Our Beauty Editor Melanie Kruger talks to Georgie Cleeve, founder of luxury British skincare brand Oskia, about how to successfully overcome the colder weather with a newly-overhauled skincare regime.
Autumn is now in full swing, and whether we’re ready to accept it or not, winter is just a few short weeks away.
As the days become shorter and temperatures begin to drop, your skin can begin to lose valuable moisture, and there is no better time than now to overhaul your skincare regime for the months ahead.
Autumn is a time of transition, so it’s a good opportunity to cast aside the light lotions and minimal potions that saw you through spring and summer – and replace them with the harder-working treatments that will provide your skin with all the vital nourishment it needs to defend itself against the elements.
By putting a new routine into place at this stage, you will be giving yourself the chance to correct some of the damage that has occurred over the summer months, and help prepare your skin for the colder weather ahead.
“After months of basking in the sun, post-summer skin can often look dehydrated”, explains Georgie Cleeve, founder of luxury British skincare brand, Oskia.
“Exfoliation is key to getting rid of dead, damaged cells as well as any remnants of sunburn.”
Georgie suggests integrating the brand’s Micro-Exfoliating Balm into proceedings a couple of times a week to gently but effectively buff away dead skin, and having tried it ourselves, we have to agree that it’s a great choice.
Massaging gently into skin without the addition of water ensures that any dry and lacklustre areas of skin are well and truly kicked into touch, but add minute or so later and it transforms into a creamy, nourishing milk. The end result of this two-stage, one-product ritual is soft, smooth and hydrated skin, without a hint of redness or irritation in sight.
One of the most common skincare concerns once colder weather begins to descend is dry, dehydrated hands. While this can be enough of a problem to contend with at any time of year thanks to harsh soaps and hand gels, biting winds can bring further misery, chapping the skin and leaving hands sore as well as parched.
“Our Renaissance Hand Cream is packed with hydrating ingredients such as Butterbur and macadamia seed oil”, says Georgie.
“For really dry hands, try adding a couple of drops of facial oil for an extra hydration hit.”
As for how often you’ll need to use this tactic, it’s a very personal thing, but applying your hand cream regularly throughout the day will ensure that they remain permanently well moisturised. Prevention is always better than cure, so try to make sure that you get to them before the weather does.
In the winter, it’s crucial that you add a hydration booster to your facial skincare arsenal to keep your moisture levels topped up. With a huge array of serums, masks and night creams to choose from, knowing which one to go for can prove extremely tricky. But Georgie suggests trying a facial oil in order to reap the benefits of all three.
“Our Restoration Oil is an ideal addition to your existing skincare routine for an injection of moisture. It’s incredibly light in texture, and only a few drops are needed to thoroughly replenish, restore and rejuvenate the skin.”
With none of the heaviness that comes with night-time moisturisers, facial oils have seen a sharp increase in popularity over the past few years. Much like with your hand cream, a couple of drops of oil can be mixed in for a more intensive treatment – but for those with normal to oily skin, you can simply use it alone instead – no creams required.
While oils are great for the bedtime beauty regime, however, makeup-wearers are advised to stick to a lightweight moisturiser in the mornings prior to application.
The elements can accelerate the appearance of the early signs of ageing, so it’s crucial that you keep skin well protected when you’re out and about. Oskia’s anti-ageing Nutri-Active Day Cream (lead image) not only provides long-lasting hydration and essential nutrients to improve cell health and efficiency, but is formulated to smooth out and help prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, revitalize and repair, encourage healthy collagen production and protect DNA. Multi-tasking at its best.
Autumn and winter skincare doesn’t have to be the minefield it sometimes purports to be, and armed with a little bit of essential knowledge, you can quickly and easily nip potential issues in the bud before they arise. The key point to remember is that skin requires an extra helping hand in the moisture department, and by giving it some extra care and attention on a daily basis using the right products, you’ll always remain one step ahead.
