A wrinkle here, some bumps there—as your body’s biggest organ, your skin, is giving you a heads-up on how your environment is affecting your overall health. “Our skin is a window into what’s going on inside the body and its overall health,” says Anne Chapas, M.D, of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center in New York City. “It has a very active immune system, so while it’s defending us against illnesses and damage, it often pays the price for that by showing certain symptoms. And unlike other organs, it’s right there for us to easily examine ourselves.” Here’s how to interpret the signals it’s sending you.
Dark spots
The cause: Sun exposure, temperature fluctuations
All forms of skin injury tend to leave a dark spot in their wake -- this includes minor trauma such as scratches and cuts, as well as burns and acne. So, anywhere you experience these forms of injury, you’ll potentially develop a dark spot. But, the areas that are chronically sun exposed (especially the face) are where the dark spots are most severe. UV exposure not only causes the dark spots to become even darker, but it slows down the rate at which they fade.While these aren’t sun spots (because sunspots typically refer to discrete--meaning you can draw a circle around them-- areas of increased pigmentation due exclusively to sun exposure), they are sun-aggravated darkening. Additionally heat fluctuations can cause melanin activity, especially when heat is trapped on the skin. So keeping your skin cool, and balanced is of utmost importance in order to minimize pigmentation stimulation. One way to battle the spots? Using Pour Moi’sClimate Smart Skincare products. Black and White Serum are both loaded with gentle exfoliators, plus skin brightening and hydrating actives to help lighten the marks. Next, apply a day cream that matches your climate, like Desert or Tropical Day Creams, that react to your environment, help to keep skin balanced and fight off climate-induced aggressors. Both are infused with ingredients tailored to the needs of your skin in each climate so that skin never gets out of whack.
Wrinkles and saggy skin
The cause: UV radiation, dry climates, and cold climates
Skin starts to look leathery when elastin fibers are damaged by UV rays, and this process is especially noticeable in a dry climate as skin is additionally sapped of moisture because of the lack of humidity. As the main substance that makes skin snap back into its normal, youthful position, its loss causes skin to become crinkly and dry instead of plump (think the difference between a raisin and a grape). Deeper lines in areas where we have large, expressing muscle movement are generally caused by facial expressions, but there’s no question that sun exposure and other environmental assaults cause external aging which thins the skin and makes it wrinkle faster because it attacks the surface of skin which is supposed to stay smooth. Cold climates can contribute to faster aging too. Winter is the most difficult time for skin, because frigid temperatures can sap the moisture out of even the most perfectly balanced, radiant complexion. Add in the overly dry heated air that assaults us every time we head indoors, and you’ve got the perfect storm for scaly, raw skin. And that red flush on your cheeks when you’ve spent time outdoors? It’s actually the opposite of a healthy glow; it’s your skin being irritated and sapped of moisture by the biting cold.When skin is dehydrated and weak it shows the signs of aging earlier and experiences climate shock. Pour Moi’s Rituals are a three-step system that layers on hydration with each step, while also giving skin the support it needs to rebalance and strengthen and soothe itself utilizing key ingredients. Step one is the Hydrating Balancer, a unique liquid prep that balances skin’s pH, and helps actives sink into skin faster. Pour Moi Serum is step two, a highly concentrated blend of brightening and restoring actives. Use Black Serum is your skin is dry, White Serum for oily or combination. Step three is Day Cream. Each one has Climate Energized Beautiers, a blend of selected hydrators and botanicals to optimize skin in each climate situation. While Pour Moi’s proprietary HyalurTruf+ complex combines three sizes of hyaluronic acid molecules with White Truffle Extract to nourish, hydrate and support skin in every climate.
Keratosis Pilaris
The cause: Environment-specific allergies or asthma
These tiny bumps can look like acne and tend to be either whitish or red, appearing on the face, upper arms and upper thighs. But unlike regular pimples, they have nothing to do with oil production or sebum. In fact, they can feel dry and rough, and usually only appear in people under the age of 30. They are often a sign of allergies or asthma, and often both of these are caused by environmental factors specific to your climate and air quality. Follow the 3-Step Ritual (as noted above) to calm and smooth skin and prevent future environmental-related bump breakouts.
