With its long, light evenings, balmy days at the beach and evening dining al fresco with friends, it’s always difficult to say goodbye to summer – and while our social lives are often the first things to suffer, skin and hair don’t tend to be far behind.
Autumn can be a wonderful time of year, and with the changing colours and crisp weather there is a lot to love about the new season ahead – but with it comes a sharp drop in temperature, and the weather can wreak havoc in more ways than one, calling for a much-needed overhaul to your beauty regime.
If you’re anything like us, the chance to treat yourself to some new, luxurious skincare products and some of the season’s hottest beauty launches won’t feel like a chore – just combine them with a few simple autumn beauty tips and some small tweaks to your daily routine, and you’ll be ready to head into battle in no time.
Hydrate, from the inside out
The cooler weather means taking a different approach to your skincare. In the autumn, the air becomes drier, and combined with wind, indoor heat and other factors, your skin can really suffer. Your best defence? Good hydration, from the inside out. Be sure to sip water regularly throughout the day; when the temperature drops, it can be tempting to reach for the tea and coffee, but keeping caffeine to a minimum will do both your skin and hair a favour in the long-run as it can be dehydrating and contribute to skin feeling tired and dull.
It’s also a good time to swap out your usual daily moisturiser for something more nourishing. Look for something that soaks in easily but provides skin with a layer of protection from the harsher weather, and it’ll thank you for it.
Exfoliate
To prevent your skin from becoming dull, and lacklustre during the autumn months and to maintain that summer glow, add a good exfoliator to your routine and use religiously twice weekly.
Better still, trade your manual exfoliator for an exfoliating toner, which uses fruit acids and AHAs to gently resurface your skin without being abrasive. We love the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Toner – or, go one better with a weekly shot of Ren’s Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask.
Exfoliating regularly helps to increase cellular regeneration and removes dead skin cells that can hinder the absorption of any moisturisers or serums.
Don’t forget to use a gentle exfoliating scrub on the rest of your body once a week, too. If you shave or wax, then it’s particularly important for preventing ingrown hairs – a nuisance than nobody needs, no matter the time of year. Hadviser have some more in depth tips for getting rid, so if you’re a regular sufferer then head over to get the lowdown.
Overhaul your makeup bag
As with every new season, a good overhaul of your makeup bag is in order, so empty out those summer favourites and swap bright summer lipsticks and for nudes or berries and darker foundations for more neutral shades. Our top picks? Treat yourself to the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips 2 line-up – ‘JK Magic’ and ‘In Love with Olivia’ are the most beautiful nudes of the season, and the opulent packaging, as ever, doesn’t disappoint.
Get rid of anything that has expired or that you no longer use, and do a thorough clean of all your makeup brushes with a mild, unscented soap and warm water or brush cleaner. If it’s been a while since you’ve given them a wash, now is a good time to give them a really good soak and rid them of any oil, dead skin and debris – in other words, things you most definitely don’t want on your skin.
Fill those brows
If there’s one thing we love about autumn, it’s the excuse it gives us to wear a fuller brow. Shaping and filling in your brows is a great way to frame your features and can completely transform your look when done right. Consider micro-blading for a low maintenance look – after the initial appointment, you’ll return six weeks later for a top up, before enjoying show-stopping brows for the next two years.
You’ll want to tweeze any strays where necessary and get rid of unwanted hairs. Then fill in brows one shade lighter than your natural brow color. This creates a softer, more natural look to your face. The Waterproof Automatic Brow Pencil comes in three colors, is easy to use, and precise instrument for filling those brows.
