The Journal
Skin and the seasons
Harmattan dries everything out. The rains bring humidity and shine. Here is how to read what your skin is asking for through the Nigerian year, and the short list of things worth keeping on your shelf.
You can always tell when harmattan has arrived. Dust settles on the windscreen before you have finished reversing out of the compound. Your lips start to peel by mid morning, and the backs of your hands look ashy no matter how much lotion went on the night before. A few months later the rains come, the air turns thick and warm, and the same skin that was begging for oil in January will not stop shining by June. Living here means your skin moves through two very different climates in one year, and a routine built for one will quietly let you down in the other.
When the harmattan comes
From around December to February, the wind blows in dry and full of dust, and it pulls moisture out of everything it touches, your skin included. The first thing most people notice is tightness, that stretched feeling after a bath. Then comes the ashiness, the flaking around the nose and the corners of the mouth, the cracked knuckles and heels that catch on your socks.
The instinct is to scrub harder and wash more often. That usually makes it worse. Harsh, foaming soap strips away the little oil your skin is fighting to hold onto. A gentler, hydrating body wash cleans just as well without leaving you dry and squeaky. The moment that really matters is right after your bath, while your skin is still slightly damp. Press in a rich cream or smooth on a body oil then, and you trap the water before the harmattan can carry it off. Wait until you are bone dry and you have already lost half the battle.
Your face wants the same kindness. Trade anything that leaves it tight for something gentler, and lean on a barrier serum to hold water in through the day. And please do not pack your sunscreen away because the sky looks hazy. Harmattan sun is deceptive. It is still strong enough to deepen dark spots while you sit in traffic on Ahmadu Bello Way.
When the rains arrive
By the time the rains settle in, the problem turns on its head. The air holds water now, the days are warm and sticky, and the skin that was flaking in January suddenly looks oily by noon. You sweat more, your back and chest can break out, and the heavy cream that felt like a blessing in harmattan starts to feel like a weight.
This is the season to go lighter, not to drop moisturiser altogether. Skin can be oily and thirsty at the same time, and stripping it only pushes it to make more oil. Reach for a gel or a light lotion instead of a thick balm. A gentle daily cleanse keeps sweat and buildup from settling into your pores. Niacinamide earns its keep here, since it helps calm shine and even out tone without any fuss. And yes, the sunscreen stays, rain or shine.
Your skin is not misbehaving. It is reading the weather, the same as the rest of us.
A short, honest shelf
You do not need ten steps for either season. A few good things, used at the right moment, will carry you further than a crowded bathroom shelf ever could. These are the ones we reach for when the weather turns, and the ones we point friends to when they walk into the studio asking where to start.
Olay · Body Wash
Olay Hyaluronic Acid Body Wash
Vitamin B3 and hyaluronic acid cleanse and replenish thirsty skin to a dewy, healthy glow.
Naturium · Serums & Oils
Naturium Barrier Bounce Serum
Replenishing serum that strengthens the moisture barrier for plump, resilient skin.
Medix · Body Lotions
Medix 5.5 Hyaluronic + Cica Extract Lotion
Hyaluronic acid and cica lotion that hydrates and calms sensitive, stressed skin.
Aveeno · Body Oils
Aveeno Skin Relief Body Oil
Lightweight body oil spray that soothes very dry skin and locks in lasting moisture.
On buying the real thing
One last, honest word. The market is full of skincare that is not what the label claims, and a counterfeit hydrating wash at half the price will do nothing for ashy harmattan skin. At worst it leaves it angry. Everything we carry comes from official distributors, so the bottle you take home behaves the way it should. If you are ever unsure where to begin, come and see us. We would rather walk you toward the right two products than sell you ten.
However your skin reads the season, we are around. Walk into De-Avalon Plaza in Utako and feel the textures for yourself, or order online and we will bring it to you anywhere in the country.
Written by The Glowsphere team, Glowsphere Beauty, Utako.