The New 360 Approach For An Inside-Out Glow

To cope with beauty concerns in the new normal, we need to bolster our “tool kit” with ways to support skin health from the outside and from within.

- Goh Yee Huay

The start of a new year is typically when we embark on new ventures, take a new direction, and overhaul what isn’t working. Such shake-ups can apply to many things, including our beauty stash and skincare regimen.

Given all the changes the pandemic has triggered in our lives, we should adapt our beauty habits and skincare routines to keep up with the new normal and all that it entails. Read: prolonged maskwearing, increased exposure to heat (because we’re no longer in airconditioned offices all day), longer hours starring at screens, and so on.

“In the past two years, we’ve seen an increase in skin sensitivity, eczema and contact allergies because of Covid-related lifestyle changes like working from home, irregular working hours, and frequent cleansing and sanitising,” says dermatologist Dr Coni Liu from DS Skin & Wellness Clinic.

Often, these changes lead to skin barrier dysfunction. “Our skin produces ceramides and lipids to protect itself from the external environment, and harsh cleansers or sanitisers remove these natural oils, allowing allergens and bacteria to enter the skin more easily to cause rashes and allergies,” she explains.

Dr Lynn Chiam, dermatologist at the Children & Adult Skin Hair and Laser Clinic, observes the same changes. “I definitely see a significant increase in cases of eczematous dermatitis, as heat and sweat can trigger an exacerbation of skin rash. There are also more patients seeking help for acne or maskne from prolonged maskwearing, not only in adolescents, but also among adults,” she says.