Our Guide to Autumn Skincare

Chunky knits. Crunchy leaves. Cooler temps. Ah, autumn we meet again. The start of pumpkin-spiced-everything season signals that change is coming, from our wardrobes to our mindset. But, have you checked in to see how your skincare stash is holding up? Here are our top tips for giving your daily routine a seasonal upgrade.

Red haired female laying in a autumnal field

Why do I need an autumnal skincare routine?

Let’s start by saying, that you don’t need to throw out your fave go-to’s and start over from scratch. But, your skin doesn’t like change. Fact. So, when the weather starts freaking out as the season’s transition (less humidity, more wind and chilly vibes), your skin’s fragile barrier can become damaged. With a few simple swaps, tweaks and extra kind-to-skin solutions, you can protect your complexion from the elements and keep your skin happy and healthy whatever the weather.

Our Top Autumn Skincare Tips

Hydrate to combat the chill

Skin glows differently in the summer thanks to nature’s gift of humidity and good lighting. During the hotter months, you may have even stripped back your skincare routine to the basics.

For autumn, dryness is the biggest threat to your glow so you’ll want to keep replenishing and topping up the water reserves by adding in ingredients and formulas that are heavy on hydration. We’re talking skincare saviours like hyaluronic acid and moisture-rich formulas like soothing serums and face oils.

Simply Pure Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum 50ml £3.49

Exfoliate & Nourish

Dull and lacklustre skin? We don’t know her. Keep your skin looking radiant by using gentle exfoliators that feature multi-tasking AHAs like lactic acid and glycolic acid.

Exfoliating by its very nature is shedding your skin of dead skin cells and debris. But, there’s a fine line to walk between dewy and dryness, so if you’re noticing any irritation then cut back on the frequency of your exfoliating products. Better yet, always follow up your exfoliating step with ingredients that nourish, protect and reinforce your skin’s barrier. Our reliable go-to is Vitamin C for giving skin a much-needed boost.

Red haired female in the sun with a bright blue background

Superdrug DNRAD Superdrug Vitamin C Facial Spritz 100ml £0.50

Superdrug DNRAD Superdrug Vitamin C 10% Facial Booster 30ml £1.00

Go For Heavier Textures

From the chill in the air to central heating (which sucks the moisture out of the air), your skin is likely to be craving a little extra TLC. Opting for thicker formulas will wrap your skin up in comfort like your fave blanket. We’re talking creamy balm cleansers as opposed to foaming cleansers. And sumptuous overnight masks that put in serious work while you snooze.

Vitamin E Superdrug Vitamin E SPF15 Moisturising Cream 100ml £0.50

Naturally Radiant Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Calming Overnight Mask 75ml £0.49

Don’t Pack Away Your SPF

The sun may have gone behind the clouds, but that doesn’t mean your sun protection has to get thrown to the back of the beauty cupboard until next year. SPF is for life, not just for summer. Continue protecting your skin from harmful UV (that’s still around!) by keeping SPF part of your daily routine.

Solait Solait Face Sun Cream Fluid SPF30 50ml £3.99

Red haired lady with glowing autumn skin

Add an Extra Step

If you’ve found a skincare routine that works for you, we get that you might be a bit cautious about chopping and changing. So, if you want to give your skin a come-at-me-weather upgrade then it can be as simple as adding an extra nourishing step, like a hydrating sheet mask or multi-tasking oil.