Autumn & Winter Skincare Changes

Should your treatments change as we move into Autumn & Winter?

A lot of our habits change along with the seasons. You may begin favouring indoor events, wearing more layers, or simply staying comfy and cosy at home as the days get colder and shorter. Can this mean a change in skincare products & treatments too? For many people, yes.

Why? The answer is two-fold. Firstly, your skin can be affected by the environment and may need slightly different care in different seasons. Secondly, some treatments can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. These treatments are better left to autumn & winter as your sun exposure is reduced due to shorter days and lower sun intensity.

So what does this mean specifically for you? Let’s find out.

Seasonal Skin Changes

Transitioning from summer to autumn & winter means significant changes to the weather, and this can mean significant changes to your skin:

Irritation is far more likely as your skin’s lipid barrier is weakened in cold & less humid weather. Using a good quality gentle cleanser can help to avoid this in two ways. Your products will still work better after cleansing, and you won’t be stripping your skin of oils which can otherwise increase sensitivity to harsh weather.

Skin hydration has been shown to worsen also. This is a combined effect of increased water loss due to a weakened lipid barrier & water in your skin evaporating more rapidly in more dry air. Using a powerful hydrating serum (we recommend Hyaluronic Acid based serums) and a rich moisturiser can help to keep your skin from becoming dry or dehydrated.

Winter-Suited Treatments

There are two broad categories of treatments that can be considered “winter-suited”:

1. Treatments that help you to improve negative seasonal changes in your skin.

You may benefit from being a little more selective with your aesthetic treatments during the colder seasons. Aiming for treatments that hydrate the skin is a great decision. Think HydraFacial or Mesotherapy cocktails aimed at hydrating.

2. Long-downtime treatments that increase your sensitivity to sun damage.

With the sun weaker and out for fewer hours in the day, it’s a great time to take advantage of more aggressive treatments. The benefit of these treatments is that they can give incredible results in a fraction of the time as less aggressive ones, but they do leave you susceptible to sun damage. So we recommend saving these treatments for autumn and winter time. You’ll benefit from the effectiveness of the treatment whilst limiting your exposure to the sun as much as possible.

Treatments like iPixel Skin Resurfacing & Non-Surgical Blepharoplasty are great examples of aggressive but effective “winter-suited” choices.

In conclusion, adapting your skincare around the environment is key. We take precautionary measures in colder weather such as wearing more layers and spending less time outdoors, so why not do the same with your skincare?

Why not read our blog post 5 Ways Lacking Sleep Can Worsen Your Skin Health and discover how poor sleep can reverse your skincare efforts? Alternatively, you can read about how to choose the best skincare products for you.