How Does the Environment Affect Your Skin

In this article:
What environmental factors impact your skin?
The impact of your climate on skin
How does air pollution affect the skin?
Air pollution and skin problems
How does climate change affect your skin?
Skin concerns related to climate change
How to recognise environmental damage to skin
How can you take care of your skin?

The key to creating the perfect, individualised skin care routine is to home in on your skin type and concerns and, from there, build the regimen of your skin’s dreams... or is it?

There’s a third, often overlooked, factor to consider while curating a skin care regimen that can contribute to any skin care routine’s success or failure: your environment.

The physical space you inhabit, the air that surrounds you, how close you live to the equator, your proximity to the sun (as in altitude) and even the plants that appear outside your window can all impact your skin (1). Depending on where you are, your surroundings can lead to more frequent sunburns, windburn, increased rates of environmental assault on skin and redness.

We know that sounds frightening, but we’re here to break it down so you can better understand environmental effects on skin and stack your skin care routine accordingly.

What environmental factors impact your skin?

There are a plethora of agents, both environmental and geographic, that can silently- and not so silently- wreak havoc on skin. It’s of little to no surprise to anyone who’s ever lived in a metropolitan area that air pollution and skin issues go hand-in-hand, but something as innocuous as native plant species can possibly sensitise skin, too!

Let’s dive into the environmental and geographic factors that can affect skin:

• Geographic location: As a site’s altitude increases, the distance between that site and the sun decreases, which results in stronger UV ray exposure (2). UV ray strength also increases the closer a place is to the equator (3). This increase in UV ray strength can lead to higher chances of sunburn, hyperpigmentation, redness, itchiness, peeling and, in the long term if sun protection measures aren’t routinely practiced, skin cancer.
• UV rays: We can’t say this enough—UV rays are a potent source of harm for skin. Beyond visible redness and sunburn, UV rays can increase visible signs of ageing, and, over time, can lead to the development of skin cancer (6). UV strength varies with altitude and latitude, but is always strongest from 10AM-2PM, so don’t forget to slather on a broad-spectrum SPF and reapply every two hours when you’re outdoors.
• Air pollution: Pollutants cause a cascade of damage that can lead to premature skin ageing, redness, itchiness, bumps and an uneven skin tone (1).
• Seasonal allergies: Beyond unwanted watery eyes, sneezing and coughing, pollen, mold spores and other seasonal substances can cause reactions that extend to the skin. Those with such allergies may experience skin redness, itchiness and dryness.

The impact of your climate on skin

The weather is more than just a tried-and-true small-talk topic. Climate impacts skin, too.

• Dry, arid conditions can work like a vacuum, sucking moisture from skin. Beyond being an annoyance, this can spur flaky, dry skin and lead to barrier impairment (4). (Note: Environmental dryness often peaks during the northern winter.)
• On the opposite end of the spectrum, humidity can lead to an uptick in sweat, which, when it mixes with skin’s oil, can cause clogs.
• Climate change is exacerbating weather conditions, creating more extreme environments for skin to exist within (5).

How does air pollution affect the skin?

The connection between air pollution and lung health is obvious, but have you ever thought about how dirty, compromised air can impact your skin’s health? It turns out, air pollution and skin problems go hand-in-hand!

Skin is the body’s external barrier, it interacts with the environment around it, which includes air that’s often littered with the byproducts of automobiles, industry and other gaseous pollutants (including cigarette smoke!). These gaseous pollutants make for some dirty, undesirable air. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the global population lives in areas with air quality that doesn’t meet the WHO’s air quality guidelines (7). Air pollutants don’t discriminate by location- rural areas experience air pollution, too!

Gas-based pollutants mix with small particle matter (tiny particles also often released by human activity, like construction, wood burning, industry, etc.) and create skin’s worst nightmare, a damaging amalgamation of pollutants.

Air pollution and skin problems

This atmospheric cocktail of pollutants can trigger an avalanche of environmental damage (8). Even worse, as time goes on, this accumulated damage makes skin more susceptible to future pollutant-based damage.

Beyond exacerbating signs of ageing including wrinkles and fine lines, airborne pollutants can cause uneven, blotchy skin tone, compromise skin’s supportive architecture, plus trigger bumps, redness, dryness and itchiness, amongst other problems.

Air pollution and skin is topic worth a deep dive, which is why we have a complete, research-backed guide to how air pollution damages skin.

How does climate change affect your skin?

Climate change’s overarching impacts on everyday life include re-examining the way you approach caring for your skin and including more climate-adaptive skin care in your regimen. If skin can change from slight seasonal shifts, the lingering effects of climate change, both man-made and natural, are likely to cause more lingering problems.

Before we jump into how climate change affects skin, let’s clarify the topic a bit. Human activity is causing an increase in the rate at which the earth’s warming (9). More intense expressions of weather, like increased pollen, extreme temperatures and heightened humidity levels, can directly impact skin because, as we touched on before, skin is the body’s first line of defence and is in constant contact with the environment around us (10). Beyond this, extreme weather events, like flooding, heat waves and wildfires can also impact skin negatively.

