A:
Although it's always sad to say goodbye to summer and pull our cardigans back out of the wardrobe, Autumn brings not only gorgeous colours, Q+A's birthday and Halloween, but the opportunity to up our skincare game as the weather turns! This week, I have our Assistant Development Chemist Faye joining me, with her expert opinion on how to prepare your skin for the Autumn months.
Rehydrate parched skin with help from a humectant!
One of the biggest changes we feel from Summer to Autumn is the drop in temperature, plus an increase in windy conditions.
☼
“Being exposed to wind can cause the upper layer of our skin to dry out, leading to irritation and even flakiness. Go for humectants like hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, glycerin, and panthenol to draw moisture from the air into the skin. You may want to switch to a richer moisturiser in the daytime, particularly if you spend a lot of time outdoors, to lock in that moisture. In the evening, opt for less drying cleansers that are oil or gel-based to keep your complexion hydrated.”
☼
To pack your regime with hydration from start to finish, begin with a double cleanse using our Rosehip Cleansing Oil or Grapefruit Cleansing Balm and Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser. Pair it with our Collagen Face Cream, which has a luxurious base of Shea and Cocoa Butter to keep your skin's moisture firmly in place. Autumn is the perfect time to reintroduce a richer night cream into your regime which may have been put to one side during the warmer months. Our Chamomile Night Cream is packed with both hydrating and soothing ingredients, perfect for skin that is feeling a little parched from a breezy day!
And if you need a little pick-me-up throughout the day, keep our Hyaluronic Acid Face Mist to hand for a quick spritz!
Focus on brightening and exfoliating products!
If you’re going to introduce an exfoliator into your regime, now is the perfect time…
☼
“Dry and chapped skin can often look dull, so incorporating brightening actives are a must. Go for ingredients like Vitamin C in the daytime and consider incorporating an AHA into your regime like Glycolic Acid. Glycolic Acid can help to brighten your complexion by removing a build-up of dead skin cells and promoting cell renewal, as well as boosting collagen production to give skin a plumper look.”
☼
Our Apple AHA Exfoliating Gel helps to remove dry, damaged, and dead skin cells from your face without causing irritation or stripping your skin of essential moisture. In fact, this natural blend of AHA's is super conditioning and can help soften and hydrate your complexion. You can find the Glycolic Acid Faye recommends in our Apple AHA Exfoliating Gel! We’d recommend introducing a gentle exfoliator into your evening regime, 2-3 times per week for best results. Remember, over-exfoliation can lead to irritation, which is only worsened by harsh weather conditions, so be kind to your skin!
If you’re a regular reader of the Q+A blog, you’ll know all about the benefits of Vitamin C, and I’m sure it’s no surprise that this brightening active is great for combatting autumn dullness! We’d say a couple of drops of our Vitamin C Brightening Serum before applying your daily moisturiser is an Autumn essential.
It's not too hard to prepare for the transition to Autumn, so long as we've got hydration, protection and exfoliation at the front of our minds! But does Faye have any other advice for us?
Lip care is essential!
“The autumn months are the perfect time to improve your lip care regime! Look for an occlusive lip product that is rich in oils and butters. These film-forming ingredients both moisturise and protect your lips from further moisture loss, preventing chapping and cracking. Lip oils are a great option, but they can take a little getting used to, especially if you’re used to balms like Vaseline as they absorb into the lips rather than just sitting on top. Our Liquorice Lip Oil, uses ingredients like prickly pear, liquorice, and jojoba oil to deeply hydrate your lips and promote repair. ”
☼
If you can’t bear to switch your regular balm, we recommend layering it on top of our Liquorice Lip Oil for double the hydration and protection! The great thing about cooling temperatures is jacket and coat weather, with plenty of pockets for on-the-go application.
Here’s to keeping that gorgeous, sunny glow we’ve achieved in summer all throughout the year! With so many events and social plans still to catch up on, let’s look our healthiest ✨
Amy @ Team Q+A