How to prepare your skin for Autumn

The time has come to wave goodbye to the blissful summer months. One of my personal favourite seasons, I simply love the warm lazy evenings, delicious food al fresco, but most importantly, the wonderful effect the sunny days have on my skin, leaving it glowing and beautifully bronzed. However, as we say farewell to the summer, we welcome a fresh new season.

Hello autumn! My second most loved time of the year. A time of new beginnings as the leaves turn and we are surrounded by beautiful colours, cosy clothes and comforting hot chocolates. It is also a time of change for our skin.

As we leave the warmer climes of summer, our skin will have new needs and matters that must be addressed. Firstly, let me start by discussing exactly why this is. After months of exposure to the sun, your skin can become dull and devitalised. The main reason for this? The scientific process to describe what is happening to your skin here is that it is desquamating, put in simpler terms, the tanned layer of skin is peeling! The after sun ailment we all dread. This means that you have dead skin which is accumulating and giving you that lacklustre appearance, blocking pores, asphyxiating your skin and causing all sorts of unwanted side effects.

Being out in the sun though wonderful, can leave skin dehydrated and lacking in moisture resulting in a loss of radiance and glow in your complexion. Secondly, whilst the benefits of a little vitamin D is wonderful for our bodies and skin, we all know that spending too long in the sun is also damaging, a saying to be heeded, ‘all things in moderation.’ UV rays are a source of harmful free radicals for your skin, meaning if you have been guilty of a little too much time in the sun your skin may need those much loved anti-oxidants to help combat any damage that has been done!

I like to consider autumn as a season of transition for skin. It is the perfect time to rejuvenate, repair, correct any summer damage and prepare your complexion for winter. As the colder months approach, it is important to reassess your skin care routine to give your skin a fighting chance against the harsher elements they bring.

There are two approaches you can take for your skin when entering these new conditions. The first? Hydration. If you have not yet started to peel and your aim is to maintain and prolong your glowing tanned skin for longer, keeping your skin plump and full of moisture is how you will achieve this helping it to stay supple, healthy and radiant. I apologise now for being the bearer of sad news, but once your skin has started to peel, there is no reversing it. Your answer here? Exfoliation. On arrival of the colder months some may shy away from exfoliating, thinking it an unnecessary approach when entering colder weather which is tougher on your skin. It could not be more key! Removing the dead layer of skin that has gathered will allow for new, fresh and healthy cells to reach the surface of your skin giving you the brightness you are searching for. Finally, we must not forget the importance of protecting our skin. Pollutant, free-radical fighting, anti-oxidant products are imperative to give your skin the best chance to be at its very optimum.

So, let us discuss how we can embrace autumn with open arms and skin that is balanced, hydrated, plump, repaired and defended!

Keeping the glow? You need hydration.

If you are lucky enough to not yet have peeled but, your skin has started to look ash like and dull, it needs hydration. This will help to prevent and elongate the time before your skin starts to peel, allowing your skin to stay glowing. The skin saviour products for this approach are nourishing, deeply hydrating and plumping. Firstly, the foundation of a good skincare regime is using the right cleanser. Our milk cleansers are botanical milk washes, enriched with nourishing oils that will softly purify your skin of any make-up and dirt without causing dehydration or stripping it like a foam or gel cleanser. It is all about taking the right approach.

Milk Cleansers:

The Lait VIP O2 is a perfect solution to not only hydrate, but brighten and protect your skin. This beautiful cleanser contains an oxygenating complex that will instantly illuminate your skin in addition to powerful anti-oxidants that will protect your skin against pollution.

However, if your skin is on the sensitive side, this may be too stimulating. In this case, gently does it. The Lait U is the one for you. Also containing anti-oxidants, the Lait U protects your skin whilst a beautiful blend of sweet almond oil and hazelnut oil soothes, restores and balances your skin, making it ideal for more acne-prone and oily skins.

 

Serums:

Hydrating serums are powerful! Not only are they the most potent blend of active ingredients, they are also liquid in texture, containing smaller molecule that deeply penetrate the skin faster. A crucial step for lasting results.

The Sérum Extraits Tissulaires is like a glass of water for your skin working to restore its luminosity. Hydrating and soothing, this serum can also be used even if you are blemish prone.

An absolute favourite of mine is Sérum Colostrum! An intensely hydrating serum injected with nutrient rich colostrum, Sérum Colostrum will deeply penetrate your skin to plump and replenish it with moisture. A brilliant, repairing remedy when your skin has been exposed to the sun.

 

Another excellent choice for your skin when in need of plumpness is the Sérum Collagène Natif. Containing actual biological collagen, this serum works to restore your skin’s volume whilst also tightening pores and deeply nurturing it however, due to its pore tightening effect and rich texture, we would not recommend this for you if your skin is oily or acne prone. Do not forget that you are able to mix up to four of our serums to create a potent cocktail targeting your exact and personal key areas of concern.

