Autumn Skincare Guide: Transition Your Skin Routine From Summer To Autumn

It’s the first day of Autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere and you may have noticed that your Summer golden glow has decided to fade, your skin is dry and dehydrated from the hot Summer days, and you may have noticed an increase in pigmentation such as sun spots or freckles from the sun exposure.

Below are some tips to help you transition your skincare routine from Summer to Autumn, and some products that you may wish to introduce to your Autumn skincare range.



Consider changing your cleanser

Changing your cleanser to suit the more cooler months ahead may be a good idea. The certain gel and foaming cleansers that you use in the Summertime may dry your skin in Autumn, and your skin may be stripped of it’s natural oils which we don’t want.

Consider choosing a cleanser that contains natural nourishing ingredients that hydrate, soothe and gently clean the skin. I’ve began double cleansing twice both morning and of an evening to remove impurities, toxins and pollutants.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Green Juice Cleanser is like a supergreens smoothie for your face! This cleanser is a favourite of mine as it contains adaptogenic and superfood ingredients such as Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Reishi Mushroom, and Turmeric and a supergreens blend of Kale, Spinach, Neem, and Spirulina to provide a deep and hydrating clean.
Supergreens smoothie? Yes please.

Add in eye creams

The skin around our eyes is one of the most sensitive and high maintenance areas on the face as it is a lot thinner and drier. Eye creams are formulated specifically for the delicate and sensitive skin around the eye. Eye creams also offer a whole lot of moisture and collagen whilst replenishing lost moisture at any time of the year, but they are even more essential during the cooler Autumn and Winter months.

Weleda Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream contains both Pomegranate Seed Oil and Golden Millet to help cell regeneration. It is also rich in antioxidants to improve the skins elasticity and helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. This beautiful eye cream contains natural ingredients, is fragrance free and dermatologically tested. It is ideal for all skin types, including those that have sensitive skin like myself.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has many wonderful health benefits. It is an extremely powerful antioxidant, and is vital for the formation of collagen. Vitamin C also aids healthy cell growth and we all know how much of a brilliant immunity booster it is.

Vitamin C comes in a variety of forms. You can incorporate it by introducing foods that are rich in vitamin C such as citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit), papaya, kiwifruit, strawberries, and cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts). Or, you can also take vitamin C supplements such as Eden Healthfoods Wild C Natural Vitamin C Powder.

Not only can you supplement with Vitamin C, but you can also use vitamin C topically on your skin.
Here are some benefits of topical vitamin C application:

• Diminishes the effects of UVA and UVB rays and soothes sun-damaged skin
• Improves pigmentation
• Increases collagen production
• Enhances skin tone
• Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
• Brightens dull skin tone

Try adding in a vitamin C serum into your skincare routine which is applied to your skin after cleansing and before moisturising. Avalon Organics Vitamin C Facial Serum is rich in antioxidants and melatonin from lemon and organic white and green teas targeting sun spots, fine lines and wrinkles while supporting collagen and elastin production.
You can also try vitamin C masks such as Orgaid Organic Vitamin C Sheet Mask which is packed with nutrients and antioxidants that help to enhance collagen synthesis in the skin.  

Gua Sha Tools & Facial Rollers

I’m now in my 30’s and I believe that a lot of the aging on our faces is due more so to muscle tension than anything else. And, honestly, constantly looking down at our phone probably doesn’t help with the gravity effect on our faces.

I was introduced to Gua Sha massage about 5 years ago when I was watching a skincare video on Youtube and the woman in the video was using interesting looking facial tools. Gua Sha is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that has been used for centuries to bring life to dull and aging skin with gentle stimulation massage techniques. ‘Gua sha’ literally translates to ‘bring blood to the skin’. Firmly gliding the Gua sha tool smoothly across your skin can play a great role in releasing tension and moving stagnant lymphatic fluid and tissue. Facial rollers also work in the same way, and doing this over time can restore youthful, glowing skin.

