Key skincare ingredients for a glowing complexion this autumn

With colder weather comes low humidity, and low humidity can make your skin appear dry and flaky due to the lack of moisture in your surroundings. Dry skin can not only affect your skin’s appearance, but it can also feel very irritable and uncomfortable to the touch.

On the other hand, your skin is also susceptible to changes in hot and humid weather, too. High humidity can lead to excessive sweat and pore-clogging, resulting in acne breakouts.

So, as you can see, the weather and surroundings have the power to impact your skin a great deal. Don’t worry, though — with advice and guidance from our industry experts, we’ll be sure to have you prepared for whatever autumn has in store for your skin.

In the clutches of a cold snap, you’ll often find your skin feeling more tight, sensitive, and irritable.

With the inevitable increased use of central heating in the cooler months, and frequent exposure to blistering cold winds, rain, and low humidity, your skin goes through a lot of change in the cooler months. Consequently, this results in your skin texture and appearance changing as a response.

However, there’s no need to worry about what your skin needs in autumn. As winters have come and gone over the years, our skin experts have perfected our skincare products, and the ingredients within them, to battle the effects of cold weather — quickly and efficiently.

Here are a few efficient ingredients that will nurture and replenish your skin in colder weather. Take a look below and try to incorporate these ingredients into your skincare routine to satisfy your skin’s needs for autumn.

Hyaluronic Acid

Drawing moisture from its surroundings and inserting it into the skin, hyaluronic acid is one of the hero ingredients for battling cold weather skin changes.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) helps the skin feel, and appear, plump and hydrated, preventing any tightness that is usually associated with dry skin.

Our Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence won CEW UK’s Beauty Award in 2021 - and for good reason (if we do say so ourselves). Formulated with next-generation Flash Filler Hyaluronic Acid, this essence delivers instant and intense hydration lasting for up to 24 hours. Simply apply every morning and evening after cleansing by using a pat-and-press motion to fully absorb the product into your skin.

From crisp September days to chilly November evenings by the bonfire, hyaluronic acid can support your complexion throughout autumn.

Ceramides

Found in the outer layer of the skin, ceramides are types of lipid molecules that aid skin barrier formation. With this in mind, ceramides are excellent for retaining existing moisture within the skin — which is just what you need during a cold spell.

These helpful fatty molecules within skincare products help to prevent dryness and sensitivity that can flare up on the skin due to cold weather.

Our Pro-Collagen Morning Matrix is an effective performance day cream. It features a ceramide-rich probiotic lipidic ferment to protect and replenish your skin’s lipids, leaving it glowing from the inside out.

Apply every morning after double cleansing and smooth over the face in upward strokes. If you want to level up your autumn skincare, why not pair it with our Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix for all-round skin protection? 

Glycerin

Glycerin, similar to hyaluronic acid, is a humectant. A humectant is a type of substance that reduces the loss of moisture by retaining or preserving it instead.

By forming a protective layer on the skin’s surface, glycerin can strengthen the skin to protect it against autumn’s harsh, cold elements.

In the evening, simply layer our Superfood Midnight Facial onto the skin after cleansing by smoothing a pea-sized amount into the face, neck and décolleté in gentle, upward strokes. With its concentrated blend of superfoods including camu camu (which is brimming with Vitamin C) and mineral-rich banana flower extract, your skin will be left with a nourishing glow by the time you arise. 

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is an effective anti-inflammatory ingredient. By improving the skin’s lipid barrier, it helps to reduce visible redness and sensitivity.

By aiding the skin’s lipid barrier, niacinamide also increases your skin’s resilience to cold weather, so your complexion feels strong and protected, day after day.

Try out our Papaya Enzyme Peel which includes niacinamide as a key ingredient; it is a rinse-off exfoliator that gently dissolves dead skin cells, without being abrasive to your skin’s delicate surface. It’s beautifully mild, infused with natural enzymes from papaya and pineapple, leaving the skin feeling radiant all day long. 

Peptides

You may well have heard about the benefits of peptides, particularly when it comes to getting a glowing complexion. But do you know how they work? These tiny powerhouses are small protein fragments that supercharge collagen production, firming up your skin and smoothing out pesky wrinkles. They also bring a welcome hydration hit to plump and protect.

Our Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix harnesses drone peptide technology (a clever combination of two remarkable peptides) to create a protective matrix overnight. It seals in hydration and works through the night to give tired-looking skin a burst of radiance in the morning. It’s ideal for maintaining a healthy-looking glow as the weather turns. 

