Guest Essay: Changing Seasons

If you're travelling from a tropical climate to a temperate one, or just experiencing season change, be ready for your skin to go nuts before it settles down. Mine never took well to season changes and clearly, neither does Eli's.

From Summer to Autumn; Crazy Skin

Unlike the smug-faced Piglet, I really hate season changes. For one thing, I am a sun-baby so I love warmth and the sun. The second is that my skin goes absolutely bonkers when there’s a drop in humidity levels.

Canberra temperatures suddenly dropped over two weeks ago and sent my skin into crazy mode. I suddenly looked dry, tired (well, my chronic insomnia played a part too). oily and pimples were sprouting out all over my face seperti cendawan selepas hujan (“like mushrooms after rain” for those of you without a Malay education).

Urgh. The situation called for a serious skincare overhaul. I looked over my regimen and took out all of the (potentially) drying products and replaced them with less harsh and more moisturising products.

My Ego facial cleanser has been retired until next spring and replaced with Cetaphil. I was planning to use Ego on nights when I am too lazy to double-cleanse and ended up with flaking bits of skin all over my face the other day. Eeks.

AHA lotions and treatments are out until my skin recovers; even then, it will probably be layered under a heavier moisturiser. I have also decided to take a deep breath and plunge in skin oils. Just got a bottle of rosehip oil to help lock in moisture and for an anti-oxidant boost. So far, so good but the woody smell takes some getting used to.

Lotions are for summer days, creams are for autumn/ winter. I have fallen back on my good ol’ standby: Nivea Soft moisturising cream (the one in the white tub, not the blue) for both morning (under sunscreen) and night. It’s a really basic moisturiser without any bells or whistles but it usually gets the job done whenever my skin goes crankypoo.

Once my skin calms down though, I know that I’ll enjoy the cool weather and the hot chocolate with marshmallows which comes with it. Oh, and the woolly sweaters, pretty scarves and stylish coats.

And the berry lipsticks paired with tawny rose blushers.

If matte foundation and berry lipsticks aren’t your thing, Beauty Editor has a few tips on bringing summer into winter.