How to create an autumn skincare regime

   Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Hello, autumn! 

We’re happy to see you.  

When it comes to skin, the changing of the seasons is always a bit of a precarious time as your epidermis adjusts to different conditions. Autumn can be the time when all the carefree fun, late nights and long beach days of summer finally catch up with us. The air becomes drier and less humid; the weather windier. Combined with the increased time we might spend near heaters, this whole thing is a recipe for dehydrated and dull-looking skin.  

Luckily, autumn is also very conducive to beginning new rituals and routines of all sorts — including a skincare regime.  

Here are our top tips for keeping your skin looking fresh and supple through the cooler weather. (Of course, it’s always best to observe changes in your skin before launching head-first into a new routine, and avoid radically changing things overnight).  

   Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels

Exfoliate — but don’t go crazy 

You might want to up your exfoliating efforts over autumn to help ease skin congestion and cell build-up. As a rule, keep it gentle. Your facial skin is delicate and won’t enjoy being scrubbed like you might scrub your body.  

There are plenty of manual gentle exfoliating methods that don’t involve chemicals or (or nasty microplastics!) — try our Rosalina and Marshmallow Face Scrub (or scroll down and check our out full autumn DIY facial recipe for a great one using household ingredients!).   

Enrich your skincare routine   

Now is the time to start gradually using heavier, richer moisturisers and face oils to make up for the lost humidity in the air (especially now that we don’t have to worry about summer sweatiness!).  

Our Boab, Wattle and Kelp face oil is a super nourishing elixir that’s packed full of Vitamin C and minerals to restore and replenish sun-kissed skin. (Pro tip: Pipette a small amount onto the back of your hand, apply to face, and then rub any remnants into the back of your hand).   

Remember to sunscreen daily  

The sun might be hiding — but that doesn’t mean the UV is. It’s still extremely important to keep up your sunscreen application in the cooler weather — we suggest making it part of your morning skincare routine. (Sunscreen should be the last step in your skincare routine and the first step in your make up routine. For more info, read our blog on this).  

Don’t forget to also apply sunscreen to all of those other parts of your body that are getting UV exposure — we’re talking ears, neck, décolletage and backs of hands.  

Our tinted sunscreen is especially good in the cooler weather because it’s got added cocoa butter (read: added moisture) and will give you a subtle bronze glow.  

Keep drinking water 

It’s easy to forget to drink water when the temperature drops, but experts say that hydrating yourself from the inside is more important for keeping skin supple than anything you apply to the skin topically.  

We find that drinking herbal tea or warm lemon water helps us down our three litres of water a day.  

   Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Try out this DIY skin recipe 

This one is from our interview with Ayurvedic practioner Jemima Kerr. Jemima created it to help balance the dryness that comes with vata season (autumn) and nourish the skin.  

Steps:  

Start by steaming/cleansing the skin by pouring boiling water into a bowl and adding a drop of essential oil (Jemima recommends lavender, bergamont, cinnamon, eucalyptus, sandalwood, rose or jasmine). Soak a facewasher in the water and press it against your face.  

Then, make a face scrub. Combine one teaspoon or chickpea or oat flour (literally just blended-up oats!) with ¼ teaspoon of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of milk (replace with aloe vera juice or gel if vegan). Mix together and rub face in a circular motion to gentle exfoliate. 

Next, it’s face mask time. Mix ½ a soft and ripe avocado or ½ a ripe banana (or a mix of both) with 2 tablespoons of aloe vera and 1 teaspoon of sesame or almond oil. Add a small amount of oat flour for a thicker consistency. Leave on for 15 minutes before washing off with a hot face washer or warm water. 

Optional: apply rosewater for toning. 

To finish, moisturise with sesame oil or almond oil as these have warming qualities that are beneficial for vata.