This fall's beauty trends: Natural skin care in the cold

In autumn, air temperatures can vary widely - from 30°C during the "Indian summer" to 0°C and below in November. And, of course, these fluctuations will affect the condition of the skin - especially exposed areas (face and hands). Seasonal changes in temperature affect the skin's barrier function - which means it will lose moisture more easily and can become dry and sensitive.

Autumn air feels tight and wind further damages the epidermis' lipid layer, further dehydrating the skin. Over time, it begins to flake, and in cases of severe dryness even cracking can occur.

Dermatologists and cosmeticians identify the main 'fall' skin problems:

• moisture loss - even normal skin can become dry at this time and requires intense moisturizing;
• flaking - this is more visible on hands, face and lips;
• worsening skin conditions - skin diseases (such as psoriasis, eczema or atopic dermatitis) can be exacerbated in the fall;
• change in appearance - due to the shorter days, the body produces less vitamin D and skin can look tired and dull.

Fall facial skin care tips

Because of increased dryness, skin needs intense moisturizing in autumn, so cosmeticians recommend paying special attention to products with moisture-retaining ingredients. Of course, there's no one universal product for seasonal skin care, but choosing the right one isn't that difficult - especially if you know what's going on with your body at this time of year.

In cosmetology, the most popular moisturizers contain the following ingredients:

• Hyaluronic acid - it's known to anyone who cares about their health and beauty. Hyaluronic acid retains water in the cells and restores the skin's elasticity and radiance;
• oils and fatty acids - these ingredients also help moisturize the skin. Oils (e.g. avocado and shea, jojoba) create a protective barrier that "seals in" moisture and prevents it from evaporating through the epidermis, while fatty acids restore the skin's natural lipid barrier;
• ceramides - these are sphingolipids, the main structural element of the epidermis' hydrolipidic layer (also called the hydrolipidic mantle). Ceramides not only prevent evaporation of moisture, but also protect the skin from aggressive environmental factors - such as strong wind.

Etja, BIO shea butter, 50 ml

£4.10

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Etja, natural avocado oil, 50 ml

£3.80

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Jojoba oil, 10 ml, Zanna

3

£2.60

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Skin protection against cold and wind

Wind and cold are the skin's main enemies in the cold season, which is why beauticians recommend overhauling your cosmetics arsenal. If lightweight moisturizers are enough in summer, in autumn you can't do without the "heavy artillery". To improve skin condition in cold and windy weather, are suitable:

• Thick-textured creams containing oils, waxes and similar components. They create an additional barrier on the surface of the epidermis and protect the skin from cold temperatures and wind;
• masks. These are an additional source of nourishment and moisturization. In the fall, 1-2 masks a week are enough to make the skin firm and attractive again.

It's also important to avoid harsh cleansers - for example, those with a high alcohol content - or harsh peeling products. These will irritate already over-sensitive skin and can cause redness and rashes.

In the fall, cosmeticians advise many women to add anti-aging products to their skincare routine. If you can get by without them until your 20s and 25s, after that age, you shouldn't want to skimp on your skin. In the cold season, its tone decreases due to moisture loss, which can lead to premature or excessive wrinkles. The best solutions for regenerating the skin of the face and hands are serums and creams with antioxidants, vitamins C and A (retinol, retinal).

Duolys Light Anti-Aging Moisturizing Cream, 40 ml, Acm

£16.90

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Uzdrovisco Pre-Age, antioxidant cream against hyperpigmentation, SPF 50, 50 ml

£10.60

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Vichy Liftactiv Supreme HA Epidermic Filler Serum for face and eye area, 30 ml

£43.60

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Hagi Smart C, natural eye cream with vitamin C, 15 ml

£13.40

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Eye Contour Cream with Retinol, 30 ml, Revox

79

£6.80

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Fall facial masks

Let's look in more detail at moisturizing and nourishing masks. In the fall, these are much more necessary for the skin than in the warm season. Without moisturizing, even at a young age, the skin quickly loses its firmness, and given the natural hypovitaminosis during this period, it is necessary to nourish it with additional nutrients (vitamins and microelements). Proper "autumn" care of the hands and face will restore softness, elasticity and velvety softness to the skin.

