Changing weather can drastically affect the skin and not in the best way. From changing temperatures to rising and falling humidity levels, the skin can take a beating while seasonal changes occur. Skin Inc. talked with Karin Hermoni, Ph.D., skincare expert and head of science and nutrition at Lycored, to see how diet and nutrition can help to keep a summer glow for skin all year round.
Combating Winter Skin
Hermoni began by explaining how during the winter season skin tends to become drier from the constant change in temperature with heated indoors and cold outdoors. Besides using a topical moisturizer every day, Hermoni explained how drinking plenty of water and eating water rich foods can provide the skin with fluids.
"The carotenoid pigments that provide the color to those fruits and veggies can also help enhance the natural glow of our skin, which is extremely helpful to enhance our natural color and give our somewhat pale skin a boost," Hermoni further explained.
The Threats of Spring and Summer
While the skin may not have to fight against harsh dryness in the spring and summer, there is a whole new threat that arises. With the warmer weather, most people like to enjoy that weather by being outdoors, which opens their skin up to the threat of sun damage and sweat, as Hermoni explains.
"UV exposure is the number one cause of skin aging, responsible for 80% of facial skin aging; therefore, affecting not only our skin health but also its appearance," Hermoni further explains. Thus, applying topical sunscreen is very important to do all year round.
However, when it comes to the more intense UV rays, our skin faces in the spring and summer "Nutritional support helps compliment topical sunscreens...and help our skin boost its own protection mechanisms, reducing the damage of UV exposure," says Hermoni.
More specifically, carotenoids that are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, as well as lycopene in tomatoes, red grapefruit, papaya and watermelon have all been scientifically proven to help with sun protection from the inside out.
Overall, for skin and wellness health, Hermoni highly recommends a skin care routine that combines topical and ingestible skin care to maintain health and beauty all year round.
