Riverine

Your skin has strong tendencies toward coolness and wetness with a slight tendency toward heat, much like the humid continental climate found in Seoul, South Korea. Other cities with humid continental climates include Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; and Beijing, China. Humid continental climates are typically cool to cold for most of the year but can be quite hot during the summer months. In these climates, mid-summer temperatures average about 30 °C (86 °F), while winter temperatures can drop far below −3.0 °C (26.6 °F). On average, annual precipitation is around 50 inches.

Similarly, your skin tends to be cool, moist, and oily for the most part, but also has a slight tendency toward heat and irritation. Furthermore, like the humid continental climate with its wetter, cooler weather, your skin’s tendency toward oiliness can lead to blackheads and clogged pores, while the subtle tendency toward heat can lead to inflammation.

Balancing products and ingredients

The Riverine skin type has strong tendencies towards oiliness and breakouts, along with heat and irritation. Overall, your skin care routine should emphasize making the skin less oily and keeping the pores clean and clear. Your skin care products should all be light and slightly drying to avoid your tendency towards clogged pores.

• Grape seed oil - this light and soothing oil is ideal for your skin type, because it provides moisture and nourishing antioxidants and essential fatty acids along with moisture, while not clogging your pores. It can be used in small quantities as a moisturizer or mixed into your regular lotion, and can also be used to remove your makeup at the end of the day.
• Jojoba oil - this oil closely matches the skin’s natural sebum and can be used in small amounts to help soothe and moisturize the skin.
• Astringent toners - toners containing drying ingredients such as witch hazel are beneficial to balancing your oily tendencies. These types of products can be used as the next step after cleansing to promote balance and an acidic pH similar to the pH of your natural skin barrier.
• Moisturizer - Even though your skin tends to be oily, it is still important to use a light moisturizer to protect your skin’s barrier. Choose a moisturizer that is light and in the form of a lotion or gel. Always choose oil-free moisturizers to avoid clogged pores.
• Salicylic acid - regular use of the beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) called salicylic acid may be beneficial to your skin type to help reduce clogged pores and oiliness.
• Sunscreen - your skin is especially prone to signs of aging such as dark spots. It is essential to wear a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen on all sun-exposed areas.

Aggravating products and ingredients

The Riverine skin type tends to very oily; therefore, oily and heavy products should be avoided entirely. In addition, heavy makeups such as oil-based foundations will very likely lead to clogged pores and pimples. Your skin also tends towards heat and can be easily irritated by certain chemicals, leading to inflammation and redness. Examples of products and ingredients that should be avoided in your skin type include:

• Heavy products that may clog your pores - petrolatum-based products, shea butter, and heavy creams are examples of products that are too heavy for your skin type and will increase your chance for developing clogged pores and pimples.
• Chemical fragrances and harsh exfoliants tend to easily irritate your skin, leading to inflammation and disruption of your skin’s protective outer barrier.

Balancing bathing and washing habits

The Riverine skin type is oily most of the time and very prone to clogged pores and pimples, so regular cleansing is important to balance oiliness. Your skin will best benefit from twice daily cleansing with an effective cleanser in order to rid your skin of grime and makeup residues. You may benefit from a facial cleanser containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, especially if you are having a breakout.

Always wash your face after exercising to avoid increased breakouts.

Aggravating bathing and washing habits

Avoid over washing your face, since this can disrupt your skin barrier and lead to irritation and sensitivity. Due to your skin’s sensitivity, harsh soaps may be too irritating so choose gentle cleansers free from harsh chemicals.

Balancing foods and beverages

For the Riverine skin type, you should aim to eat meals that are well balanced with drying, light, and mildly spicy foods. By consuming a diet rich in predominantly whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes, you will help balance your skin type and achieve a clear complexion.

• Drying foods: cruciferous vegetables (eg. kale, collard greens, broccoli), cauliflower, beans, lentils, apples, raw vegetables, salads, pomegranates.
• Light foods: apples, pears, raw vegetables, berries, salads, and pomegranates.
• Warming and spicy foods in moderation: hot cereal (eg. oatmeal), cooked vegetables, garlic, chilies, raw onions, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, and ginger.

Aggravating foods and beverages

Riverine skin types should avoid very oily and high sugar meals, as this can exacerbate moistness and oiliness of the skin. In addition, salty foods are also best to be limited.

• Heavy, oily, and sweet foods: milk (especially skim milk), refined grains such as white bread, fried foods, pastries, candy
• Sour foods: highly-fermented yogurt, tomatoes, vinegar, hard cheeses
• Salty foods: soy sauce, tamari, seafood, added salts or high sodium food items
• Alcohol should be avoided

Balancing activities and exercise

The Riverine skin type benefits greatly from regular exercise and should include methods of exercise that consist of medium to long sessions of cardiovascular activity with occasional workouts that are high intensity. Since the skin tends to be very oily, makeup removal is important before exercise and facial washing is needed to prevent clogged pores. If you haven’t discovered the exercise that fits best with your lifestyle, see the following list of activity ideas that are balancing for Riverine skin types.

