly sweating. Fun times.

Have you ever wondered what all that humidity does to your skin? If you haven’t before, you probably are now, so don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it.

How Humidity Affects Your Skin

The air affects our skin in any season of the year. While most people notice that their skin gets dry in the winter, the summer’s humidity also impacts your skin in several ways.

More Sweating

This one is easy to notice, but when it’s hot outside, you have more sweat on your skin. The problem is that normally, sweat evaporates off your skin quickly because the air is so much drier and the moisture is trying to get to a less crowded locale (I feel you, molecules). When it’s humid, though, the difference between the moisture on your skin and the moisture in the air is much smaller, so the sweat doesn’t evaporate as well. With sweat staying on your skin longer, it's more likely to clog your pores. If you’ve noticed that you get more pimples during the summer, this is part of the reason why.

Increased Skin Condition Symptoms

If you have a chronic skin condition like eczema or rosacea, you’re accustomed to ups and downs with your skin’s symptoms. As the air gets more humid, prepare yourself, because the humidity causes many conditions’ symptoms to get worse. Of course, this will vary from person to person. For most of these conditions, each person’s skin has its own triggers that set intensify the symptoms.

More Open Pores

Remember when I said that increased sweating is part of the reason that many of us have more acne breakouts in the summer? Well, here’s the other part of the reason: increased pore size. The heat and moisture in the air tend to make your pores open wider throughout the day, which makes it easier for debris to get into them and cause clogs.

Tips for Better Skin Care in Humid Weather

Now that we’ve covered all the nasty ways humidity can impact your skin, let’s take a look on the bright side and make a to-do list of ways to keep your skin under control this summer. Start with these essential tips.

Get Into a Clean Habit

Listen, I know it’s difficult to take the time to wash your face twice every day when you’re busy with so many other things. If there’s a time when you want to make that a priority, though, it’s now. Because you’re so much more prone to clogged pores when it’s humid, cleanse your face twice daily to keep blockages to a minimum. Top it off by using a deep pore cleansing mask on a regular basis too.

Choose the Right Cleanser

Speaking of cleansing your skin, now is also the time to take a hard look at your cleanser and see if it has the power you need to handle summertime clogs. Namely, use a cleanser with alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and/or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) like the Foreo Micro Foam Cleanser . Those acids work wonders toward breaking up clogs within your pores.

Exfoliate Regularly

Another vital way to keep your pores clog-free in this most acne-prone of seasons is to exfoliate regularly. Your skin is constantly shedding dead skin cells, and when those dead skin cells fall into your pores, they can create blockages.

Using an exfoliant on a regular basis (generally twice per week) allows you to get rid of dead skin cells before they have a chance to get into your pores. By the way, this isn’t just true for your facial skin. You want to exfoliate your body routinely too using a body scrub.

Be Gentle

Inflammation and irritation are common during the humid season, especially if you already have an inflammatory skin condition like eczema. To keep irritation to a minimum, make sure you’re using products that are designed for sensitive skin this season.

Go Easy on the Oils

During this high-humidity summer, one of the best ways to keep your pores from clogging is to reduce the oils you’re using on your skin. Opt for water-based products instead of oil-based products if possible. Sunscreen is a common culprit of oily skin, for example, so choose an oil-free sunscreen .

Getting Your Best Summer Skin This Season

The humid weather can present challenges, but it doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to feeling disappointed by your skin this summer. Take back your power and use the tips above to minimize breakouts and help your skin to be its smooth, fresh, glorious self all summer long.