Know Your City, Know Your Skin

By Canoe Group on October 20, 2023 in best & worst

The best and worst cities for healthy skin.

Where we live matters to our skin. Is the water where we live particularly hard? Are the UV rays higher than average? Is there air pollution? Is the weather humid or dry?

If you’ve traveled around, you might have noticed that your skin slightly, or drastically, changes according to your location. I grew up in New Jersey. When I moved down to Florida, my skin changed drastically. In some good ways, and some bad ways. The increase in humidity helped keep my naturally dry skin well-hydrated. The increase in my water consumption (due to it being hot as flames down here) helped with skin hydration as well. The downside to the move meant that my skin was starting off dryer than it had ever been in New Jersey thanks to the hard water coming through the taps of my new home. It meant some adaption to my skincare routine. I used a stronger moisturizer, the NeoCutis Prism + Defense Cream with an SPF 43. The UV index is also generally higher for longer stretches of time in Florida; I knew I needed a cream with that added protection. On a trip back up to New York one winter, my skin, though happy with the softer water, went into shock over the dryness of the air. Thankfully, my aunt rescued my cracking skin with Topix Replenix Pure Hydration Moisture Balm. It was my elixir for that trip, giving me a dewy finish in less than forgiving conditions.

Knowing the rhythms of the environment in which you live is important to planning out your skincare routine. Because, let’s be honest, most of us probably are not in a position to make a move based on our skin care needs. We can, however, adjust our skincare routine to meet our current environment with much more ease. Wonder how your city ranks in skin health?

By taking a look at the air pollution, UV levels, and the water hardness of each city, HouseFresh, air quality experts whose studies have been featured in Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, and New York Post among other publications, awarded each city with a rating that ranked the worst and the best.

If you find yourself living in one of the harsher cities like Corona, California, or McAllen, Texas — fret not. Of course, you’ll want to settle on a high-quality SPF, but don’t forget your lips. Elta MD UV Lip Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 36 will do the trick.

Protecting your skin against the elements is your number one concern in these harsh atmospheres. If you can swing it, wash your face with bottled distilled water, or at least purified water from a filter. It’s as simple as keeping a gallon-sized jug on hand, about $2 at the grocery store. No, we’re not suggesting you water log yourself every morning and night like Flashdance.

Tried that, and my partner promptly Googled a gif of Miss Piggy a la Flashdance.

I couldn’t disagree with him when I saw the comparison.

You’ll actually save water (if you avoid doing the Flashdance water scene), as the habit to leave the faucet running while washing the face is a common one. Pour the water into a glass spray bottle to keep in your bathroom vanity. Spritz generously morning and night; your skin will thank you. It’s a bougie indulgence that’s actually really cheap and protects your skin from hard water. Unfortunately, we can’t bottle up good atmosphere to use while we’re out and about (though you might consider using an air filtration system at home), but we can use a protectant. Revision Intellishade Clear SPF 50 is the jack of all trades. Not only will it moisturize your skin, but it also contains a strong blend of antioxidants to fight against the toxins in the air while protecting your skin from the sun and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. That’s a win in my book. But even after all of that, because our skin could always use a little more health, if you’re living in the worst of the worst cities (I’m lookin’ at you, Scottsdale) calm and restore your skin at the end of the day a few days a week with Skin Ceuticals Photo Corrective Masque.

For you lucky duckies living in one of the best skin cities, you’re not exactly off the hook. Keep up with a good skincare routine, regardless. Good skincare is nature and nurture.