• Yoga - especially Vinyasa or Power Vinyasa
• Long distance running and sprints
• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) - eg. boot camp style workouts, boxing, circuit training
• Rowing
• Hiking
• Cycling, aerobics, dancing, and other invigorating activities

Aggravating activities and exercise

The Riverine skin type does well with almost all activities, and exercise should be a consistent part of your daily routine. The key is to pay attention to your skin and wash your face and body before and after exercise to avoid clogged pores and breakouts. Activities that should be avoided or only pursued in moderation include:

• Heated yoga
• Steam rooms

Exercise routines should be discussed with a physician first to ensure that you are fit enough to engage in exercise.

Balancing climates

Temperate climates, such as the Mediterranean climate help bring the cool, oily, and slightly sensitive tendencies in your skin into balance. In general, drier, temperate environments, help balance the oily nature of this skin type. Warm, but not hot temperatures, can minimize the sensitivity that can occur in this skin type. A Spring Mediterranean excursion may be just what you need!

Aggravating climates

Those with the Riverine skin type should avoid living in rainy and highly variable continental climates. In general, wet and cool weather, as found in Fraser, Colorado, can exacerbate the oily nature of this skin type and lead to blackheads. Hot, humid weather of tropical climates can also cause inflammation, skin sensitivity and acne. Chances are if you need an umbrella, you may also need to tend to your skin a little more too.

Ayurveda is a health system that is from India and is over 5000 years old. The basic concept in Ayurveda is that each person can either be in balance or have imbalances. Everyone has the potential to balance their body and their skin if they can pay attention to their imbalances and their skin’s natural tendencies. Imbalances are described by the Ayurvedic concepts of the doshas which describe three unique physiological building blocks for the body and skin. These doshas are known as vata, pitta, and kapha. Ayurveda is a practical approach to skin care. Learn more about how Ayurveda works and what makes up the doshas.

Imbalances in the doshas

This skin type is associated with a major imbalance in the Kapha dosha and a minor imbalance in the Pitta dosha. Kapha represents structure in the body as seen with collagen and oil production in the skin. Pitta represents transformation and metabolism in the body and is made up of the elements fire and water. Heat, vitamin D production, and skin radiance are all thought to be mediated by Pitta.

Each dosha is made up of 2 of the 5 elements (air, space, fire, water, and earth.) Kapha is made water and earth, which represent structure and water in the skin, respectively. Excess water accounts for increased oiliness of the skin. Pitta is made up of water and fire, the latter of which is represented in the occasional inflammation seen in this skin type.

How are the doshas influenced?

Kapha is affected by anything cold, wet and heavy. Cold and wet climates, heavy foods, alcohol, and sleeping too much can increase Kapha. Warm, dry weather and light foods can help balance Kapha for this reason. Pitta is affected mostly by anything heating, such as spicy food, hot weather, and stress.

What the skin says about the rest of your body

In Ayurveda, the body’s various physical and mental systems are thought to all be connected and can affect each other. If you feel tired all the time, lack motivation or feel depressed, you may have a Kapha imbalance. Obesity and diabetes are also signs of a Kapha imbalance. Individuals who have more Pitta in their constitution tend to be ambitious and driven and can often experience rashes, impatience, anger, reflux, and indigestion when Pitta is out of balance.

Foods

Kapha excess can occur from foods that are cold, oily, sweet, salty and sour. Pitta imbalance can occur with hot, spicy, sour, salty and oily foods. Warm, lighter foods with bitter and astringent tastes are optimal for this skin type. Learn more about Kapha and Pitta balancing foods.

Take care of your skin, body, and mind from an Ayurvedic perspective

From an Ayurvedic perspective, imbalances in the doshas, or the physiologic mind-body constitution types, lead to different issues in both mental and physical well-being. The mind-body connection is well recognized in many different healing traditions and is now being recognized more in conventional medicine.

Moderate exercise can be very helpful for this skin type as it can decrease Kapha and relieve stress. Luckily Pitta’s ambition and drive can help keep Kapha’s heavy nature more in balance. Healthy lifestyle habits all around are key to keeping this skin type in balance.

Personality

Those with the Riverine skin type are down to earth and also confident. These individuals are loyal and dependable and their friendships and relationships are quite strong. They are also excellent team players and have a great work ethic. Calm and even-tempered, they feel relaxed most of the time but can feel easily stressed if there is too much on their plate.

When out of balance this personality type can experience burnout to the point that they become apathetic. This can lead to procrastination, depression and even anger in certain cases. Keeping balance in this personality type requires a delicate balance of taking time to enjoy life, without letting it get to a point that the individual loses motivation.