Autumn is huffing and puffing like a stroppy teenager and that means blustery winds, central heating and a change in diet to more stodgy foods. Skin has probably taken a certain amount of damage over the summer, so now is the time to gently ease it in to the new season with a few easy tweaks to your skincare regime.

Exfoliate

Do not try and cling on to the last shreds of a tan. A patchy, peeling tan will not look as good as a smooth and even complexion. There are two types of exfoliator which will help achieve the desired effect – chemical (based on glycolic or lactic acid which help break down the bonds that hold grime on to the skin) and physical (which use friction to get dirt moving.)

It is all too easy to forget about this part of a beauty routine and then over do it when you do decide to exfoliate. As with most things, little and often is best: chemical exfoliation should be undertaken about once a week and physical can be done up to twice a week. Be gentle and do not scrub too hard otherwise you can take off the skin’s natural protection and small scratches could become infected and cause redness.

Moisturise

When the radiators are turned back on, our indoor environments become super arid and this is what causes most of our skin problems in the autumn and winter months – much more than the heavy weather. Using a good moisturiser will not only make the skin feel smoother and more plumped but it will also stop the skin loosing any further moisture. Try adding a serum under a moisturiser to give skin a real boost and also add a night cream to your routine to give skin extra night-time nourishment. Where possible, try to select moisturising products from the same range as they will contain similar-style ingredients and so you are assured that they will work well together.

It is a misnomer that a deep moisturising cream will cause spots: if you have a breakout, it is more likely that the ingredients do not suit your skin. Keep searching for the perfect autumn-winter moisturiser and your skin will thank you next spring.

Complexion Correction

Tinted moisturiser, complexion enhancer and foundation – who can live without them in autumn/winter? Make sure you choose a colour that is appropriate to less sun-kissed skin, to avoid the classic watermark look. Unfortunately, whilst there are some amazing products on the market, a foundation that strikes the perfect balance between moisturisation and staying-put, has yet to be achieved. It is simply a case of compromising and deciding which matters more to you.

SPF

Ensure that you have suitable sun protection in one or more of your products. UVA rays still penetrate through clouds and glass and they are also the nasties that cause cells to mutate and in the longer term, cause cancer. Ideally this protection should be in a moisturiser or primer to make sure it reaches all areas of the face. (Foundation should only be applied to areas that need evening out, so not as effective for SPFs.)

Lips

The thinner skin of lips can feel seriously exposed at this time of year and needs its own pampering. It is fine to exfoliate lips but do not do it too often and then choose lip products that moisturise; have an SPF and that are as natural as possible. It is estimated that women consume between 4-7lbs of lip products over their lifetime – so where possible, reduce the chemical content.

With a few simple measures it is easy to have beautiful skin this autumn/winter without feeling like you need to hibernate until spring is back with us.