The first fall of orange leaves. The drop in humidity and cooling breeze. The dwindling daylight hours. All of these mark the end of summer and the transition into autumn.
While the milder climate may feel nice, the changes in weather patterns, particularly in the cooler South Island, can have an effect on your skin. So, here’s how to keep up with your seasonal skincare routine in Autumn.
Moisturising.
One of the biggest changes between summer and fall is the marked drop in humidity, resulting in a lower moisture content. So, while the days are cooler, the air is (ironically) much drier than in summer. This is why those with skin irritation and eczema typically see a worsening of their skin condition in this period.
If you’ve been skipping moisturising during the summer, we recommend adjusting to a morning or evening moisturising routine. A heavy moisturiser such as Aspect Super Moisturising Complex helps increase moisture content, combining antioxidants, vitamins C & E, squalene and aloe vera for a heavier, more effective moisturiser.
Remember, your face isn’t the only area of your body in need of moisturising. If you’re experiencing dry or itchy skin, make sure to increase your moisturising routine for the affected parts.
Daily rituals.
With the change in humidity, you might want to start the day by keeping yourself and your skin hydrated, especially the lips (which can get chapped over Autumn). Drinking plenty of water each day, along with a ritual moisturising, will help protect your skin. Make sure to include balms and hand locations in your bag before heading out. Most skincare professionals recommend moisturising twice a day to get the full benefit from any active agents you use.
Facial skin care.
It’s no secret that our faces are what other people notice most about us. Our faces are also the most exposed parts of the body, meaning they face the most exposure to the elements.
A hydrating facial every once in a while can help rejuvenate and restore hydration to the skin, especially for skin which struggles to maintain moisture content naturally.
At The Beauty Parlour, we offer an identity facial that helps boost your skin’s hydration level using our botanical range of Janesce products, designed to restore your skin’s glow. The treatment begins with a rose cleanse and follows with a gentle enzyme peel, soak, hot towel and mask to rebalance your skin. This treatment is followed up by a concentrate, moisturiser and suncare routine.
The benefits of skincare.
This treatment holds a multitude of benefits for the skin. Beginning with the rose cleanse, the skin is thoroughly cleaned, removing surface oils and grease, which may block any product being absorbed by the skin.
The enzyme peel is a gentle exfoliator that helps give your skin its soft, glowing look, removing dead skin cells which are resistant under a normal scrub. Enzymes refer to proteins that reinforce chemical reactions that naturally occur in the body and maintain several critical functions, including our respiratory system, digestion, nerve function, and skin health. Enzymes also naturally occur in fruits like kiwis, apples and papaya. They help clear pores, digest dead skin cells and remove toxic build-up, basically allowing healthy skin to reemerge and reducing oily build-up. Dead cells also block hydration, so a gentle scrub and exfoliation can help open the pores, allowing alive skin cells to do their job.
Soaking afterwards helps lift the dead skin cells and dirt from the pores, the same way a gentle chemical rinse will help remove stains once you add hot water (although a facial uses a different, skin-safe solution). Your skin may feel tingly at this point as a lot of the normal skin ‘blockage’ has been removed.
The mask then helps hydrate skin and remove excess oils that haven’t been picked up in the previous steps. Here is where your dry skin gets refreshed, improving the appearance of pores.
Finishing your skin care.
Your facial is completed with three steps: a concentrate, moisturiser and suncare.
The concentrate is a cosmetic process that uses highly concentrated serums with active moisturising ingredients that help the skin’s absorption. Concentrates replenish the skin with many of the acid chains, peptides and antioxidants that the skin needs and aren’t readily available in our normal hydrating rituals. They can also help target the skin’s natural collagen for firmer skin.
Moisturisers help improve skin repair and maintain the integrity of the skin cells over time, hydrating the skin using ingredients such as glycerin, shea and cocoa butter and octyl dodecanol to help seal moisture. The last step is a suncare routine to help protect your outside.
Continued healthcare benefits.
Getting a facial every so often helps cleanse the pores and makes washing and hydrating the skin easier, as surface-level dirt and oils are removed. During Autumn and the drier months, this treatment can also prolong your skin’s health and help you avoid dry, flakey or irritated skin.
Need help determining what your skin needs?
See us at The Beauty Parlour for a full skin consultation to talk over any skin concerns you may have. We’ll also talk to you about the best products to use for your skin type and look beyond your skin’s surface for an in-depth look at your health.