As summer draws to an end, dermatologists rejoice. Finally, the season of excessive sun exposure and the damage that it causes is finally in the rear-view mirror.
But cooler weather, while it brings the joys of breaking out fall sweaters, savoring fresh apples and enjoying splendid autumn colors, also brings new challenges for your outer beauty. Cold, windy weather dries your skin and makes it itchy.
Constantly changing temperature from going into and leaving heated buildings can leave skin rough and unpleasant feeling. Sweaters can be scratchy and even provoke allergic reactions. And cooler weather can mean fewer opportunities for exercise, which can leave you feeling out of shape and low on energy.
But the approach of fall and winter don’t have to mean your beauty goes into hibernation. Quite the contrary. With the right approach, you can be just as stunning in October as you were in July:
• Set aside the casual fashions of summer and use the cooler, darker days as an excuse to wear things that are more formal and tailored and flatter your figure. When the people around you are decked in grays, browns and blacks, dress in vibrant fall colors that work with your skin and hair: pumpkin, olive, gold, russet and so on. You’ll attract attention and might even start a fashion.
• Take your workout inside. Even if you’re not a treadmill fan, it’s much better than not walking at all. Regular exercise is crucial for keeping your energy high and allowing you to eat heavier fall foods without gaining weight.
• Take lukewarm baths or showers, then leave some water on your skin and apply a moisturizer. This makes moisture last longer on the skin.
• Protect your lips with a lip balm made with hyaluronic acid. This compound retains 1,000 times its weight in water, which will help keep your lips soft and supple even when you’re going from chilly winds to overheated offices and back.
• If you miss that bronzed look you might have had in summer, try the latest generation of self-tanners. It’s an infinitely better choice than going to a tanning salon, which was recently shown to be a major cause of skin cancer.
• Go easy on your hair. The desire to keep cool in summer makes many women with long hair either cut it too short (ruining its shape) or constantly pull it back (which can damage the roots). With cooler weather coming, let hair grow out and wear it longer. If you have a mane of heavy, beautiful hair, autumn is the time to show it off.
Don’t let the trees be the only ones showing their fall colors.
Debra Luftman, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and the creator of the Therapeutix skin care line of products. She is the co-author of the book The Beauty Prescription (Contemporary, 2008).