We prefer to group our seasons in two instead of the usual four – Spring/Summer when our weather is usually dry and sunny with warm to hot temperatures and then Autumn/Winter, when the weather changes to colder air, rain, wind, and even snow. There is a marked change from one seasonal group to the other which, for most of us, has an impact on our health. As a consequence, our approach to wellbeing (the state of being comfortable, happy and healthy) and skincare needs to adapt accordingly.
Having the right skincare routine benefits our health and wellbeing so it is important that we change our routine from the one we used in Spring / Summer to reflect the environmental changes we have to face. Autumn/Winter can be particularly harsh so it is up to us to do everything that we can to nurture the skin’s protective barrier for it to retain moisture that our body and skin needs, whilst taking care of our overall physical and mental health too. In this post, we’re sharing our top tips for promoting your wellbeing during the A/W seasons…
TOP TIPS FOR AUTUMN / WINTER WELLBEING
With the decrease in temperature outside and drying impact of the heating inside, our skin becomes dry, flaky and dehydrated. We recommend a few things to give it a little more TLC including:
- Keeping skin supple with a nourishing face oil. Add a few drops into your moisturiser in the morning to boost hydration and moisturisation levels throughout the day. If your skin is feeling tight, use a few more extra drops in the evening when your skin has time to breathe and regenerate. Your measure of how much to use in the morning and at night is how comfortable your skin is feeling such as how tight it is after cleansing and if there are any visible dry patches on waking in the morning.
- Taking extra time massaging your skin both in the morning and at night will give skin a circulation boost and is a great mindfulness practice to help you reconnect with your mind and body.
- Using products which include hyaluronic acid and alpha hydroxy acids will protect your skin against dryness, keeps it soft and reduces signs of ageing which are accelerated by the harsher conditions.
- Prevent sore, dry, chapped lips by using lip products that contain natural waxes, butters or oils. These products will protect, nourish and repair your lips and can also be used as a hydrating balm under or instead of lipstick.
- Gently exfoliate twice a week – this will remove dead cells so the pores won’t get clogged up and will help increase cell regeneration.
Our immune system is also lower during this time meaning we become more susceptible to catching colds and the flu. Boost your antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrition intake to ward off any illnesses at this time of year. We always try to add more turmeric, ginger and vitamin C from lemons and citrus fruits, berries, etc into our diet around this time of year. Vitamin C also has the added benefit of brightening skin.
Our mental wellbeing also changes with the seasons as we get less vitamin D from natural sunshine. This is especially true for those of us blessed with melanin in our skins. We need more vitamin D supplementation in the winter months, along with longer spells in the sunshine to make vitamin D in our skin. Continue to try to get outside for some fresh air and exercise daily. It may be tempting to stay inside but wrap up warm and/or get moving as doing this not only promotes positive mental health but improves lacklustre skin too. Remember to wear SPF all year round. This will help protect skin from UV rays, pollution, and free radicals.
Minimise your sugar intake – you can read all about the impact of sugar here. Although we are approaching Christmas and New Year, be mindful of what you are eating and drinking and practise consuming intuitively. PS, if you enjoy a glass of wine or two, red wine has less sugar than white wine!
This one applies all year round, but should be increased during Autumn/Winter… drinking plenty of water has many benefits and is vital for many internal processes including regulating body temperature (important as colder temperatures outside can lead to the body losing heat faster than it can produce it – this is known as hypothermia), aiding circulation (we tend to stay inside more when it gets colder), helps fight off illness, improves mood, keeps skin hydrated and brighter, and much more.
It’s tempting to jump in a nice hot shower, especially when the weather is cold, but try to have lukewarm showers and limit your shower time to retain the skin’s moisture levels.
Try not to have your central heating set too high as heating makes it hard for your skin to maintain moisture. Having a humidifier in the room will help reduce air dryness as it retains moisture in the air which will help skin stay hydrated. Adding some essential oils, such as lavender to relax in the evening or sweet orange to uplift in the morning, can also aid in improving mood and sleep.
Make sure to get enough sleep and get daylight into the eyes as soon after waking as possible to help regulate the circadian rhythm.
HOW DO YOU TAKE EXTRA CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR SKIN FOR AUTUMN/WINTER?
We’d love for you to share your Autumn/Winter wellbeing tips in a comment below.
