Autumn-proofing your body is not that difficult to do. Every woman needs to step up her skincare routine every time summer transitions to autumn.
Whether we like it or not, the cold temperature makes every woman prone to dry skin, chapped lips, and brittle hair.
No need to worry though! Here are ten practical and doable routines we can always apply during autumn to help counteract the effects of environmental changes.
We look forward to autumn for its lovely and picturesque landscapes. We imagine reddish-orange hues outside our bedroom windows, and imagine us once again slipping into our favorite jumpers. We anticipate all the gorgeous photos we’re going to take and the scenery we’re going to find ourselves in.
However, the temperature drop can also wreak havoc on our skin and we need to do something to stop it.
So now, the more pertinent question is, are we ready to glow in all those lovely photos?
Because, why not?
Here are ten not-so-secret hacks to glowing and beautiful skin even in the colder months!
1. Exfoliate regularly
Exfoliation is not a one-time job – it has to be done regularly. And when we say regularly, one should do it twice a week during the colder months.
Regular exfoliation helps encourage cellular renewal and removes dead skin cells. These unwanted dead skin cells will prevent the absorption of serums and moisturizers.
2. Use a thicker moisturizer
Your arsenal should include a product that is sure to lock in hydration. We just cannot stress this enough – the colder days are here, thus, thicker moisturizers are in.
Moisturizers are divided into different categories, with general functions that include prevention of water loss through the skin, the addition of water to the skin, and reduction of visible flakes. These three functions are very vital for the autumn season.
This is why we have occlusive moisturizers. These moisturizers prevent water loss from the skin through the formation of a barrier, and it prevents water loss through the epidermis by nearly 99%. Common examples include petrolatum, dimethicone, vegetable oils, wax esters, and sterols.
Humectants, on the other hand, attract and bind water. Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are humectant molecules and these specifically include glycolic and lactic acids. A humectant has to work hand in hand with occlusive moisturizers to give the best results, otherwise, it can result in drier skin.
Don’t forget to check your existing products for these two basic ingredients!
3. Use a silk pillowcase
This time we choose silk over cotton. Silk dries quickly while being highly absorbent, thus having it as a pillowcase will help our hair avoid breakage and damage during the night.
The use of silk pillowcases helps reduce friction between the cloth and facial skin, thus making it ideal to prevent wrinkles.
4. Hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate!
We cannot stress enough the necessity to be hydrated all the time. And the routine includes drinking water before bedtime!
On average, a healthy woman should consume 2.7 liters a day or 11.5 cups of water. Whatever happened to the mainstream advice of 8 glasses a day?
It is quite a reasonable goal, but unfortunately, it is not enough. The thing here though is that water can also be acquired from food and other beverages, not just water alone, so you can throw in a couple of fruit juices and other non-caffeinated beverages. Three to four more glasses of non-caffeinated drinks, of course!
5. Eye creams become a must
Less sun means less Vitamin D. Less Vitamin D means less healthy and less glowing skin. Add cold and dry temperatures, which means more stress and dehydration.
If you’re the thrifty type, you must have tried dabbing moisturizer around your eyes instead of buying eye creams. However, the cold season is not a skin-loving season, and you need to go an extra mile for your skincare, especially in the area around the eyes.
With that, you need to have an eye cream in your collection. Eye creams are made specially to adapt to the delicate skin around your eyes, and contain more water than your regular lotions. Plus, the skin around your eyes is extra delicate, so your usual moisturizer is never the answer.
Studies show that your go-to eye creams should contain low molecular weight heparan sulfate (LMWH) and naturally derived extracts. Study subjects have reported a decrease in puffiness (73%) and dark circles (93%).
Overall, having LMWH in your eye cream caused an improved appearance of periorbital hyperpigmentation, puffiness, and fine and coarse wrinkles.
6. Make an appointment for a hydrating infusion
While it is necessary to hydrate by simply drinking water, it is equally important to ensure that you get 100% of the water you need. Hydrating using intravenous infusions is a great add-on to your autumn skincare routine to make up for the dry and cold weather.
Intravenous fluids are easily and rapidly absorbed compared to fluids that pass through the gut. IV therapy also makes the components 100% bioavailable, thus giving you an instant lift!
7. Keep the sunscreen
Less sun may mean less Vitamin D, but it does not mean less UV exposure. Never forget to wear sunscreen even during the cold months!
Sun protection should be part of your skincare regimen throughout the year. Don’t be fooled because of the temperatures – UVA and UVB still exist and are still damaging to the skin.
The only thing that changes along with the season, is the number of times you reapply sun protection. Reapplication every two hours is adequate when you’re outdoors.
8. Revive your skin through revival masks
It's amazing how innovative skin care can be! If the cold temperatures stop you from visiting the clinic for infusions, you can opt for revival masks temporarily to keep your skin in good shape even when you’re at home in your pajamas.
These masks can moisturize skin for up to 72 hours, so why not give them a try? It’s also ideal for all skin types, so it’s a rather safe addition to your daily skincare regimen. You don’t have to worry much about allergic reactions and breakouts!
9. Add Vitamin C to your regular routine – through infusions and serums
Never miss out on your serums, especially the ones with Vitamin C. As the temperature drops, our immune system also gets weaker. Not just that, our moods drop, and our hair and skin get drier.
You need Vitamin C to thrive and breeze through autumn. Its highly proven effect on anti-aging and antioxidant activity makes it an essential ingredient to maintain skin elasticity and moisturization.
And since the human body is unable to produce its own Vitamin C, you need to acquire it from external sources. Pollution, stress, sugar, and physical activity take a toll on our bodies and as a result, we need more than the usual recommended dose. For this, we can always have Vitamin C infusions come to the rescue!
Not just that, we still need to have our regular Vitamin C serum directly applied to our skin once daily. We need it to encourage collagen synthesis, ceramide production (to help support the skin barrier), and suppression of skin depigmentation. All in all, sun damage accumulated during summer is gently reversed.
10. Schedule your regular IV vitamin infusions
A healthy immune system will also mean healthy skin, hair, and nails.
There is no better way to boost one’s immune system during fall than through IV vitamin infusions. Having it through the intravenous route bypasses the gut, making all the nutrients 100% bioavailable to the body.
IV therapy with different mixes of vitamins and minerals is one sure way to get yourself glowing this autumn. Vitamin B, magnesium, and calcium in a drip will help amplify your mood and get your skin glowing in no time!