Known as the anti-gravity serum, Sérum Matriciel Visage provides immediate and lasting results. Just like the effects of a dermal filler, it contains intensely hydrating hyaluronic acid, a powerful ingredient known to hold 1,000 x its weight in water to lift, tone and plump your skin. A super anti-ageing product, Sérum Matriciel Visage works deep into the dermis of your skin re-contouring your face and restoring volume.

Creams:

With your serums applied, it is time to choose the correct cream for your skin. Everyone is different. It is all about understanding the nutrients your skin needs and what is right for you. A must have product when preventing peeling and reviving your skin is the Réparation U.V. which acts to repair your skin whilst providing it intense moisture. This soothing and silky emulsion sinks effortlessly into your skin and contains anti-oxidant ingredients such as mimosa extract to protect it from environmental aggressors and pollution.

However, if you are on the oilier side of the equation, Crème Echinoderm au Complex Bio-Marin is your go-to. An effective balancing cream to cure blotchiness or imperfections but that will also revitalise and unify your complexion. Containing the specific BR botanical complex this cream is a god send for oily combination skin, leaving it mattified, toned and glowing.

Let’s talk exfoliation:

As I have mentioned, the sun can leave your skin dehydrated and as we say goodbye to the summer months some may be saying a less welcoming hello to peeling! The consequence of this? Your skin looks less bright and dull, a complexion none of us desire! The key to reviving your skin’s glow in this case is exfoliation which will remove the dead and damaged skin cells causing this appearance. Our iconic Lotion P50s work gently to renew and exfoliate your skin whilst also purifying, tightening pores and reducing excess oil production to restore balance to your skin and unify your complexion. Though our Lotion P50s all act to gradually exfoliate your skin day by day, we always recommend you start with our Lotion P50W that takes a gentler approach.

Looking for your seasonal game changer? Let me introduce you to your new best friend, the Sérum 3R. This product really does have such a result, the 3R stands for the renewing, regenerating and repairing benefits your skin will experience once you apply this potent serum. Exfoliating ingredients such as white willow bark extract and sodium salicylate act to gently remove the dead skin cells that are giving your skin that sallow tone. Acting in multiple ways to perfect your skin, Sérum 3R is a highly effective and dynamic serum that will not only exfoliate and regenerate your skin but that also has powerful anti-ageing and anti-oxidant properties. Providing strong protection for your skin, Sérum 3R will also act on correcting areas where the sun has wreaked havoc. A product you should not be without, this nourishing treatment will restore your skin to its former strength. 

Do not forget to protect!

Spending too much time in the sun will mean that your skin has been over exposed to free radicals. Pesky molecules, these damaging elements attack the health of your skin’s cells causing them to become dysfunctional or die. It is therefore imperative we defend our skin from such distress. Anti-oxidants are wonderful ingredients also known as ‘free radical scavengers’ that either reduce the formation of free radicals or neutralize them! Very smart ingredients indeed.  

Loaded with pollution fighting ingredients, our Masque VIP O2 contains the secret BR oxygenating complex (found in all the VIP O2 range) to restore optimum health and glow to your skin. To be applied after cleansing, the Masque VIP O2 provides a stimulating and revitalizing action that will also work to detoxify your skin. Its refreshing, illuminating and protecting benefits make it a must have in anyone’s beauty cabinet.

Last, but certainly not least is the Fluide VIP O2. One of our beautiful finishing serums, its sophisticated formulation contains a high concentration of effective natural ingredients to provide many virtues for your skin. To be applied at the very end of your routine, it works to seal in your previously applied products. Specifically concentrating on oxygenating your skin, Fluide VIP O2 fights the effects of pollution but also contains hyaluronic acid to intensely moisturise your skin. Protecting your skin from external aggressions throughout the day, it is the perfect remedy for dull, stressed and even acne prone skin.

Listen to your Skin. The Importance of the Skin analysis:

Your skin renews every 25 days. Throughout this cycle it may experience different environments, perhaps a hot, humid holiday to an exotic location or if you are the activity kind, a brisk walk up a cold, windy mountain. Whatever it is that makes you tick; your skin is constantly experiencing new environments and stresses. That is why we recommend you take our advanced Skin Analysis every three months to reassess what your skin requires at that moment in time. Top athletes do not eat chicken and broccoli all their lives, they vary their diet and training regimes to tailor and edit their body. Why should our skin be treated any different? Regularly analysing your skin enables you to provide it with anything that it may be lacking. The Skin Analysis is based on a meticulous algorithm to provide you with a tailor-made programme and specific products that address your unique skin concerns. By re-taking the Skin Analysis every three months you will be able to build the best skin care strategy for you.

We recommend taking the Skin Analysis at the beginning of each new season to assess what your skin may need for the new months and climate ahead.

Of course, like always, should you have any questions whatsoever, please do call or email us to speak to me or our highly trained skin consultants on 020 3358 9998 or concierge@embassyofbeauty.co.uk.