Benefits of Gua Sha and Facial Rollers:

• Toned and tighter skin
• Detoxes and moves fluid decreasing puffiness, inflammation and water retention
• Collagen stimulation
• Increases blood flow to the skin
• Softens and tones the skin
• Promotes lymphatic drainage

How To Practice Gua Sha or Facial Rolling:

• Clean the skin first
• Apply a light layer of a natural oil or serum to the skin (I love using hemp, almond oil, squalene oil, aloe vera or a face mist/spring water spray)
• Wipe hands with cloths after oil application to prevent slipping once the tool is in use
• Warm skin works great (during or after an Infrared sauna, shower, or exercise)
• Hold the gua sha tool or facial roller firmly with your fingers, put the tool up to the face, starting at the middle of your chin. Use a gentle but firm pressing motion while pulling up along the jawline and towards the lower ears.
• Repeat over areas as necessary
• Practice for 1-2 minutes morning and night

Summer Salt Body Amethyst Crystal Facial Roller has to be one of my favourite beauty products. Not only is it made from one of the most beautiful purple crystals (Amethyst), but it also leaves my skin with a clean and refreshed feel. The facial rollers also come in a variety of crystals such as rose quartz, green jade and clear quartz.
Summer Salt Body has some of the most beautiful and well thought out packaged products from essential oil rollers, eye masks, crystal soaps, salt soaks, body oils, and crystal infused soy candles. You can shop the whole product collection range here.

Stay hydrated

The lack of humidity and dry air during Autumn can affect your skin and dampen your beauty regime. It’s not only important to hydrate on the outside, but on the inside too. Maintaining proper hydration levels can help to relieve dull and dry skin and helps to keep your skin soft, smooth and hydrated during the cooler months.
Without the hot Summer days to remind me to grab a cool drink, quite often during Autumn/Winter, I can forget to drink as much as I usually would. Having an insulated bottle like a Cheeki stainless steel water bottle with me at all times helps me to remember to drink plenty of water during the day.

Lip moisturisers

It’s not only the skin that gets dry during the cooler months, the lips do too.
Weleda Primrose Eye and Lip Cream is a bonus combo of not only being used as a lip moisturiser, but also as an eye cream. It has been specifically formulated with Organic Evening Primrose Seed Oil to target laugh lines and wrinkles on the delicate skin around the eyes and lips while keeping both moisturised. 

Invest in a humidifier

A drop in humidity levels can impact the skins natural moisture barrier, which can lead to dry flaking, cracking and peeling skin. The heating and dry heat from your home or work environment can also be a threat to the skin barrier.
You can boost the hydration in your home by investing in a humidifier as humidifiers help increase air hydration levels by bringing moisture into the environment. 

Continue using SPF

It’s important to keep wearing SPF, even in the cooler months. Your skin still needs protection from the sun and it’s UVA and UVB rays - even on cloudy and rainy days.
I try to look for sunscreens that also contain hydrating ingredients and natural ceramides such as Vitamin E, squalene, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin.

I personally love using Little Urchin Natural Sunscreen as it has broad spectrum protection and doesn’t contain any harmful or nasty chemicals or toxins. This sunscreen also contains Zinc Oxide as an active ingredient as well as Green Tea, Cucumber and Rosehip extracts to soothe, nourish and hydrate the skin.

Extra hydration

Because our skin tends to naturally produce less oil in the Autumn and Winter months, it is during this time that we need to increase hydration and moisturisers.

As the months get cooler, adding an extra dose of hydration to your skin regime will help to prepare your skin for the Winter months ahead, and help to correct any damage Summer may have caused to your skin. Think face masks, face mists, facial moisturisers and serums and oils.

You may not have needed a hydrating mask in the Summer months, but it’s now time to start using one again. Sukin Deeply Hydrating Sheet Mask delivers hydration into the skin with a blend of Sea Algae, Hyaluronic Acid & Maize Complex to rehydrate thirsty looking skin.

Body Lotion

To help prepare your skin for the harsh winter days ahead, start using a body lotion everyday to bring moisture to your skin. 

Dr Bronner’s Lavender Coconut Hand & Body Lotion contains avocado, coconut, hemp and jojoba oils which are deeply nourishing and hydrating for the skin. This body lotion also has a beautiful scent of both lavender and coconut which will also help in relaxing and unwinding throughout the day. I keep this by my bathroom shower (next to the Dr Bronner hand and liquid soap) so I can quickly add it to my hands and body after washing and showering. The Dr Bronner body lotions also come in a range of different fragrances such as peppermint, patchouli lime, and orange lavender. You can see the Dr Bronner range in our online store here.

Depending on what your skin is telling you, you may want to increase or decrease how often you use certain products, and if you’ll actually need them at all. For one person, they may need to decrease exfoliation, but for another they may need to stay with their usual exfoliation regime.
Pay close attention to how your skin reacts to the changes in the weather, notice how your skin looks and feels through the day, and make the necessary adjustments to your skin routine to match what you feel your skin may need.

Do you have any other Autumn skincare changes that you are making or new products that you are adding to your skincare regime? Please feel free to comment below and share, we’d love to know!