Skin care in humid climate for glowing skin – the essentials

Amidst the Sephora sale and all good things I’m missing out on, I thought I’d share some skin care tips I wish I had considered before moving to the island. I have oily acne-prone skin and thought the hot and humid climate would cleanse my pores and do my skin some wonders. Instead, my skin has been really congested. Which could have been avoided if I had packed the right products. So here are some things I’ve realized about skin care in humid climate.

Humid climate skin care essential #1: gel moisturizer

Skin care in humid climate calls for a light moisturizer. At home, I normally use the Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion and it suits my skin well. I like it because it absorbs well and doesn’t feel heavy on my skin or make it look oily. And of course, it’s not expensive and lasts forever so I get my money’s worth. Plus, it works well year-round in the variable Canadian climate.

However

…it doesn’t work well for me in the hot and humid climate of Grenada. My skin gets so oily so fast here, regardless of how much water I’m drinking to make sure my skin is hydrated from within. And the inevitable sweating doesn’t help.

What I should have brought instead is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost gel cream. I love this moisturizer and it’s actually what made me understand the hype around hyaluronic acid. The only reason I routinely use Cerave instead is because it lasts me longer. But for next term, I’m bringing six months supply of Neutrogena Hydro Boost.

Some bougier alternatives

Some other moisturizes that I’ve really liked and would probably work well for me in Grenada are the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer and Belif Aqua Bomb.

The Tatcha Water Cream is also very light and very nice. It’s been a while since I tried it, but I think it was too light for my skin in Canada. It felt like it wan’t moisturizing enough so it would probably work great here.

However, they’re all a lot more expensive so I won’t actually be getting them for next term lol. But if you’ve been wanting to try these products, they’re worth buying during the Sephora sale.

Humid climate skin care essential #2: clay mask

For some reason, I thought the heat and humidity and sweating would help cleanse my pores and therefore, I wouldn’t really need a clay mask. I was also running out of room when I was packing so I used this reasoning to leave some things behind.

So dumb…

I didn’t take int account that I’ll constantly be wearing sunscreen and sweating which tend to clog pores. Even though I double cleanse every night to break down the oils and congestion, my skin still needs a weekly detox mask.

I was using the Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask and will not be coming back next term without it. It not only clears my pores but also exfoliates with lactic acid. I can feel the difference after using this mask – my skin isn’t congested and it feels soft and smooth.

I’ve also tried and liked the good old Amazon Aztec mask. I just don’t use it as often because it’s more work since you have to mix the clay with water. Whereas the Innisfree one is all ready to use.

Humid climate skin care essential #3: exfoliator

Funny enough, I came prepared with exfoliating products. In fact, I brought 2. Both new products that I’d been wanting to try. And I haven’t liked either of them.

What I brought

The first one is the COSRX Original Clear pad. I like that it contains BHAs (salicylic acid) and comes in wipe forms so I can get both chemical and physical exfoliation in one. But this product has not worked for me.

At first I thought I may have over-used it in the first couple days I was here. My skin looked tight and had tiny bumps. So I waited a few weeks and gave it another shot. Unfortunately, it still didn’t give my skin the soft gentle glow that’s supposed to come after exfoliating. My skin just looked irritated. I’m not sure what it is about the formulation but it doesn’t suit my skin. I haven’t touched this product since.

Fortunately, the second product is much better but I don’t love it. I got Paula’s Choice 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel. It’s a nice rinse-off mask that I use once a week. My skin feels less congested and looks brighter.

But it doesn’t feel as smooth like it does after using other products that I truly love. After using this mask, my skin should just soak up the subsequent skincare, like my hydrating serum and moisturizer. But it doesn’t. Which leads me to think this exfoliator is just not that strong and/or effective.

What I should have brought

I should have brought my favourites, either the Dr. Dennis Gross Daily Peel or the Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. I was trying to save money and tried the cheaper alternatives above but was reminded once again – you get what you pay for. That’s not applicable to all skincare categories, but very much so in this instance.

Despite its name, I don’t use or recommend using the Dr. Dennis daily peel on the daily lol. At one point, I did and realized afterwards that I was over-exfoliating my skin. So I switched to using them once a week. I don’t know what sorcery Dr. Dennis uses in his formulation but the product works beautifully on my skin.

Because of the wipes, I get both chemical and physical exfoliation. My skin feels so smooth, decongested and glowy. And I know the product has done a great job at exfoliating because my skin just drinks up the subsequent skincare products. I especially love using this exfoliator if I need to do my makeup – it goes on so beautifully and my skin just glows through.

The Ren product is a rinse-off mask and I hate to admit, but I’ve only realized how good it is after trying the Paula’s Choice mask. You leave the Ren mask on for 10 minutes and wipe off with a cloth so you get the physical exfoliation as well. Like the Dr. Dennis Gross wipes, it truly exfoliates my skin, leaving it smooth and glowing. My skin is nicely primed for the next steps and soaks up my moisturizer like a sponge. I’m sorry I took you for granted Ren. Will not be coming to the island without you.

What are your skin care favourites?

So those are some of the lessons I’ve had to learn on the island about doing skin care in humid climate (as if I don’t have enough to learn in med school).

Have you tried any of these products? Which ones do you like/dislike?

-M

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