While we’re used to adapting our skincare to allow for skin type and evolving age, many of us stick to the same routine and products all year. Climate has always had an impact on skin health, with hydration key for summer and thicker moisturisers recommended to protect winter-chapped skin.
Even in regions such as the UAE, where the evolving seasons are more subtle, changes in temperature, humidity and more can affect the skin in myriad ways, which can then be balanced with a seasonal approach to skincare.
Seasonal skincare
“Adjusting your skincare routine with the changing seasons is essential, as seasonal variations can significantly impact the skin’s health,” says Melissa Van Wyngaard, an educator and ambassador for skincare brand Comfort Zone.
“During hot and humid months, increased perspiration and oil production can lead to congestion, dehydration and breakouts. In colder, drier weather, the skin often becomes parched, tight and even flaky. Tailoring your skincare regime to account for these seasonal shifts ensures optimal skin health year-round.”
Adjusting the layers in your routine each season is key to maintain the skin without needing a complete overhaul of products
Latifa Elnour,
pharmacist and founder of Ashri Skin
Changes in seasons can also influence changes in diet and exposure to sun, illness and allergens, all of which can adversely affect the skin. “In summer, higher humidity and heat might make your skin oilier and more prone to breakouts, so you need lighter, oil-free products,” says Latifa Elnour, pharmacist and founder of Ashri Skin. “In contrast, winter’s cold and dry air can strip moisture from your skin, making richer, more hydrating products essential.”
Spring skincare: Antioxidants and allergens
In warmer countries such as the UAE, wearing SPF all year round is recommended to prevent sunburn, ageing UV exposure and pigmentation. “Spring is a transition period from winter to warmer, more humid spring weather. This can result in fluctuations in oil production and hydration levels,” says Wyngaard.
The early season requires lighter products, such as non-comedogenic moisturisers, gel-based serums and hydrating mists to provide moisture without added heaviness. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and niacinamide can help the skin journey from the harshness of the winter months and protect the skin from environmental stressors.
Additionally, the season is a time when allergies hit their peak as plants and flowers bloom again, releasing pollen. “Increased pollen can lead to allergic reactions that manifest as itchy, red or watery eyes and exacerbated skin conditions like eczema or hives,” says Elnour.
Summer skincare: Hydration and oil control
Higher summer temperatures cause sweating and excess oil production on the skin, both of which can clog pores leading to breakouts, while moisture loss through the epidermis is at its peak, causing dehydration. This can lead to a skin conundrum as experts advise avoiding heavy moisturisers and serums, while also ensuring maximum hydration.
“Summer calls for oil-control ingredients such as salicylic acid and niacinamide to manage excess oil and breakouts,” says Elnour. “Use lightweight hydrators to provide moisture without added heaviness. Ensure effective sun protection with a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF30 or higher and integrate antioxidants to protect against environmental damage and brighten the skin.”
During the hotter months, experts advise avoiding thicker, heavier emollient creams, which can often feel greasy on warm skin.
Autumn skincare: Exfoliants and acids
The arrival of autumn can cause skin to feel tighter as the mercury drops and the atmosphere gets noticeably drier. Wyngaard says: “Going from summer’s warmth to cooler autumn temperatures can heighten skin sensitivity and irritation.”
Like spring, the season can affect those with allergies, leading to skin redness and sensitivities. Light exfoliants, which include lactic acid or glycolic acid, can work to soften seasonally affected skin and remove dead skin cells. Hyaluronic acid and squalene can support hydration in drier air for smoother skin.
Colder temperatures and low humidity levels can lead to dryness, flakiness, and heightened sensitivity
Melissa Van Wyngaard,
ambassador, Comfort Zone
“During the cooler seasons of autumn and winter, switch to richer moisturisers containing ceramides and fatty acids to prevent dryness and include repairing agents like peptides, to strengthen the skin barrier,” says Elnour. “Heavier creams with hyaluronic acid and fatty acids combat dryness and incorporate soothing agents like oatmeal or aloe vera to calm irritated skin.”
Winter skincare: Ceramides and emollients
Experts agree that winter can be the most challenging season when it comes to skin due to dehydration, skin redness, tightness and capping. “Winter is undeniably the harshest season for the skin,” says Wyngaard. “The combination of colder temperatures and low humidity levels both outdoors and indoors can significantly compromise skin hydration, leading to dryness, flakiness and heightened sensitivity.
“Cold climates outdoors and heated indoor environments both contribute to stripping the skin of its natural oils, which disrupts the skin’s barrier and leads to increased irritation,” she adds.
Avoid astringent products in winter, which tighten and shrink pores, including AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) or highly concentrated acids, which may be too harsh for winter air thus increasing skin sensitivity. Choose thicker, heavier moisturisers and emollients and barrier-protecting and repair formulations, and look for ingredients such as ceramides, shea butter, and fatty acids.
“Exposed areas such as lips, hands and feet can become chapped and cracked due to low moisture,” says Elnour. “Even though the sun may seem less intense in winter, UV rays are still present. This can lead to the misconception that UV protection isn’t necessary during colder months.”
Do you need to buy a new skincare range every season?
Far from splashing out on an array of new products every three or four months, it’s easier and more cost-effective to make small, incremental adjustments to your routine and adapt your existing products to the seasons.
“Adjusting the layers in your routine is key,” explains Elnour. “In winter, you might add a hydrating serum beneath your moisturiser for extra moisture, while in summer, you could simplify your routine by reducing some layers and using lighter, non-greasy formulations to prevent feeling oily. This approach helps you maintain an effective skincare routine without needing a complete overhaul of products each season.”
Tacking on serums and sprays to your existing moisturisers is an easy addition, while a light non-stripping cleanser and light exfoliant can be used year-round and balanced out with lighter or heavier creams based on the season.
Wyngaard says: “By tailoring your cleansing and treatment products to the specific demands of each season, you can maintain balanced, healthy skin throughout the year without the need for an entirely new set of products.”
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
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Racecard:
2.30pm: Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoun Emirates Breeders Society Challenge; Conditions (PA); Dh40,000; 1,600m
3pm: Handicap; Dh80,000; 1,800m
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Mile Prep Rated Conditions; Dh110,000; 1,600m
4pm: Handicap; Dh95,000; 1,950m
4.30pm: Maiden; Dh65,000; 1,400m
5pm: Handicap; Dh85,000; 1,200m
