Get autumn ready with these easy changes to your skin care routine

Summer makes our skin and hair miserable. The humidity and dry heat affecting it drastically. From hair breakages to skin breakages, we have gone through it all. It's time to move on from the humidity and heat to experience some cool breeze brushing against our skin. The cooler dry air will make your skin dry and flakier so which is why we have come up with a few ‘cool’ tips for your  skin care routine!

Skin Care Routine

a) Stick to cleansing

Our skin is constantly subject to impurities and tiny tine microbes in the air. The decrease in humidity in autumn means moisture loss and drier, flakier skin. To counter the moisture loss, purchase hydrating moisturisers such as this Skin Smoothing Cream from Dermalogica which keeps your skin moist while protecting it from the dry air. However, with the changing season, cleansing your skin becomes even more important. Regularly cleansing after all is the first step in moisturising. This will not only remove impurities but also pave the way for faster absorption of moisturisers. We can’t stop gushing over the Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser, which soothes the skin against all irritation caused due to pollutants, while leaving it squeaky clean. Or you can opt for a full-body cleanse with the Conditioning Body Wash by Dermalogica.

• Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream
• Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser
• Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash

b) Don’t neglect moisturising

As mentioned above, a hydrating moisturiser will work on toughening your skin-barrier against the elements of nature. It will help in prevention of moisture loss and hydrate the skin. By balancing out the PH and moisture level of your skin, a good moisturiser will work perfectly to remove both excessive oiliness and dryness from your skin, both major reasons for skin acne. There’s no need to experiment too much. Stick to simple routines and some moisturising classics. We recommend the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream For Face with SPF 15, for your face. And the fast-absorbing Eight Hour Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment to protect and soften your hands. Repair your skin in the night by using the Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Night Cream also by Elizabeth Arden. This night cream is made from a blend of botanical extracts as Squalene, Nuteline, Oligopeptides, Aquaxyl, Sage and Melissa that optimise the continuous supply of moisture to your skin. For overall skin hydration night and day, try the classic and non-greasy Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream made from green tea and orange oils. Yum!

• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Sun Defense
• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment
• Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Night Cream
• Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream

c) Exfoliate

Post-summer, your skin will ideally need a make-over. This process is rule #1 for a young and radiant skin. Exfoliating your skin allows it to breathe a new life altogether. Your skin goes through a transition called “cell turnover”, where the skin develops new skin cells and shreds the old ones. Various factors affect the health of our skin (sun, wind, dust, stress, hormonal issues) etc. Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells from the surface, smoothens the skin and unclogs the pores. Any skin-type (oily, dry and sensitive) benefit heaps and bounds through exfoliation. For the ladies we recommend feeding your skin the Elemis Superfood Black Currant Jelly Exfoliator with all the goodness of fruit antioxidants. Dear gents you could not go wrong with the very convenient 2 in 1 Exfoliating Cleanser by Clarins, which, you guessed it, both exfoliates and deep cleans. Gentlemen, you are welcome!

• Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator
• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment
• Clarins Men 2 In 1 Exfoliating Cleanser

d) Feed your skin with nutritious food

One of the most neglected aspects of skin-care is the correct nutrition our skin needs from the transition of summer to autumn. The change from the hot to cold has adverse effects on our skin. Preparation is key because as temperatures fall, our skin is susceptible to not getting enough moisture - which results in dryness and sensitivity. Luckily, with autumn, nature provides with food that has just the nutrition our skin needs. Focus on consuming enough Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E in their daily diet.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient which is essential for skin-repair. It can be prepared in the body, but it can be extracted from foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, broccoli, peas and yellow fruits like peaches and mangoes.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient with antioxidant powers, which protects the skin from UV exposure, as well as, helps in maintaining an even skin tone. To stock up on Vitamin C, make sure to consume ample broccoli, peas, peppers, apples, lemons and lots and lots of oranges this autumn.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient which helps slow down the skin’s ageing process by protecting it against UV rays, as well as, toxins produced in the body. Consume plenty of nuts, seeds, peanut butter, green leafy vegetables like collard greens, spinach and broccoli, red pepper, kiwi, and of course, that old reliable cod liver oil.