When autumn rolls around each year, it’s often time to detox post-summer skin and get it back on track. This will help it to deal with the temperature drop, heated offices and a little less Vitamin D that comes with Autumn. We spoke to Philippa Curnow of Elizabeth Arden to get some advice about skin detox, post-summer.
Why do we need to detox our skin post-summer?
“We [are usually] out in the elements over summer. With UVA/UVB damage, being out of routine, late nights and celebrations... the skin is in defence mode over summer,” says Philippa. This often means “dead cells build up on the surface, which [not only] inhibits the absorption of your skincare products,” but can also mean a dull and congested complexion”, she explains.
How do we go about detoxing our skin?
“A great way to detox the skin is by using an alpha-hydroxy acid peel treatment. By exfoliating the skin using AHAs we remove the build-up of dead skin cells on the surface, to reveal the new skin from within,” she says.
Try: L’Oréal Revitalift Glycolic Peel Pads
Or, for a gentler version of AHA, try: Kōtia Cleansing Milk
Another option is incorporating Vitamin A (AKA retinol) into your autumn skincare routine. “Vitamin A...is a great way to boost the skin cell turnover for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, revealing fresh and youthful skin underneath.” Top tip: when looking to start using a Vitamin A product, start 1-2 days a week and work your way up to every second day. Also, as it encourages skin resurfacing, skin is more sensitive to the sun. As a result, only use Vitamin A skincare products at night and be sure to always use an SPF in the morning.
Try: Eau Thermale Avène TriAcnéal Expert Emulsion or La Roche-Posay Redermic R Eye 15ml or L’Oréal Revitalift Night Cream
What should an autumn skincare routine look like?
“We naturally begin to produce less oil on our skin as the weather cools off; therefore we need to maintain the skin with an extra hydration boost. “Start to layer your skincare, like you are layering your clothing as the season shifts,” Philippa advises.
Boosting the skin’s hydration can be done in a range of ways, “whether that be moving from a lotion moisturiser to a cream formulation,” adding a hyaluronic acid serum or even trying a pre-serum to improve the efficacy of ingredients in your serum and moisturiser (a pre-serum balances the skin’s PH levels prior to applying active products).
Also, adding a weekly hydration mask “is a must for maintaining a healthy, radiant glow,” she explains.
Try: Garnier SkinActive Hydra Bomb Tissue Mask Chamomile + Hyaluronic Acid or The Crème Shop Cheer Up, Skin! White Pearl Infused
When it comes to avoiding specific ingredients, Philippa mentions just to be aware that although lighter gel formulas may have done the job during summer, they likely aren’t heavy enough to keep your skin hydrated in winter.
