7 Ways to Transition Your Skincare from Summer to Autumn

It might not have been the warmest of summers, but for some, the shift into autumn is a welcome relief. Cosy jumpers and soft slipper socks begin to make an appearance as the leaves turn gold, the air grows crisp, and the days grow shorter.

Despite the UK’s autumn tendency to be a damp time of year, the truth is the air actually gets dryer. Which means your skin is missing the humidity it grew used to over the summer. And so, to keep on top of the seasonal changes, you need to change up your skincare routine.

If you’re already prone to dry skin, you’ll be well aware of how September brings patchiness and flakiness. But as always, we’re here to help you combat the elements and keep on top of your skincare.

Now is the time to reassess. To take a moment to think about your routine and consider how it might need to change. The chances are, you can make a few minor tweaks and keep your glow year-round. But don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of tips to keep your skin hydrated, itch-free and gorgeous.

 

1 – Get Analytical

Though you probably already know your skin type, you might be surprised to learn it can change from season to season. If you’re prone to oiliness in the warmer months, you might notice this drops off a little as the temperature lowers. True, you’re not likely to go from oily to dry overnight, but you might notice changes.

And trust us, keeping an eye on these things is important.

This is the first step to adjusting your routine. See how your skin is changing and react accordingly. For most, cooler weather means dryness. And that means drinking more water, and keeping your diet as balanced as possible.

Assessing how your skin changes means you can use the following tips as and when you need to.

 

2 – Skin Renewal

When the weather cools and the world slows down a little, our skin does too. Normally, our skin sheds dead cells at an average rate and our skin looks just fine. When autumn arrives, the drop in temperature can slow this shedding process, leaving you dull, rough skin.

To give your skin a helping hand at renewing itself, make sure you’re regularly exfoliating to remove the build-up of dead cells. This will not only help your serums and creams absorb more easily, but the simple massage process can stimulate collagen renewal too.

 

3 – Hydrate

We’ve already mentioned drinking more water to help your skin during the cooler months. But there are other ways to hydrate, too.

The summer months bring with them humidity and heat, which means the best type of cleanser for most skin types is a clarifying one designed to deeply clean. However, now September’s here, a richer cleanser with more hydrating properties can be beneficial.

You can also add in a little bit of pampering, and opt for a hydrating face mask once a week.

 

4 – Mix Up Your Moisturiser

When the sun’s beaming down and your skin is oily and sweaty, then a lightweight gel moisturiser is the dream. But in the autumn, your skin needs a little more heft.

Heavier moisturisers, such as those that contain ceramides, are a great option to help lock in your skin’s limited moisture. Ceramides are fatty acids that occur naturally in your skin, but may struggle in the cooler months – so replacing them is essential.

Without ceramides, the barrier function of your skin can suffer. For many, this is the reason that cold weather leads to itchiness, dryness and general irritation. Which can lead to flare-ups of skin conditions such as eczema.

 

5 – Your Body Needs Hydration Too

If you got into a great summer routine, perhaps with body butter, don’t skip it just because your pins are hidden in jeans or woolly tights.

Often, we invest in skincare for our face, neck and hands – but totally forget about the rest of our skin. And yet plenty of us suffer from itchiness as the weather cools, and again, this is all down to hydration.

Investing in a great body cream or butter is the best way to help your skin stay hydrated, and draw in hydration. Top to toe, you should be keeping your skin moisturised and supple, and products containing ceramides are your best bet for this. Hyaluronic acid, too.

 

6 – Exfoliate Less Often

No, it’s not a trick. We’re not saying skip the exfoliating – as we mentioned before, this is a bad idea. Your skin’s renewal system will be slower, and you’ll absolutely notice a dullness if you avoid exfoliating altogether.

However, autumn is just about the worst time you can overdo it with the scrubbing.

Your skin is likely to be dryer than usual already. Exfoliating too much will only cause your skin to grow red, inflamed and more irritated. If you’re already noticing the dryness and maybe even a little cracking, adding a harsh scrub or chemical exfoliant into the mix will only make things worse.

Here, it comes back to keeping an eye on your skin, and assessing when exfoliating is necessary. If you’ve decided to exfoliate on Mondays and Fridays, great. But if Friday rolls around and your skin is struggling, don’t go for it for the sake of routine. Take care to consider what your skin needs, instead.

 

7 – Consider Buying a Humidifier

One of the reasons your skin thrives in summer is the extra humidity in the air. Once autumn hits, this is quickly gone (though the rain often sticks around), and we stay indoors more often.

Unfortunately, cosy as it may be to crank up the thermostat or gaze into a crackling log fire, neither of these are good for your skin. The heat in your home quickly dries out the air, which can cause your skin to peel, flake and crack. Not only is this unpleasant to look at, it can be sore and sometimes even grow infected if you don’t take action.

A humidifier might seem like an expensive investment, but it’s worth it. Besides, there are some great bargain items out there in a pinch! With the help of the extra humidity in the air, your skin can balance itself out again, and will benefit more from the other elements of your routine.

For optimum results, make sure you turn on the humidifier whenever you turn on the central heating.