Change is a-coming, so prepare your skin with our top tips …

Switching up your skincare routine for the new season whether it’s spring/summer or autumn/winter is absolutely a not a trend, fad or anything to do with the latest looks on the catwalk (white vests and flying jackets FYI). Seasonal switching is all about understanding what your skin needs at different stages, whether that’s due to changes in your life or in the seasons.

Thanks to stress, hormones, or health imbalances we can suffer unpredictable skin changes at any time of the year. For example, those of us with drier skin types (hello, bedfellows) might experience flakiness in winter but also during times of stress (moving house anyone?).

Our skincare professionals are the first port of call for any major skin changes as they’ll be able to tweak your routine and treatments whenever you’re in a period of flux, meaning your skin will stay resilient, no matter what’s going on. It’s this personal service that will give you the ultimate results.

Want to get started before you speak to a pro? You can with our new connect to buy feature and this short but useful guide which will help you to find the right ingredients to add to your routine, regardless of whether your skin changes are caused by the weather or what’s happening in your life (we hope it’s the good stress!).

 

SPRING: breakouts, unpredictable skin, stressed skin

It’s no surprise that this is the time of year to spring clean your skincare routine. The season of renewal, it’s the perfect time to book an appointment with one of our pros and layout your skincare goals for the whole year. Spring does signal the start of the warmer weather, but particularly in the Northern hemisphere, it can be a very up and down season with some chilly days interspersed with warmer, lighter ones. Unpredictable weather often means unpredictable skin, so sticking to your routine every morning and evening can really help to balance skin. For those who suffer with hayfever (pass the tissues) spring can be a challenge with a red, runny nose and itchy feeling skin.

 

Ingredients to help

Peptides calm and soothe stressed skin and help to maintain a plump and youthful complexion no matter how much the season swings from cool to warm. Speaking (and dreaming) of warm days, SPF is a daily non-negotiable as up to 40% of the sun’s UV rays penetrate through clouds, even on a grey day.

 

Spring skin swaps

Choose a lighter moisturiser as the air warms up, we like Hydralight, a soothing hydrator that includes sodium hyaluronate, aloe and niacinamide. Plus, the all-important peptides which work to firm and strengthen skin. For skin showing signs of stress, calm things down with our Recovery Balm. Originally formulated to support skin post-procedure, it’s brilliant at rehabilitating red, stressed, confused skin that’s been through a lot, whether that’s following an in-clinic appointment or spring induced Rudolf syndrome.

 

SUMMER: oily skin, sweat, breakouts

Ahh summer, with its zingy bright mornings, fresh fruit and longer evenings spent outside in balmy weather (hopefully!) it can be a wonderful part of the year. However, warmer weather and humid air means our skin sweats more and produces more oil, this can lead to breakouts, especially if we don’t spend enough time cleansing skin. Sticking to your skincare routine even if you’re travelling will help.

The heavy moisturising serums and creams that worked so well in winter can leave skin feeling overloaded and looking greasy in summer. Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water and stop moisturising altogether though, switching to a lighter serum and hydrator should just see you through.

 

Ingredients to help

Summer typically means we’re spending a lot more time outside, so SPF is essential, but you already knew that, right? Antioxidants are another useful ingredient in skin protection. Like little skin knights they help to prevent damage from environmental factors including free radicals from pollution and even pollen.

 

Summer skin favourites

Be extra diligent about cleansing skin in the summer to rid your skin of SPF residue, excess oil and debris from outside. For blemish prone skin, we recommend our gentle Clarifying Cleanser which contains salicylic acid

and oligopeptide-10 to help exfoliate and clear pores. Our collection of six sunscreens means you can find the one that suits your skin type and lifestyle needs easily. We always recommend connecting with one of our skincare pros for the ultimate personalised advice on all your skincare decisions, including which SPF is right for you. Our award-winning Sheer Hydration Broad Spectrum SPF 40 is a sheer physical sunscreen that works for almost all skin types. Apply year round for protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. PS – it’s also packed with antioxidants including vitamin C, resveratrol, grape seed extract and glutathione! Connect to buy right away!

