Spring arrives and suddenly everything seems to wake up.
The garden starts growing again. The days get longer. Windows are opened. Washing goes back outside.
And for some of us, our skin seems to notice the change too.
Perhaps your face feels itchier than usual. Your arms suddenly feel dry. Skin that was perfectly comfortable a few weeks ago becomes red, sensitive or easily irritated.
If this happens to you every spring, you're not imagining it.
The changing season brings a combination of pollen, wind, fluctuating temperatures and increased time outdoors, all while skin may still be recovering from months of cold weather and indoor heating.
Here's what might be happening.
Can pollen make your skin itchy?
For some people, yes.
We generally associate pollen allergies with sneezing, watery eyes and a runny nose, but environmental allergens can also contribute to skin irritation in people who are susceptible.
Spring marks the beginning of New Zealand's main pollen season. Trees are among the first plants to begin pollinating as the weather warms, while grass pollen commonly becomes more prominent from August or September and can continue for several months.
For someone with eczema or particularly reactive skin, pollen can be one of several environmental factors associated with flare-ups.
That doesn't mean pollen is responsible for every itchy patch that appears in September.
But if your skin seems to become troublesome at roughly the same time each year, it's worth considering what is changing around you as well as what's happening in your skincare routine.
Why does my skin become more sensitive in spring?
Spring is a bit of an in-between season.
One day can feel almost like summer. The next morning you're reaching for another layer before heading outside.
That constant shift in temperature and humidity can influence how your skin feels.
At the same time, you might be:
- spending more time outdoors
- opening doors and windows more often
- gardening again
- encountering more pollen
- experiencing stronger sun exposure
- sweating more
- changing your skincare routine
None of these things automatically causes sensitive skin, but together they can create a very different environment from the one your skin has been living in over winter.
Your skin barrier may still be catching up after winter
Sometimes what looks like a spring problem actually started months earlier.
Cold weather, dry indoor air, heating and long hot showers can all leave the skin feeling drier and less comfortable.
Your skin barrier forms part of the outermost layer of your skin and helps retain moisture while protecting against the outside environment.
If it has become dry or disrupted, skin may be less tolerant of things that wouldn't normally bother it. You may notice:
- itching
- dryness
- tightness
- flaking
- redness
- products suddenly stinging
- increased sensitivity
So when pollen, wind and warmer weather arrive, already-dry skin may feel even more reactive.
If skincare has suddenly started stinging as well, have a read of our guide to why skincare sometimes stings when you apply it.
Is itchy spring skin an allergy?
Not necessarily.
There's a difference between sensitive skin, irritated skin and an allergic reaction.
Contact dermatitis, for example, can develop when something that touches the skin either irritates it or triggers an allergic response. Symptoms can include intense itching, dry or cracked skin, burning, tenderness, swelling and sometimes blistering.
And the cause isn't always pollen.
Spring often means we're using things we haven't touched for months.
Sunscreen. Gardening products. Different cosmetics. Insect repellents. New fragrances. Even plants themselves.
If your skin reaction occurs in a very specific area, think about what has actually been touching that part of your skin.
Sometimes the pattern gives you the biggest clue.
Can natural products irritate sensitive skin?
They can.
This is something we think natural skincare brands should be open about.
We love botanical ingredients, grow many of our own herbs and have worked with herbal skincare for decades.
But natural does not mean that nobody can ever react to an ingredient.
Any individual can have a sensitivity or allergy to something that is perfectly well tolerated by somebody else. Dermatologists likewise note that even products labelled natural or clean can cause contact dermatitis in susceptible people.
If your skin is particularly reactive, patch test unfamiliar products and introduce them one at a time.
That way, if something doesn't suit your skin, you have a much better chance of identifying what it is.
What can you do for itchy, reactive skin in spring?
Often, the best approach is surprisingly simple.
Simplify your skincare
If your skin feels irritated, this isn't necessarily the time to introduce four exciting new active ingredients.
Return to the basics for a little while.
Think:
Gentle cleansing. Moisture. Protection.
Once your skin is feeling comfortable again, you can gradually reintroduce anything you've paused.
Avoid scrubbing the itch away
When skin feels rough or flaky, exfoliating can feel like the obvious answer.
But irritated skin doesn't always need more exfoliation.
If you're already experiencing itching, burning or sensitivity, aggressive scrubbing can make things worse.
Be gentle until you understand what's causing the problem.
Moisturise consistently
Dry skin tends to itch more easily, so maintaining moisture is an important part of keeping reactive skin comfortable.
Dermatologists recommend regular moisturising as a core part of managing eczema-prone skin because hydrated skin is less likely to crack and become increasingly irritated.
A useful habit is applying moisturiser after bathing or showering while your skin is still slightly damp.
Keep showers warm rather than very hot
A hot shower might feel wonderful, but very hot water can contribute to dry skin.
Shorter showers with comfortably warm water tend to be kinder to skin that is already feeling reactive.
Think about what you've been exposed to
If the irritation is mainly on your hands and arms, have you been gardening?
If it's around your eyes, have you introduced a new skincare product or makeup product?
If your face becomes uncomfortable after being outdoors, does it seem worse on high-pollen or windy days?
You don't need to become a detective every time your nose itches.
But patterns can be useful.
Wash off the day
If you've spent a lot of time outdoors during pollen season, a gentle evening cleanse or shower can help remove pollen, sweat and other things that have collected on the skin.
The key word is gentle.
You're removing what has accumulated during the day, not scrubbing your skin into submission.
Give dry, itchy areas some extra support
For skin on the body that is feeling dry, itchy or irritated, our Soothe & Repair Cream is formulated specifically with this kind of uncomfortable skin in mind.
It combines nourishing oils with herbal extracts and can be applied to areas that need extra care.
For facial skin that is naturally sensitive, our Nourish & Glow range has been designed for normal, including sensitive, skin.
But remember, particularly reactive skin is individual.
If you're unsure about a product, patch testing first is always a sensible approach.
What about eczema in spring?
Eczema is a medical skin condition rather than simply "sensitive skin".
Atopic dermatitis, one common form of eczema, causes dry, inflamed and often intensely itchy skin. Flare-ups can come and go, and different people can have very different triggers.
Environmental factors including pollen can contribute to flare-ups for some people.
If you have diagnosed eczema, keep following the management plan provided by your health professional.
Skincare can play a supportive role in keeping skin moisturised and comfortable, but it isn't a substitute for medical treatment where that is needed.
When should itchy skin be checked?
Occasional mild itchiness that settles when you simplify your routine or moisturise is one thing.
Persistent or worsening irritation deserves more attention.
Speak with your healthcare practitioner or dermatologist if:
- the itching is severe or won't settle
- your skin becomes swollen or very inflamed
- you develop an ongoing rash
- the skin cracks, weeps or bleeds
- you develop blisters
- the same reaction keeps returning
- you're unable to work out what is triggering it
Contact dermatitis, eczema and other skin conditions can look surprisingly similar, so getting the right diagnosis matters.
Spring doesn't mean your whole skincare routine needs replacing
Seasonal changes are a good reminder that skin isn't static.
What felt perfect in July might need a small adjustment in September.
That doesn't mean buying an entirely new bathroom shelf every three months.
Sometimes it's as simple as using a little more moisturiser, exfoliating less frequently, cleansing more gently or paying attention to how your skin responds after time outdoors.
The goal isn't perfect skin that never reacts to anything.
It's understanding your skin well enough to notice when it needs a little more support.
Not sure what your skin needs this spring?
Our free 2-minute Skincare Consultation asks a few simple questions about your skin and recommends The Herb Farm products we think will best suit its current needs.