Recommendations for using masks can vary, but cosmeticians usually suggest the following:

• for normal and combination skin - do moisturizing and nourishing masks 1-2 times a week. This will be enough to maintain the normal turgidity of the skin and at the same time not overload it;
• for very dry skin - moisturize the skin more often (2-3 times a week), and nourish it with nutrients as usual - 1-2 times a week. This care for dry and sensitive skin will reduce sensitivity to wind and cold, soothe irritation and help reduce flaking;
• for oily skin - focus on moisturizing and soothing masks. It is sufficient to perform the procedures 1-2 times a week. Proper moisturizing will help avoid dehydration and excessive sebum production.

Your skin may need extra regeneration after the summer, especially if you haven't used sunscreen during sunny days. Ultraviolet rays cause so-called photo-aging, and to reduce their damaging impact, you should use creams high in antioxidants, soothing masks (e.g. with aloe vera) and gentle peels. Serums with vitamin C, niacinamide or arbutin, which brighten the skin and even out skin tone after uneven sun exposure, are useful to remove pigmentation.

Nacomi Next Level, serum with niacinamide 15%, 30 ml

£5.40

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Serum-cream 20% Super Vitamin C Monoactives, 30 ml, La Cabine

£15.80

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Recipes for the most popular moisturizing masks for dry skin (although they are also suitable for other skin types):

• honey + aloe vera juice (extracted from shredded leaves). Mix a tablespoon of each ingredient and apply the mixture to cleansed skin. After 15-20 minutes, the mask should be rinsed off; the procedure can be repeated 1-2 times a week. Honey is a natural 'moisturizer' for the skin and aloe vera softens and reduces irritation;
• avocado + olive oil. Mash half a ripe avocado, mix with a teaspoon of oil and apply to the face for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with water. This mask is considered one of the best "homemade" moisturizing products for autumn, when the skin is extremely dry and dehydrated, because avocado is rich in vitamins and fatty acids, and olive oil - in antioxidants.

Nourishing masks:

• Pumpkin + yogurt + honey. Two tablespoons of pumpkin puree mix well with one tablespoon of natural yogurt (it's better to prepare it yourself, using starter bacteria) and one tablespoon of honey. The effectiveness of the mask is due to its composition: the yoghurt moisturizes, exfoliates and softens the skin, vitamins A and C in the pumpkin restore damaged epidermis, and the honey nourishes and soothes the skin;
• banana + shea butter. Bananas are rich in vitamins and potassium, which are essential for intense nourishment and skin regeneration, and shea butter has long been known for its moisturizing and protective properties. Half a banana should be mashed and blended with butter until a creamy paste is obtained - apply to the face for 15 minutes and then rinse with water. This mask improves skin elasticity.

But often masks alone are not enough, and that's when "fall" facial peels come to the rescue.

Fall facial peels

Many beauticians consider fall an excellent season, as demand for chemical peels is growing like never before. They remove uneven pigmentation acquired in the summer, help get rid of fine wrinkles and restore normal skin tone. In addition, peels can be used successfully in the treatment of couperose and various skin rashes.

So what is a peel? It is strictly controlled skin damage - necessary to stimulate epidermal renewal. Hence the main rule of cosmetology: for the procedure to be successful, the skin must have the resources to regenerate itself.

