Seasonal skincare: caring for dry skin in Autumn

Autumn is time for cosy jumpers, herbal tea, reflection and slowing down a little. It’s also unfortunately a time for dryer skin and chapped lips, particularly in those transition months when your skin is adjusting to a sudden loss of humidity. Colder air holds less moisture, which leads to drier skin. Dry indoor air from heaters can also contribute to a loss of moisture.

You don’t need to go out and buy new products in the winter — these tips are more about doing less in the winter, not more:

Wash your face a little less

If you wash your face twice a day, consider washing your face just once a day to avoid drying the skin out. Just rinse with water and use a light exfoliating konjac sponge in the morning to gently buff off any dead skin cells. Oil cleansing is a particularly good option in the winter as it is has added skin benefits and leaves skin feeling more hydrated after cleansing. 

Hydrate with food and water

Stay hydrated and incorporate more healthy fats from fish, nuts, seeds, avocado or olive oil into your diet like Omega-3 and 6, to keep skin healthy and hydrated. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol. 

Avoid the heat

Avoid very hot long showers that can strip the skin of natural oils and moisture. Opt for lukewarm showers. If it’s not too cold, wear warm clothes indoors instead of turning the heater on.

Consider increasing the thickness of your moisturiser, or double layering 

Consider swapping lightweight moisturisers and oils to thicker. You could also layer an oil and a moisturiser to lock in more moisture. 

Keep moisturiser handy

Keep a bottle of oil or moisturiser and a lip balm in your bag to treat areas that are prone to drying out throughout the day.

Keep up with SPF 

Sunscreen helps to form a barrier to reduce water loss from the skin during the winter. Since the sun's rays can still damage your skin in the winter, it’s important to continue using it year round, even on cloudy days.