Facing climate change
Everyday we are reminded of the effects of climate change. Whether it is scalding hot temperatures, wildfires or unprecedented flooding, we are constantly reminded that our world is continuously burning, to put it gently.
These individual events serve as a warning that unless there is a change in policy and human behaviour we will lurch from fire to flood while trying to place temporary bandaids on deep wounds pretending it will magically get better. Our experiences with climate change will vary as it is a beast that is unpredictable. It seems like things can go from 0 to 100 at any given time.
Cities are strange places to experience climate change. They always seem to bounce back quickly when something hits. I suppose financial and infrastructure stakes are too high, resulting in intervention being swift as opposed to the places that are remote.
I have been experiencing city life for the past six weeks and while there were no floods and fires it felt like an unbearable sauna. It almost had me second guessing as to whether I was really from a tropical country. From my observation, people seem to be caught up in the chaos and unable to get off the hamster wheel,
It felt like it was too distracting to even consider how the environmental stressors and air pollution affect quality of life. At the end of the day, it was as if I was washing off at least one kilo of dirt. My face felt congested from all of the car pollution and my skin felt dry and dehydrated due to the water quality and probably the heat too.
Our skin is the largest organ and the only one subjected to external stressors such as dirt particles, harmful gases and free radicals. It is said to weigh approximately 11 pounds and it doesn’t really get the attention and care it should.
Rising temperature provides an ideal playground for bacteria to thrive as the conditions are usually wet. Skin conditions such as acne, eczema and dermatitis that were manageable become more complex to get under control. The constant change in temperature also means that it affects your skin’s ability to produce natural oils.
Our skin care routine must therefore be climate conscious to ensure we are constantly protected.
Hard cleaning
Although you may feel as though you have one kilo of dirt on your face, don’t be tempted to mix multiple cleaners together because your skin doesn’t need something that is harsh. Foam cleaners are ideal. However, if you feel as if the environment is making your skin oilier than usual, use something with glycolic acid to tackle the excess oil and to clean your pores. Whereas, if you are in a cooler climate use products that fall into the category of cleaning cream to keep it from drying out. In the past you may have bought one product and stayed loyal to one particular brand but your products and routine must be accommodating to the changing climate.
Base care
In a sweaty environment, added moisture can feel pointless but creams and those specifically with SPF act as a protective barrier against the harsh environment. Constantly washing your face strips it of its natural oils, particularly when you use hot water. Moisturizing after showers helps to lock in moisture and maintain elasticity.
Facials are a necessity
Facials are often shrugged off as a waste of money but they help to boost the absorption of products on the face. Deep cleaning and extraction can’t be done by simply washing and using a
toner but rather on focused light with a skilled esthetician. In addition, using products without actively maintaining a clean base is counterproductive.