We may always wish to turn back the clock on our skin’s age, but especially now, as the seasons change, we become more conscious of anti-aging care. This period, when we repair summer damage while preparing for the coming winter, is truly a “golden time.”What you do for your skin now will determine how it will look in the future. Although skin concerns vary depending on age, the desire for clear, radiant, firm, and healthy skin is universal. The past summer, unusually long and intensely hot, took a far greater toll on your skin than on your body or mind. Strong UV rays damaged the collagen and elastin fibers beneath the skin, while high temperatures, humidity, andsweat severely disrupted the skin’s oil–moisture balance. Increased sebum production may have made your skin appear oily on the surface, yet in reality, it may have fallen into a state of inner dryness due to lack of moisture. Now, as temperatures and humidity begin to drop, moisture within the skin evaporates quickly, weakening the skin barrier. With drastic daily temperature changes causing repeated contraction and expansion of blood vessels, skin metabolism tends to slow. Dry, cold winds lead to flaking skin, and the weakened barrier makes it easier for harmful substances to penetrate, increasing the risk of irritation or inflammation. Ultimately, if summer damage is not properly repaired, skin aging may accelerate throughout the coming winter. This is precisely why anti-aging care becomes especially important every autumn. We now stand at what may be the most crucial turning point for our skin all year round (Hyangjang, p. 668). |
