Top Tips for Protecting Your Skin During Autumn

Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle. This is especially true when it comes to taking care of it in more adverse weather conditions, where changes in temperature can cause drastic changes to your complexion. However, with some due care and consideration, you can protect one of your most precious organs.

It's not just the outdoors that can give your skin a battering- the low humidity of indoor heating as the mercury drops can dry your skin out even more so than the hottest summery day!

Skin is the strongest barrier against infection that we have, and it prevents water loss by creating an oily barrier. However, in cooler months the body stops producing as much of this oil; meaning we need to help it along in any way that we can.  Keeping the skin supple and healthy is a vital part of our day to day, and we’ve got some top tips for keeping it ship shape.

Firstly… listen to your body

Does your usually dry skin suddenly find itself fighting with an oily t-zone? If so, it’s trying to tell you something! Changes in the skin can happen for many reasons, from seasonal changes down to you trying out a new face mask rather than the one you’ve relied on for years.

Oftentimes when you alter your skincare regime, your skin takes a little while to catch up and adjust to the new PH levels you have just introduced to it. That’s why generally it’s better to get a routine together that suits your specific skin type, and stick to it. Sometimes a little investment in products that you know work for you can go a long way!

Everyone’s skin is different, and we stand a better chance of knowing what works best for us if we listen to it.

Consider changing body cleanser or shower gel

A lot of shower gels and body cleansers contain soap and parabens, so it’s best to avoid products that contain these ingredients as they dry out your skin; meaning you’re fighting a losing battle before you start, and you’re forever going to be trying to catch up with any moisture that has already been lost.

Arran Aromatics create some amazing body washes and cleansers, but we particularly rate this After the Rain shower gel, which has added Pro Vitamin B5 (known to promote enhanced skin condition).  This one smells of lime, rose and sandalwood, which we find particularly delightful in this season!

Always moisturise after exfoliating

Exfoliating your skin feels amazing- all the hard to reach grime that you didn’t even know was there gets washed away. However, when you use harsh scrubs on your skin, you’re not just washing away the nasties. You’re also washing away some of the good bits too!

Selecting a product to help put this moisture back into your skin presents you with limitless choices, all using different terms to describe the consistency of the product; cremes, gels, masks and soaks. At the moment, we adore body soufflés , especially this Tarrocco orange one by Crabtree and Evelyn. Not only does it smell incredible, bit it’s lightly whipped formula feels light and buttery as you rub it into your skin, and contains petitgrain, juniper berry and angelica extracts promote suppleness.

Hydrate. Your. Skin!

We can’t stress this one enough. Whether young or old, it’s super important to make sure we replenish the skin- after all, it goes through a lot!

Our notoriously tempestuous British weather means that your skin is subjected to a complete change in temperature or humidity, often within the space of a few minutes. The skin tries to adjust itself based upon these outside influences, which can wreak havoc on your complexion if you don’t keep on top of things.

Hands suffer badly due to extreme changes in temperature, and can easily become dry, cracked and sometimes painful without some TLC. We love this hand lotion by Crabtree & Evelyn, with a beautiful citrusy scent that’s perfect to perk up a dreary autumn morning.

Better still, it’s a great sized tube to keep in our bag for emergencies!

Don’t forget your face…

And not just the cheeks. We all tend to hoard various types of balms and lipsticks that promise to restore our lips to their natural, luscious selves rather than the painful chapped state that we’re accustomed to in the colder months.

Loveolli produce a range of products from soap bars to hand made lip balms. One of their products in particular is worth the purchase, the pink lemonade handmade lip balm. The lip balm contains jojoba, apricot kernel and olive oils, which are blended with beeswax designed to keep your lips feeling soft and healthy.

Obviously, it is very important that the men out there are also looking after their skin. It can be hard to stay in that skincare routine and lifestyle habits might get in the way. However, if you don’t keep on top of it, you could be facing issues with your skin that isn’t going to help as the years go by. Protect your skin after shaving with this nutrient Men’s Grooming Thistle and Black Pepper Aftershave Balm made by Scottish Fine Soaps. If you struggle to keep your beard in good condition then this Men’s Grooming Thistle And Black Pepper Face And Beard Kit has everything you need to make sure your beard is looking its best every day!

overall, what works for someone else may not work for you, and vice versa. The key is to monitor what your body is trying to tell you. Healthy skin is better able to fight signs of ageing, heals much faster and fights off potential disease better than unhealthy skin, so investing in products enriched with vitamins and minerals that are clinically proven is worthwhile.