AUTUMNAL SEASON | 5 SKINCARE UPDATES
I’m so in love with autumn that I never wait for the middle of September to update my skincare routine to the season of warm tones, gentle rain, endless wind, turtle necks and leaves, well everywhere. To me, autumnal skincare is all about matching the overall cosiness of the season and preparing the skin for the harsh, cold winter weather without opting for the ultra nourishing benefits just yet.
HYDRATING MASKS
They shouldn’t replace the purifying or exfoliating ones, but rather come after them, to make sure the skin doesn’t tackle the cold, the wind and the rain already in a fragile state. I have a lot of them, but the one I’m enjoying the most at the moment is the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Mask. As always with La Roche-Posay, it is a very simple cream which I prefer to use as an overnight mask: the silky light consistency is very suited to it as it beautifully pampers the skin without feeling too sticky or claustrophobic either. I love falling asleep with the La Roche-Posay scent -perfume, but last ingredient- and I love waking up to a beautiful skin, perfectly rested and oh so plump! It has also helped my makeup to become one with my skin, something much needed after a summer of tired skin and cakey makeup.
CREAMY CLEANSERS
More something I want than something my skin desperately needs, but creamy consistencies go hand in hand with autumn for me. Again, it is all about offering comfort to the skin and not drying it out more than the weather already does. My favourite picks are the Darphin Cleansing Milky Emulsion with Verbena –review– and the Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser –more about it-. The first one is very light and soft on the skin, the second one, on the other hand, is thicker, very comforting and as hydrating as a cleanser can be. A little bit heavier than the summer one, the autumnal makeup will be completely removed with these two cleansers which I prefer deeply massaged into the skin, as second cleanses.
PROPER NIGHT CREAMS
As soon as September arrives, I give up on my hydrating gels and lightweight moisturizers. I choose a proper night cream instead. It doesn’t have to sit on the heavy, thick and greasy side of things, but anything specifically designed to help the skin regenerate itself is happily welcomed into the fall routine. In autumn, the skin is more challenged and the nights a little bit longer than the summer ones, so it seems perfectly logical to me. The La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Nuit Intense Soothing Care is a lovely pick when the skin shows a little bit more sensitivity than usual, it comforts the skin without suffocating it -I know, again-. More energising and hydrating than soothing, the Guerlain Midnight Secret Late Night Recovery Treatment –more about it– promises a beautiful skin come the next morning, no matter how short my night is. The secret with it, though, is to save it for special occasions as its impact on the skin tends to weaken when used too frequently.