Several things are happening right now, all of which conspire to affect your skin. The weather is getting cooler, central heating is going on, car heating is being turned up, offices temperatures are being cranked up, the dash from the car to the house is a blast of cold, followed by hot, the commute is a constant shift from hot to cold, shops pour hot air on you as you enter and depart from over door heaters. In Harris the salt laced wind is particularly ferocious. All of this causes the skin to react.
If you are peri-menopausal or menopausal this has particular implications for you. As we age, our skin can often become more reactive and infinitely more sensitive to rapid changes in temperature. If you have rosacea, you'll know that fluctuating temperature is one of the key triggers for an outbreak, so taking the right action now is really important.
Through the summer months and into early autumn the skincare regime you've been following may not be quite enough for the colder months. In the winter, hydration is the key followed by something properly protective but gentle.
This is the time that balms really earn their keep, especially balms that contain beeswax and healing, skin supportive oils. Beeswax is beautifully protective, creating a thin layer on the skin to keep hydration in and the weather out. If you create a regime where you cleanse, drench the skin with a mist and then apply a balm before setting foot outside, your skin will be so much better protected from the elements.
If you already have our Timeless Beauty Serum, Unblushing Cream or Face Cream #3 and one of our Mists, for an intermediate autumnal fix you can simply add a drop or 2 of the Serum to the Cream and apply that. The addition of the Serum will give your skin an extra nourishing boost and more protection.
To brighten the skin, masks are great, but not too often and not if your skin is in a reactive phase. Our Cleansing Multi Mask is ideal, it's super effective but it won't damage the skin's natural biome. It is formulated to be both incredibly soothing but also deeply conditioning.
As the weather gets colder, try not to over-exfoliate because in the winter months the recovery time for skin is often longer. If you want something effective and gentle, simply add oatmeal to a little of the Cleansing Mask, mix and apply. The beauty of using oats as an exfoliator is that not only do they create a gentle scrub, they soften and condition the skin too. If you want something a little scrubbier, add a very small amount of ground coffee (unused!) to the mix. It's a lovely natural solution that works well and costs very little.
Although microbeads are now banned, a lot of companies have jumped onto the AHA and BHA bandwagon for exfoliating - these are essentially acids which cause the skin to peel. They are a disaster for sensitive skin, in fact I would actually argue that they are pretty much a disaster for all skin, both are so harsh. Exfoliation can be really effective when done carefully and gently, but especially in the winter, be mindful of all that your skin has to cope with already and try not to further stress it.
I always read with a sinking heart, the advice that winter is the time for a blast of retinol because there is less sunshine and less chance of a horrible reaction. Retinol is used to penetrate the middle layer of skin to help to deal with fine lines and sun damage, it can also cause the skin to peel. There are far kinder treatments for the skin, even basic hydration helps. Drinking enough water supports skin appearance and texture, using a well selected mist followed by a cream, balm or serum can make a huge difference to the appearance of the skin.
If you do want something really active, instead use a Serum that contains a really good quality Rosehip oil which contains a natural retinol and other complementary ingredients which won't cause a reaction but will brighten your skin and help with the appearance of fine lines.
More than anything, engage in some really simple steps to support your skin during one of the most challenging times of the year:
Really support your skin in the morning - it's less of an issue in the warm months, but critically important in the winter. Start with a big glass of warm water and a little squeeze of lemon to hydrate from within. Take an essential fatty acid supplement - cold pressed, organic Flax Seed oil is great. Cleanse with something non-foaming (foaming cleansers are always very alkaline and can damage the natural balance of the skin), spritz liberally with a Mist, apply a Balm. Then you're good to go.
At night, Cleanse, spritz with a Mist and apply either a Cream or a Serum to nourish your skin overnight.
These simple steps will really help.
To help you along, our November offer is a free mini Wild Beauty Balm if you spend £100 or more anywhere on our website www.asapoth.com. Simply put the mini Wild Beauty Balm in your basket with the code WBB11 and you will not be charged for it.