The key to successful skin renewal lies in three important aspects:

• pre-peel preparation - this includes deeply moisturizing and "nourishing" the skin using products with antioxidants, ceramides, omega acids, vitamins, as well as hyaluronic acid and collagen. These should be used as part of daily skincare and additionally as a mask. The second important point in pre-peel preparation is the use of products low in retinol or AHA acids. These help to detect individual intolerance to fruit acids and retinoic dermatitis in good time and to smooth the skin relief. And, as mentioned above, it is obligatory to use creams with SPF protection - without it, no respectable beautician will not even perform pre-peel preparation, let alone a full peel;
• choosing the optimal acid (its concentration is taken into account) - this is only done by the beautician - and it is better if he/she is a dermatologist;
• Post-peel care - after the procedure, the skin needs to be intensively moisturized (especially in the first few days), and creams with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, panthenol, omega acids or fragrance-free moisturizing serums are suitable for this. Also, for one week you should not use exfoliants, and the day before and two days after the procedure you should not apply retinol or products with AHA acids. And, of course, you shouldn't go outside without sunscreen (SPF at least 30), even in cloudy weather.

If your skin becomes too sensitive in the fall, cosmeticians recommend using gentle and mild peels:

• Enzymatic peels - these contain enzymes derived from fruits (usually papaya or pineapple) and work gently without causing severe irritation or skin damage;
• Mild mechanical peels - these are ordinary exfoliants, but with very fine particles (e.g. rice or oat powder). They gently exfoliate the epidermis and stimulate skin regeneration;
• polyhydroxyl acid (PHA) peels - lactobionic acid or gluconolactone. These are considered the gentlest of all chemical peels because PHA acids work at the surface of the skin without penetrating deeply and damaging the skin. Polyhydroxy acids are the best choice for very sensitive skin.

Apis Professional Hydro Balance, Enzymatic peeling with bioenzymes and seaweed, 100 ml

3

£11.30

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Tips for safe peeling at home

To ensure that your facial peel at home does not further damage your skin, it is important to follow a few simple but very important rules:

• Start by testing the product on a small area of skin - for example, the inside of your wrist;
• clean the skin thoroughly before the procedure - it is best to use gentle products to avoid irritation;
• follow product instructions strictly and most importantly - do not leave the product on the skin for too long;
• rinse the peel off with cool water. Before rinsing with water, you can use an alkaline neutralizer - a store-bought or home-made one (one teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water);
• After the procedure, apply a moisturizer to quickly restore the skin's hydrolipidic balance;
• avoid sun exposure for a few days, and always apply sunscreen afterwards when going outside;
• don't over-peel - do it at most once a week.

Combat dry skin in the fall

Sometimes, even with the use of the most expensive and high quality 'fall' moisturizers, skin looks dull. This is because the skin care products are not enough to regenerate it. It's not just the cold and wind that take their toll on our skin in the fall, but also the dry indoor air and frequent washing with hot water - that's why you should not forget about air humidifiers, and it's better to use gentle products and lukewarm or cold water for cleansing.

Little 'cosmetic' tricks:

• Moisturizing products should be applied to damp skin;
• apart from creams, hyaluronic acid serums are very effective;
• a few drops of oil (coconut, rosehip, jojoba) applied to the face after the cream will help seal in the moisture;
• moisturizing starts from within - so make sure you drink enough water.

Fall hand care

Your hands suffer from temperature changes, wind and cold more than your face. Excessive dryness can cause redness and cracking, and the situation is made worse by the frequent use of soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers and harsh cleansers.

To keep hands beautiful, beauticians recommend:

• Always wear gloves when using cleansers and avoid hot water;
• apply moisturizing cream with panthenol, glycerin or allantoin after every hand wash;
• use deep moisturizing - apply a thick layer of moisturizer to your hands before going to bed and wear cotton gloves (don't take them off until morning!).

For 'fall' hand care, you don't necessarily need to buy fancy cosmetics. Natural products (honey, olive oil, oatmeal baths, aloe vera creams, coconut and shea oils) are accessible to all and equally effective. But they must be applied regularly and, in addition, you should not forget the other measures mentioned above. A comprehensive approach to skin care is the key to skin health and beauty.

Ziaja, Soothing hand cream with D-panthenol, 100 ml

£1.90

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Soothing face cream with plant extract, panthenol and allantoin, 75 ml, Abib

£18.80

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Aloe Vera and Collagen Hand Cream, 100 g, Herbagen

£4.30

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