Fall is an awesome time for so many reasons – the leaves change to beautiful colors of red and orange, the colder weather allows us to bundle up in our cute fall sweaters and the evenings after long days of work call for cozying up to the warm fire place. Unfortunately, in addition to all of this, comes the feared breakouts. Whether it’s the late night hot chocolate, the thanksgiving dinners or the “dreaded” leftover Halloween candy, it’s hard to avoid indulging in these fall treats! Thankfully, there are actions you can take to ensure these breakouts don’t happen to you.
1- Enjoy fall treats in moderation
Although the fall holidays are centered around delicious treats and meals: Halloween and Thanksgiving; all those sweets and extra carbs can increase our breakouts. Sugar can cause skin inflammation which in return can cause acne. Fortunately, sugar is not the primary cause of acne, and that means you don’t have to completely eliminate your favourite fall foods; but, enjoy them in moderation to avoid any unnecessary breakouts! To balance the sugary foods try eating fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants – examples include blueberries, kidney beans, cranberries, artichokes, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
2- Prepare your skin for dry weather
Fall is a time for cool temperatures and in Southern Alberta, that often means dry and windy air. This type of climate can cause dry skin which can lead your body to increase its production of skin oil. Unfortunately, too much oil can cause your pores to become clogged and this allows acne-causing bacteria to flourish.
To help avoid this from happening, look into a more nourishing/thick moisturizer. This will provide your skin with enough hydration to ensure it doesn’t have to work overtime to produce extra sebum. Regular trips to your esthetician will also be very helpful as they will be able to exfoliate the dead skin which will allow your moisturizer to penetrate at a deeper level and increase the rate of cell turnover, revealing new, brighter skin.
3- Don’t forget about the sun
Many people think that since the weather is getting cooler the sun no longer poses a threat to their skin, but this is far from true! Even if it’s freezing outside, the sun’s UV rays can still cause skin damage, which is why you need protection just as much in the cooler months as you do during the summer. Choosing a sunscreen with a physical barrier (Zinc/Titanium) will prevent the sun damage everyone is trying to reverse!
We’re not here to tell you to completely avoid all the treats, spend thousands on products and treatments or to avoid the outdoors but by following these tips in moderation you’re more likely to have that fall glow you’ve been searching for!
