During the winter, almost every day, I silently wish for summer to arrive. I detest how many activities and plans get cancelled because of how cold it is. Everything just seems easier when there is warmth and sunshine. There is no fuss over clothes and unlike cold or rainy weather, sunshine instantly puts your spirits on a high.
This week, I found myself biting my tongue. Forty-one degrees Celsius (105.8 Fahrenheit) in Germany and I felt as if I was in hell. Like in the dreadful winter, it was surprisingly hard to get anything done. I was drained from just going around the block for milk. I thought, coming from Guyana, that I was built for any type of heat, but it turns out I am just a rookie; or perhaps my body just adapted to the climate.
I still love the sun, but in moderation. I don’t like what is does to my skin and hair. Already having to deal with the daily struggle of acne, I find that heat just aggravates my face even more. According to cosmetic dermatologic surgeon Howard Sobel of Sobel Skin, “Sweat and heat also affect the skin’s microbiome.” In addition to this, Sobel explains, certain flora on the skin are protective and when they’re out of balance, you can end up with inflammation, irritation or acne.
I never really thought about this, even when I lived in Guyana, because most of my time was spent indoors. My time on the street was mostly in the early mornings to catch the golden hour or late in the evenings for socializing with friends. Thus, my skin was never really irritated.
If you are like me, the first thing you would want to do when you sweat is bathe from head to toe in ice cold water. It turns out, however, that washing is probably the worst thing you can do to your face. Similar to sweat, constantly washing your face strips it of its natural balance. Ideally, what would be suitable is washing your face with lukewarm water twice a day and gently patting it with a microfibre cloth. This is still hard for me to get around because clean to me is often associated with being able to do my bathing routine religiously, using all of my serums and lotions. But it is pointless, as the skin has to constantly find its way back to its normal state.
Constantly washing hasn’t wrought much change to my skin so perhaps it’s time for a change in this direction. Frizzy hair also comes as a result of dryness. Like your skin, you need to be gentle and mindful when it comes to taking care of your hair. Regular masks and deep conditioning are essential to help ensure moisture is locked in. While heat is necessary for achieving most desired hairstyles it would also be a good thing to invest in heat-protecting sprays and to try holding the blow dryer at least an inch away.
The heat and living in a hot country may have some benefits, but any extreme weather will take some getting used to. With climate change steadily showing its ugly side, the weather is one more reality that we should factor in when it comes to taking care of ourselves.
