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Monsoon vs Winter: Why Your Skin Changes With the Season

In monsoon and summer (roughly March to October) heat and humidity raise oil and sweat, so lighter textures feel better. In Dhaka's short winter (December to February) dry air and dust pull water from skin, so it gets tight and flaky and needs a richer moisturizer. Your skin type stays the same; the routine changes a little.

Written by the Oliareen editorial teamDermatologist review: pendingLast updated: 6 November 2026How we write

What actually changes

Studies show the face makes more oil in summer, while in dry, cool months skin loses more water and stings more easily. High humidity makes even dry skin look less dry, so many people feel oily in monsoon and dry in winter. In Dhaka, air pollution is also at its worst in winter.

In monsoon and summer

  • A light gel or gel-cream moisturizer.
  • Gel or fluid sunscreen, reapplied after wiping sweat, even on cloudy monsoon days.
  • Dry wet clothes, socks and towels before use, and keep skin folds dry.
  • For heat rash, a cool place and loose cotton clothes.

In winter

  • A creamy or milky cleanser; less foaming cleanser.
  • A slightly richer cream with emollients such as ceramides or squalane; petrolatum on lips and cracked spots.
  • Fewer nights of acids or retinol; fewer still if stinging rises.
  • No very hot showers; keep them lukewarm and short.
  • Sunscreen in winter too: the sun feels mild but UV is still there.

At the turn of the season (November and March)

Do not swap every product at once. In November, make the moisturizer a little richer first, watch for 2 weeks, then change the cleanser if needed. In March, do the reverse: lighten the moisturizer first, then the sunscreen texture. Changing one thing at a time shows you what is working.

Common mistakes

  • Winter's heavy cream in July, and summer's light gel alone in January.
  • Dropping sunscreen in winter.
  • Putting steroid-mixed creams on itchy fungal patches in monsoon, which can make them spread.
  • Scrubbing off winter flakes from tight skin.

Limits of the evidence

There is research on seasonal changes in oil and water loss, but most of it comes from East Asia or India, with little from Bangladesh itself. The months above follow Dhaka's average weather; your home, office and commute can make your skin behave differently.

Questions people ask

Does my skin type change with the seasons?

Your basic type usually stays the same, but oil and water levels move with the seasons. So the same person can feel oily in monsoon and dry in winter.

Is putting oil on my face good in winter?

Oil seals water in but does not add water. Moisturizer on damp skin first, then a few drops of oil on top if very dry, works better. Be careful with acne-prone skin.

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Sources

  1. Youn SW et al. Regional and seasonal variations in facial sebum secretions. Skin Res Technol 2005
  2. Hot-humid climate, sebum and water loss — PMC8712251
  3. Serup J. EEMCO guidance for the assessment of dry skin (xerosis). Skin Pharmacol 1995
  4. DermNet — Dry skin
  5. DermNet — Tinea corporis (ringworm)
  6. Oliareen research base — routines and retention (seasonal shifts in Bangladesh)