Our skin often notices the changes in season before we do. As the air becomes less humid and the intensity of the sun decreases, our skin will attempt to adapt to a new set of circumstances.
It’s important to pre-empt the changes in environment, to give your skin the best chance to thrive as we change season.
Here are some things that we can all do to have healthy, glowing skin this season.
1. Keep up with the sun protection
As the summer months start to fade away, so too does our commitment to sun protection. It’s important to recognise that healthy skin is sun-protected skin and sun protection is an all-year affair.
High intensity ultraviolet rays are still in full-force in Autumn (and more so as a result of global warming). These rays are capable of causing cellular and DNA damage to the skin, which is the number one cause of premature ageing and hyperpigmentation.
You would likely be surprised by just how much damage is caused by the sun outside of the summer months, when many of us perceive the risk of sun damage to be gone.
Invest in a broad spectrum SPF that is at least factor 30 and reapply it throughout the day. If you can find an SPF that is water-based and hydrating, you can ‘hydrate’ whilst you ‘protect,’ for even more radiant skin.
Also be sure to apply SPF to the overexposed but commonly forgotten areas of the body such as your lips, neck, hands and tips of ears.
2. Trial some new actives
Whilst it’s true that ultraviolet rays still cause damage to the skin, we should hopefully start to experience less sun burn and less sun-induced irritation as September and October roll on.
Autumn may therefore be a good time to introduce new actives into your routine such as retinol, exfoliating acids and vitamin C. They typically can make the skin more sun sensitive, so are wiser to trial in the cloudier months.
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These often work to increase skin cell turnover, which can have a remarkable effect on improving acne, breakouts and hyperpigmentation.
Don’t use them all at once, but slowly phase in one new ingredient at a time to help pack the punch that your skin needs.
3. Hydrate and seal in moisture
As Autumn progresses, we will soon start to notice less humidity in the air. We’ll also start to rely more and more on central heating, which further removes the water from the air.
This could be a good time to use hyaluronic acid in your routines (if you don’t already) to help infuse the skin’s barrier with water.
Now might also be a good time to implement a light facial oil into your routine, containing ingredients like ceramides. Ceramide is a naturally occurring lipid that is found in the skin’s barrier that helps to seal in the water. It is so lightweight that it helps to rebalance the oil on your skin without congesting the pores.
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In conclusion, it’s important to recognise that our skin is constantly adapting to new environments. What works during some months, won’t for others.
Always be vigilant and recognise the tell-tale signs that your skin is asking for more hydration or requiring stronger actives as the seasons change.
Until my next column!
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