In her beauty column for SO magazine this month Natalie Piacun Professional Make-up Artist at TAW Salon on The Pantiles looks at how we can ensure our skin stays in tip top condition over the winter months…
During the summer we tend to use less products on our skin as we naturally have a healthy glow. Once autumn has arrived and as the leaves begin their transition from green to golds, browns, and reds – the hot sunny weather has already left its mark upon our skin.
Pigmentation from excessive UV exposure, dehydration from too much rosé and nights around the barbecue have all taken their toll. Suddenly a noticeable drop in temperature begins and as we watch daylight slowly draw shorter, these factors can both drastically impact the way our skin performs, looks, and feels. Cool winds, driving rain and of course, the central heating at home (dare we turn it on right now?) can easily cause inflammation, sensitivity, and redness.
Our skin type can change over time due to seasonal changes, environmental factors, age, hormones and other health related issues so it’s worthwhile getting to know your skin and adjust your beauty regime where needed. For example, drier skins can benefit from richer moisturisers, balms or oils to help replace lipids lost and reduce flakiness. While more oily skins can afford less heavy creams and oils. Oh and remember to exfoliate as summer damage can lead to a build-up of dead skin cells.
Treating the surface of your skin is all very well, but it’s important to complement your autumnal skin routine with a nutritional and seasonal diet. Include in your diet vegetables that are rich in beta-carotene – dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and pumpkin. These will aid cell renewal, balance skin function and collagen production.
My top picks this month:
For the beauty tech lover
- Réduit | Réduit BOOST – £179.00 | Available from: reduit.com
Réduit is here with their innovative beauty gadget BOOST. This Swiss engineered device is the world’s first bespoke skincare tool that works using electro-magnetic waveforms and an accompanying personalised app, the vital actives from your favourite products are distributed to the correct layers of the skin providing four times more absorption than fingers alone and five times better results.
Reinvigorate that summertime glow:
- Decléor Green Mandarin Aromaplastie Glow Booster Mask £37.00 Available from decleor.co.uk
This glow-getting mask is packed with nourishing, radiance boosting ingredients and Decléor’s highly encapsulated vitamin CG, a light blend of AHA’s and the star essential oil – Green Mandarin. In as little as ten minutes, one can expect a brighter, smoother and more even complexion. Also creating the perfect base for make-up.
- Vintner’s Daughter | Active Botanical Serum – £185.00 | Available from: vintnersdaughter.com + farfetch.com + netaporter.com + cultbeauty.com
Uber cool brand Vintner’s Daughter is a 100% natural botanical powerhouse. This A-list love skincare derived from a precise, gentle and temperature controlled 21-day infusion process. A time-honoured formulation process allows ingredients to be extracted maintaining their fullest nutritional content while simultaneously supercharging their active nature. This unique and vital procedure formulates the perfect serum that will repair, renew and transform your skin, giving you the perfect glow.
- Olivanna Intense Repair Night Cream -£68 Available olivanna.com
Luxury British beauty brand Olivianna introduces their Intense Repair Night Cream which melts into the skin, providing rich nourishment with collagen-boosting organic cotton thistle extract and a proven powerhouse blend of botanicals to restore and revive skin whilst you sleep. Skin awakes looking refreshed, glowing, and renewed. Use nightly for a plumper and smoother looking skin with improved elasticity.
Your Plant derived alternative to Retinol:
- Collagen Intensive Phyto-Retinol Renewal Mask £44 | Available Liberty London, Harvey Nichols, facethefuture.co.uk and cosmania.nl
This supercharged next-generation hydrogel mask is a scientifically formulated with Hydrolysed Collagen and Bakuchiol, a plant-derived alternative to retinol without having any of the negatives associated. Not only can this mask be used during the day, it is clinically proven to reduce multiple signs of aging, including dryness, the look of fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone, dullness, and the loss of elasticity and firmness. Ground-breaking technology has derived hydrolysed collagen from fish skin.