Human activity that falls under the climate change umbrella has also led to some depletion of the ozone layer, often referred to as “earth’s sunscreen” because of the way it helps protect earth from the sun’s intense UV rays (11). Although a global initiative is encouraging the repair of this damage, the ozone layer has not yet healed, meaning stronger UV rays are still hitting earth, and in turn, us.

Skin concerns related to climate change

Climate change effects on skin can include:

• Breakouts (12)
• Signs of ageing, including crepiness, wrinkles and fine lines (13)
• Skin sensitivity (14)
• Redness, dry skin and itchiness (15)
• Skin barrier impairment (16)
• Skin cancer due to increased UV ray strength (17)

Note: Separate from seasonal variations, as the climate changes, so does our understanding of how it impacts skin. This evolving situation means that the impact of our ever-changing environment on skin is an ongoing area of research!

How to recognise environmental damage to skin

Recognising environmental damage on skin can be a bit difficult because it shares visual markers (redness, flakiness, dryness, etc.) that also occur during a variety of other skin conditions and reactions.

That’s why recognising environmental damage on skin requires a three-step approach:

1. Monitor skin’s appearance and note how skin feels. Does it feel tight? Is it stinging? Is there unusual redness, flaking, bumps, clogs and breakouts? Has your dry skin temporarily become oily or vice versa?
2. Take into consideration the latest weather patterns, UV strength, temperature, air quality and seasonal shifts.
3. Note that skin conditions like blemishes, eczema, and extra-sensitive skin are compounded by environmental damage.

After you gather all this information, you can deduce whether or not what you’re experiencing is rooted in environmental causes.

Some environmental damage, like sunburn, is quite easy to recognise. Other external aggressor-related damage, like barrier impairment, can be harder to reconcile.

How can you take care of your skin?

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but we can’t protect skin from 100% of the environmental aggressors it encounters. But, we can shelter skin to the best of our abilities through both offensive and defensive skin care tactics. This means we should not only try to repair the damage incurred through environmental exposure, but also actively protect skin from further damage.

The best way to do both at the same time is through the careful curation of a skin care routine that helps repair and fortify the barrier, soothes skin, replenishes skin’s antioxidant reserves and focuses on sun protection. Dr. Debra Jaliman, board-certified dermatologist, recommends, “choosing products based on your skin type and on your particular environment, taking into account the UV exposure, humidity, air pollution and pollen.”

Here’s an example of a skin care routine that can help you protect and repair skin:

• Use a gentle, nourishing cleanser daily. Keep an eye out for ingredients that can soothe the sensitisation and redness that external aggressors cause skin. Some of these include prebiotic sugars, panthenol and beta-glucan. Our CALM Ultra-Gentle Cleanser is a cushiony cleanser focused on soothing and replenishing.
• Rid skin’s surface and pores of pollutants with a leave-on exfoliant. After cleansing, apply an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or salicylic acid (BHA)-based exfoliant to physically remove dead skin and lingering pollutants from skin plus lessen the chances of clogs and bumps appearing.
• Antioxidant serums and other antioxidant-rich products such as boosters, are a priority when fighting off and preventing environmental-based damage. Antioxidants work by mitigating damage before it shows on skin’s surface. They also help boost suncare routines. Some of the most potent antioxidant ingredients are vitamin C, ferulic acid, berries and niacinamide.
• Ectoin serums work to shield skin from the side effects of extreme environmental conditions (think dehydration and barrier degradation). Think of ectoin as a skin defender, throwing up a shield around skin and drenching it in hydration.
• Wear SPF! In the morning, finish your skin care routine with a broad-spectrum SPF moisturising sunscreen. A really good sunscreen will also contain hydrators and antioxidants to further protect skin and boost its barrier.
• Moisturise nightly with an antioxidant-infused, barrier-boosting cream or lotion. Skin endures environmental attacks almost constantly throughout the day. Help its barrier repair at night with a moisturiser like the SKIN RECOVERY Replenishing Moisturizer for drier skin and the CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer, perfect for oily skin types.
• Stay mindful of the environment around you. Protecting skin from environmental stressors requires a full-bodied approach that extends beyond skin care.

Learn more skin care tips.

References for this information:

1. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology, July-August 2017, pages 415-423
2. Skin Research and Technology, August 2013, pages 207-212
3. International Journal of Dermatology, September 2010, pages 978-986
4. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, December 2019, pages 1201-1209
5. International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, January 2021, pages 17-27
6. Phytochemistry and Photobiology, May/June 2020, pages 478-499
7. World Health Organization, Accessed June 2023, Webpage
8. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, May 2020, pages 28730–28736
9. NASA “How Do We Know Climate Change Is Real", Accessed June 2023, Webpage
10. Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, January 2014, pages 171-181
11. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Accessed June 2023, Webpage
12. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, June 2023, pages 577-593
13. Skin Research and Technology, March 2013, pages 207-212
14. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, July-Aug 2017, pages 521-525
15. International Journal of Dermatology, March 2019, pages 279-282
16. International Journal of Dermatology, March 2023, pages 337-345
17. International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, January 2021, pages 3-7