 

AUTUMN: dullness, discoloration, dehydration

As the warm months of summer fade away, you might notice some sun damage; skin may look dull and uneven with patches of discoloration. If temperatures quickly drop you could also see more pronounced fine lines – a sign of dehydration, and skin can start to feel tight.  Autumn is a good time to reboot your routine, to tackle post-summer issues and prevent winter dryness. Don’t let the cooler days fool you into going without SPF. It’s essential to wear SPF every day of the year no matter the season, to protect your skin from the damaging effects of UVA and UVB rays.

Ingredients to help

Everyone can benefit from a dose of vitamin C in the cooler months (and the warmer months for that matter). This brightening antioxidant star promotes collagen production and strengthens the skin barrier. It helps to tackle hyperpigmentation and signs of ageing such as fine lines and lack of elasticity too. It really is a wonder vitamin!

Humectants are a group of ingredients that draw moisture from atmosphere and seal it into the skin, preventing the natural dehydration that will occur when the weather cools down. Hyaluronic acid is probably the most well-known, the Beyonce of humectants if you will, it has the ability to hold 1000 times its weight in water. We also formulate with glycerin which can help to plump up skin with moisture and leave the complexion softer too.

 

Problem-solving products

We recommend applying our Ultimate Boost Serum twice a day after cleansing. It contains sodium hyaluronate, a salt form of hyaluronic acid and helps to make skin plumper, softer and smoother. For a vitamin C boost try our Bright & Clear Solution, this award winner refines the texture of your complexion, while helping to brighten skin.

As the winter nights get longer and darker it’s time to get cosy, snuggle down with cashmere and candlelight, and add a beauty element to the hygge season by nourishing skin with at home treatments. We love the Smooth & Hydrate Kit – a duo of products that work together to boost skin renewal and deeply hydrate. Start with a dose of MicroDerm Polish to actively exfoliate and re-texturise skin, this invigorating scrub works to brighten skin and (in the long-term) minimise areas of hyperpigmentation. Follow with our oil-free Aqua Infusion Mask which cleverly boosts hydration in all skin types (thanks in part to glycerin). While low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (smaller molecules = better absorption) and a blend of extra hydrating ingredients works to naturally increase the skin’s ability to retain water.

 

 

WINTER: dry skin, eczema, redness

When the leaves are off the trees, the wind feels bitter and we turn on the central heating, our skin can freak out. Central heating reduces the moisture in the air, meaning our skin gets very dry. For anyone who can get dry skin, psoriasis, or eczema this is often when symptoms will flare. We’re talking rough feeling skin, scaly areas, tightness or flaking. As well as making the air dry, the contrast in temperatures between cold outside and warm inside also causes blood vessels to dilate, leading to redness, sensitivity, and breakouts.

You can combat some issues by keeping the heating low, try a hot water bottle instead, they’re surprisingly effective! A humidifier is another great piece of kit, it replaces moisture in the air, meaning the skin is in contact with more moisture and humectant ingredients also have access to this moisture and can help seal it into the skin. Humectants – glycerin and hyaluronic acid are both included our Ultimate Boost Serum and Aqua Infusion Mask. Long hot showers might feel warming and luxurious, but during the winter months they’re a big no-no for dry skin types. Instead try shorter, warm (never hot, too drying) showers and immediately replenish skin with a moisturiser such as HydraRich.

 

Ingredients to help

Emollients are the buzzword for winter skincare. This group of ingredients softens dry, rough skin by filling any cracks between skin cells with lipids AKA fats. Oils and butters are examples of soothing emollients, which are always included in moisturisers and usually combined with humectants to soothe and soften skin immediately. Do not confuse with occlusive ingredients, occlusives create a barrier over the skin (like Vaseline) and do not help to actively moisturise, they may have their place (in the Arctic for example) but look to humectants and emollients for daily winter care.

 

Amazing skincare for winter

First up, and right at the top of the winter food chain for ultra dry skin, it’s moisturiser! Dry types cannot go wrong with our HydraRich moisturiser –

We’re serious, ultra dry types should not attempt a winter without it! It’s packed with both emollients (shea butter) and humectants (high and low weight hyaluronic acid), plus MATRIXYL®Synthe’6® to help firm and strengthen skin too.