Autumn Skincare Tips & Tricks
The days are shorter, everyone's Instagram feeds are full of pumpkin patches and cosy knits, and everywhere is covered in a fine layer of leaves. No denying it now - we're officially in Autumn.
Personally, I'm a big fan of the season (I just love getting cozy) but my skin absolutely doesn't. As the nights turn colder and the weather turns harsher, it becomes frustrating when our once-perfect skincare regime suddenly stops working; we're faced with dry patches and acne that weren't there a month ago.
While it may be annoying to have to switch things up once you've got them just right, it's super important to change up your routine depending on the season.
Here, I've curated a list of rules I tend to follow when updating my skincare for the transitional autumn weather and the host of new skin-related problems that it brings. I hope it helps you too!
Extra moisture!
Firstly, it's soooo important to add in an extra layer of moisture to your face (and body!), as the cold weather mixed with central heating is the perfect formula for dry skin.
I suggest adding in an extra serum or oil to your routine - side note, even if you've got 'oily' skin, please don't be afraid to use an oil or oil-based products! When we cleanse, we strip our skin of it's natural oils so it's important to add these back in.
Though they're a bit punchy, the Farsali serums are amazing for an intense burst of hydration. I particularly love the 'Unicorn Essence' because, I mean, I just can't say no to a great product that's also pink and sparkly.
Farsali Unicorn Essence
Exfoliate
Another step I take to combat autumn/winter dryness is to add in an extra exfoliation to my weekly routine.
I'm a big fan of a light chemical exfoliant as I find physical exfoliants a bit harsh, so I like to do this a few times per week more than in the summer.
It may seem counter-intuitive, as so many people don't exfoliate in fear of further drying out their skin, but this isn't true! With the dryness of the season comes a backlog of dead skin clogging up your pores (sorry, gross image), so exfoliation is a MUST to slough all that dead skin off.
Product-wise, I'm obsessed with the Glycolic Fix pads from Nip+Fab. They do such a good job at smoothing the skin without stripping my face of its natural moisture.
Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads
Don't forget SPF!!
This next tip is something that I ignored for far longer than I should - learn from my mistakes... it's more for the long-term than a quick-fix, but please don't stop using an every day SPF when the summer months are over!
Even though we can't feel the sun's warm rays any more, that doesn't mean they can't do their damage. To protect ourselves from the damaging UV rays and keep ourselves looking youthful (and healthy), be sure to use an SPF as the last step of your morning skincare routine.
Treat yourself to an at-home facial
I don't know about you, but I need this just as much as my skin does nowadays.
There's truly nothing like a facial to make you feel relaxed and pampered to the max, and due to the pandemic most of us have had to take this into our own hands.
I've been absolutely LOVING the Foreo UFO 2 at the moment for a DIY pamper session - my skin has really been thanking me for it as well. With different masks to choose from, you can target the areas you're struggling with most while getting an all-over hydration boost and much needed time for yourself.
Foreo UFO 2 Smart Mask Treatment Device
Don't neglect your hands
Lastly, while this one's not face-related, now more than ever we really need to be using a good hand cream.
Our poor hands are trying to combat seasonal-dryness with pandemic-related-hand-washing-dryness, so we could do with giving them a bit of love in the moisturising department.
I find what helps me to remember is to put a hand cream in with all my other daily skincare bits and make it part of my routine; so at least I'm doing it twice a day if anything.
And trust me, I definitely notice if I forget to do it! Flaky hands are not the vibe we're going for if we can help it.
I really enjoy the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, particularly because its an all-rounder so I can use it on my hands, lips and anywhere else that's feeling a bit dry.
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream
Good luck in all of your autumn skincare endeavours!
Love, Pam xx
