Don’t Stop Wearing Sunscreen!
Just because your summer hols may be a distant memory, it doesn’t mean your daily sunscreen should be too. It’s essential to wear a min. SPF30 all-year-round to protect skin, not just from ageing and pigmentation, but from skin cancer, too.
TRY: Ultra Violette, Queen Screen Lightweight Skinscreen SPF50+, £36
Up your Vitamin C
Post summer, you may be faced with pigmentation and dullness as your summer glow fades. Add in a Vitamin C serum to your skincare to not only even skin tone but also boost collagen production, smooth wrinkles and reduce scarring, too. Look for concentrations of around 10-20 per cent and expect to stick at it for four to six months to really see benefits.
TRY: Sunday Riley, CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, £70
Ease Off On Physical Exfoliants
It can be tempting to slough away dull skin in winter with a physical exfoliant, but our skin can be more sensitive in cooler months. The warmer temperatures of summer help to increase the oiliness of our skin, which acts as a buffer to exfoliants, thus lessening their impact. Winter skin doesn’t have this natural barrier, meaning it can easily be over processed, leaving it sensitive, inflamed and vulnerable to harsh changes in temperature and lead to dehydration. Instead, look for alpha hydroxy acids (they may be labelled lactic or glycolic acid on your skincare). Despite the word ‘acid’, they’re a much gentler alternative as they dissolve the glue holding the dead skin cells together, allowing them to be cleansed away to reveal healthy, brighter skin.
TRY: Omorovicza, Acid Fix, £90
Stay Cool
Just as our central heating can zap our skin’s hydration, so can too hot water in our showers and cleansing regimes. It may be tempting to dial up the thermostat as the dark, cold mornings roll in, but keep it lukewarm and your skin will thank you. While cleansing, you may want to switch up your lightweight summer gel cleanser for something a little more nourishing, especially if your skin is on the dry side. Try an oil or balm cleanser rich in botanical oils to effectively cleanse the skin without stripping it of its natural moisture barrier.
TRY: Elemis, Pro-collagen Cleansing Balm, £44
Repair The Barrier
Over the summer your skin’s natural moisture barrier may have been damaged by dehydration or sun exposure. Now is the time to strengthen it with moisturisers rich in ceramides and lipids that will build back your skin’s natural ability to retain moisture for plumper, smoother skin.
TRY: Dr Jart, Ceramidin Cream, £12
Add An Extra Step
Post cleansing, if you don’t already, now is a great time to dabble with a Hyaluronic serum to really up your skin’s hydration. With the ability to hold 1,000 times its own molecular weight in water, it’s a powerful humectant; locking in moisture to plump and smooth your skin and protect against the drying effects of central heating.
TRY: Sarah Chapman, Intense Hydrating Booster, £68
By Lydia Mansi
September 2021
READ MORE
9 Of The Best Luxury Lip Balms
9 Tea-Infused Beauty Products
Poker Face: 6 Ways To Get Nineties-Style Super Straight Hair
