Autumn Skincare: What does your skin needs to Glow in Autumn
Autumn Has Arrived!
WHY SKIN NEEDS SEASONAL CARE
September, October, November... Autumn is in full swing, even if it arrived a little later this year. But when it gets crisp and cold, the wind nips uncomfortably at our skin and we want to zip our jackets up under our chins, we have to come up with something to combat the autumn air. What does this mean for skin care? Do I need a different skincare routine for each season?
Autumn means to adjust your skincare
Autumn means adapting. To colder, darker weather, to thicker sweaters, warm drinks and thick blankets. But also your skincare for your skin needs to adapt. Because as the temperatures drips and the pinwheels in the front yards pick up speed, the skin craves more richness and protection. Nourishing serums, hydrating essences and light textures of summer skincare are no longer enough in the colder seasons. Creams, oils, body lotions, scarves and woollen jumpers may find their way back from their summer hiding place. Autumn skincare means strengthening the skin's protective barrier, moisturising and, above all, taking the time to really enjoy skincare and get that me-time.
The answer to the question in the headline, in a nutshell: yes. Find out why your skin's needs change, how you can adapt your skincare and get your skin through the transition phase and the autumn that follows.
In this article, we will discuss the following:
- Skin in autumn: Why does the skin change during the year?
- Update your routine: Oils, creams & co. for your skin care in autumn
- Protection from the outside: Clothing that protects your skin from the cold
- 5 tips for your autumn
1. Skin in Autumn: Why Does Skin change throughout the year?
The basic structure of your skin does not change throughout the year. What does change, however, are its needs. Because your skin is influenced by external factors such as wind, weather, temperature, humidity and sunlight. And if your skin's needs are not met, it can react with dryness, an oily sheen or impurities, for example.
While in summer we need to ensure that we maintain the skin's moisture balance - namely with light textures, such as serums and essences - in autumn and even more so in winter we need to make sure we provide it with sufficient lipids. Richness is needed in addition to hydration. Especially wind, cold temperatures and heating air can severely dry out the skin. Dryness can then lead to the skin barrier no longer being stable enough to keep viruses and bacteria from being able to penetrate. At the same time, the skin can no longer store moisture well, which makes it even more itchy, flaky and tight. You can see the consequences of a disturbed skin protection barrier in this graphic below:
You may already realise that the right care can keep your skin healthy, regardless of the weather or the current calendar. It is therefore important that you learn to understand your skin. This way, you can specifically address its needs and realise when you should use a day cream, for example, and when a light serum is sufficient. And don't worry, seasonal care doesn't have to mean buying completely new products.
2. Update your routine: Oils, Creams & Co. for your skin care in autumn
As already mentioned, your account doesn't have to go into shock because you have to buy completely new skincare products 4 times a year. Care smarter is the motto here! This means giving your skin a step up in richness with the change from summer to autumn. For example, by supplementing your day cream. You can also start by applying it only in the evening, when you notice the first signs of dry skin. Depending on your needs, you can then use it later in the morning and add a nourishing oil to your existing routine in the evening. You don't have to go for the richest oil in the repertoire. Light oils like meadowfoam, cacay or jojoba oil are great for the transition. By the way, you can also use them very well for your hair and have a multi-purpose, even if your skin doesn't need any extra oil at the moment.
But back to skin care. Let me give you an example of how I adjust my routine throughout the year:
I use these products all year round:
And this is what my routine looks like for autumn.
AUTUMN:
Morning:
- Mineral water: splash of cold to warm (not hot!) water frees the skin from excess sebum
- Hydration essence: strengthens the skin's protective barrier and promotes regeneration by deeply hydrating on each skin level and balance the microbiome
- Protective Day Cream: protection & light care with Hyaluronic acid, vitamin c and cacay oil
- Sun cream: even in autumn we should protect our skin from UV radiation
Evening:
- Cleansing Oil: gentle, thorough cleansing is the basis of every skin care routine
- Hydration essence: intensive moisture that penetrates deeply
- Moisturiser: To provide the skin barrier with a protective layer
- Cacay Oil: the lightest oil protects the skin from moisture loss and provide additional fatty acids to seal in all the goodness
As you can see, not much changes in my routine. Not much is added or dropped, and many of the products, such as the facial oils, I use up every six months anyway, so I can alternate wonderfully without having to put a product on the back burner. Applying a sustainable usage to my everyday skincare.
When it comes to the right oil for your skin, I can only suggest that you take a look at this post.
3. PROTECTION FROM THE OUTSIDE: CLOTHING THAT PROTECTS YOUR SKIN FROM THE COLD
However, the right care alone does not protect our skin from the cold, wind and weather. What we use to keep warm on the outside plays a big role here, because the skin wants to be able to breathe and not be suffocated. Natural materials such as wool, alpaca or cashmere, for example, manage the balancing act between keeping us warm and letting us breathe.
Patagonia has been producing sustainable clothing from natural materials for over 49 years. Their concept is similar to ours: We put people and the planet first. With timeless designs made from nature's materials, your skin is protected in a particularly delicate way in autumn and winter.
Materials that protect your skin from the cold:
Organic virgin wool
New wool has a very useful property: it regulates the body temperature so that we don't cool down, but at the same time heat doesn't build up. Wool is also self-cleaning, because drops of water, dirt and dust find it difficult to penetrate the fibre. So it is quite sufficient to air the garment instead of washing it all the time. This not only saves water, but also energy and time.
Alpaca: a precious hair
Alpaca, camel, cashmere or yak - they all have one thing in common: they belong to the class of precious hairs. These are particularly high-quality animal hairs that do not come from sheep. These natural fibres are soft on the skin, warm wonderfully and look super cuddly on top of that. hessnatur checks the origin very carefully and demands great transparency from the manufacturers, who have to meet strict guidelines.
You are probably familiar with alpaca hair. It is particularly popular because it is very light, heat-regulating and super soft. At Patagonia, alpaca products are processed in Peru from the hair to the finished favourite jumper, jacket and the like. In this way they help shepherds in the Andes who look after the free-roaming animals, support yarn suppliers and embroideries and save CO2 with a closed textile chain locally. Such commitment suits them - and you too.
If you're looking for cosy fashion in addition to the right autumn cosmetics, take a look at Patagonia!
4. 5 TIPS FOR YOUR AUTUMN SKIN
1. Slowly supplement your lighter moisturiser with rich creams or precious oils.
2. Take time out: For example, with a relaxing hydration mask
3. Gentle cleansing: Stay away from aggressive alcohols and surfactants.
4. Use lukewarm or cold water instead of too hot a wash
5. Take more time for the things that give you energy and relax you.
Admittedly, you can do the last point at any time of year, but I find that autumn offers a very special opportunity for this. Summer is over: the time when you're out and about a lot, constantly running outside from friends to parties, to the lake and back. And I don't know about you, but I'm longing for a bit of downtime to recharge my batteries. In the end, a relaxed mindset will also have a positive effect on your skin. After all, it reacts sometimes more, sometimes less sensitively to stress and emotional strain. So this autumn, let's just schedule a little more time for ourselves, without stress and deadlines.
Are you with us?
Leave a comment