As the cold weather begins to creep towards us, you may see or feel the following changes in your skin. If you find yourself resonating with the points below, then it’s probably time to get ahead of your skin’s needs with effective autumn skin care products.

Flakiness
Flakiness can be defined as the shedding and peeling of the skin’s outer layer. In cold weather, the skin can lose its natural oils which leaves the skin feeling and appearing dry and/or flaky.

You may find that you see tiny flakes on the surface of your skin, which can get worse when touched or rubbed. Flakiness is often prominent in sensitive areas of the face, such as the nose, eyebrows, eyes, and around the mouth.

Redness
As an inflammatory response of the skin, redness can easily be scientifically explained. When cold air hits warm skin, the capillaries beneath the skin contract and rapidly dilate (especially around the nose and the cheeks) in an attempt to regulate the sudden temperature change.

As a result, this can then lead to excessive redness which can be hot to the touch, leaving you feeling flushed and rosy-cheeked.

Sensitivity
Skin sensitivity can be extremely uncomfortable to deal with. You may feel burning or tingling sensations with certain products, even if you haven’t reacted to them previously.

You could also experience a burning sensation on your skin when exposed to cold wind or rain for an extended period of time. All of the above feelings can occur due to cold air penetrating and compromising the skin barrier, making it more susceptive to potential irritants.

Itchiness
Unfortunately, itchiness and dryness go hand in hand. You may feel like you receive temporary relief when itching dry patches of skin, but unfortunately, this can break and irritate the skin even further.

A lack of essential hydration in cold weather, can easily make your skin irritable and itchy.

No matter the season, it’s important to have an autumn skincare routine that can adapt to the elements. Hot, cold, windy, or rainy — it’s essential that your skin is protected, no matter what the weather may bring.

Autumn skincare tips to follow

Take a browse at our top autumn skincare tips and start implementing them into your skincare routine to be prepared for autumn’s cold and harsh temperament.

Say goodbye to irritability and dryness and welcome fresh, moisturised skin for the new season.

Oily skin

You may initially think that oily skin wouldn’t be affected by colder weather due to its moisture content, but oily skin can still react to the cold by feeling or appearing dry and patchy.

We’d suggest that you avoid harsh cleansers, as over-cleansing can cause your skin to produce too much oil. Instead, select a sulphate-free cleanser (such as our Superfood Facial Wash) to help you gently remove impurities without compromising your skin’s natural barrier.

Exfoliation is also an essential part of any autumn skincare routine, but if you have oily skin, you should only limit this practice to once or twice a week to avoid overstimulation.

A chemical exfoliant including salicylic acid would prove beneficial for you, as it can penetrate the skin’s oily surface to exfoliate from within the pores. This way, you can give your skin the extra care it requires.

Dry / Sensitive skin

If you already have a dry skin type, the cold autumn air can unfortunately make your dry skin appear, and feel more sensitive. However, there are simple ways you can nurture your dry skin to ensure minimal damage.

Treat yourself once a week to a deep-hydrating facial mask for an added moisture boost, and try out the luxury of rich moisturisers. Look out for those including ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterols to reinforce the skin’s natural protective barrier.

For your daily cleanser, opt for a creamier alternative to prevent your skin from feeling parched. Our Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser is perfectly fit for the job. 

Combination Skin

Combination skin can feel like the best of both worlds and the worst of both worlds — depending on how your skin reacts to changes in weather. If you find that your skin teeters between feeling oily in places and dry in others, then it’s likely that you have combination skin.

Combination skin would greatly benefit from an occasional clay mask for oily skin throughout the autumn months; you can apply them all over your skin or just on problem areas, such as your T-zone, to combat the excess oil.

One of the benefits of combination skin is that you can try out the concept of ‘multi-masking’. Multi-masking is the technique of applying different masks to oily and dry parts of your skin to suit a variety of combined skin types.

If you’re looking for an effective dry skin facial mask, then try out the Pro-Collagen Marine Mask, designed to intensely hydrate the skin for a youthful appearance. With its powerful antioxidant-rich formula, 98% of people agreed their complexion felt refreshed and replenished* in our product user trials.

*Independent User Trials 2016. Results based on 121 people over 4 weeks.

There’s nothing better than having a healthy, dewy glow in the autumn sun. Colder weather may bring changes to your skin, but this doesn’t mean you have to go unprepared.

Get your skin ready for autumn’s cold weather and try out our range of cold-weather skin care products today. Feel confident and self-assured each and every day with ELEMIS products that flawlessly suit your skin