Skincare for Warm & Dry Weather

Warm, dry air allows moisture to evaporate faster from both skin and hair. After several hours outdoors, cheeks may feel tight while the forehead and nose can still show some oil, producing the familiar combination of oily-looking yet dehydrated skin. Apply a humectant serum followed by a lightweight lotion or emulsion containing ceramides or other barrier-supporting ingredients. Use gentle cleanser, broad-spectrum sunscreen and lip balm when necessary. Hair may lose softness, develop flyaways and feel dry through the ends. Use conditioner after shampooing and a lightweight leave-in cream or serum. Avoid excessive clarifying shampoos and repeated heat styling, which can further dry the hair.

Hydrate - Then Seal Lightly

In warm, relatively dry weather, perspiration can evaporate faster than it does in humid climates. Travellers may therefore lose water without feeling continuously sweaty. After four to five hours outdoors without drinking enough water, the skin may begin to feel tight, rough or tired, even if the forehead and nose still appear slightly oily.

Humidity between 30% and 40% provides less environmental moisture for the outer skin layer. Warm air, sunlight, breeze and repeated entry into air-conditioned interiors can gradually reduce skin comfort. Research shows that short exposure to dry surroundings can reduce moisture within the stratum corneum and alter the skin’s surface pattern.

What may happen to your skin:

• Faster sweat evaporation: Moisture may disappear quickly from the surface, making dehydration less noticeable.
• Tight or uncomfortable cheeks: Drier facial areas may begin to feel stretched after several hours.
• Oily but dehydrated skin: The T-zone can remain shiny while the rest of the face lacks water.
• Rougher texture: Dry air can make temporary dehydration lines or unevenness more noticeable.
• Greater sensitivity to cleansing: Strong foaming cleansers or frequent washing may leave the skin feeling stripped.

The right approach:

The priority is to replenish water and use a light protective layer to reduce its loss. Choose:

• A hydrating serum containing glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol or beta-glucan
• Application of the serum while the skin is slightly damp
• A light lotion or emulsion containing ceramides, squalane or barrier-supporting lipids
• A gentle cream or low-foaming facial cleanser
• Broad-spectrum sunscreen with a comfortable lotion or cream-gel texture
• Lip balm for exposed or dryness-prone areas

Very dry areas may benefit from a second, thin layer of lotion, while the naturally oily T-zone may require less product.

The ideal mantra for this weather is: Hydrate - Then Seal Lightly. Water-based hydration should be followed by a breathable lotion that helps retain moisture without making warm-weather skin feel greasy.

Skincare Ideal for These Climates and Countries

Shoulder months:

• April-May & October: Ouarzazate, Morocco
• April-May & September: Fez, Morocco; Isfahan, Iran; Shiraz, Iran; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Bukhara, Uzbekistan
• April-May & September-October: Marrakech, Morocco; Tehran, Iran
• March & November: Luxor, Egypt
• March-April & October: Las Vegas, USA; Phoenix, USA
• March-May & October-November: Cairo, Egypt

Summer / hotter months:

• June & September: Yerevan, Armenia
• June-August: Madrid, Spain
• June-September: Granada, Spain; Zaragoza, Spain; Athens, Greece; Ankara, Türkiye; Denver, USA; Salt Lake City, USA; Reno, USA; Bend, USA
• May-June & September: Nicosia, Cyprus
• May-October: Jerusalem, Israel; Amman, Jordan
• May-September: Seville, Spain; Córdoba, Spain; Albuquerque, USA; Santa Fe, USA