When October comes, lip balm and hand cream suddenly show up in my Korean friends' bags. In front of cosmetics shops, signs appear saying "No more dryness from within!" So what's going on? ## Summer Air, Autumn Air Summers in Korea are rainy and muggy. But when autumn arrives, the air turns clear and dry. The sky is often high and blue on these days because there's less moisture in the air. Then your lips start to chap and your hands start to feel tight. This is when Koreans put moisturizing products in their bags. ## What Does "속건조" Mean? "속건조" is a word made up of "속" (inside) and "건조" (dryness). It refers to skin that looks shiny and oily on the outside but feels tight because it lacks water on the inside. When I was little, people just said "dry skin." Now this condition has a name. So even when my face is oily, I don't put off moisturizing. That's why shops put this phrase up in big letters every October. ## What Has Changed, What Hasn't As I remember it, I used to only get out the lotion after the weather had turned quite cold. These days, I get ready ahead of time in October, when the dryness starts. Some things stay the same, though. It's like a friend holding out their hand cream and saying, "You put some on too." When that happens, accept it with a smile and put some on together. At a cosmetics store, ask, "Do you have a product for dryness from within?" The staff will guide you to the moisturizing creams. Everyone's skin is different, so try a sample before you buy.