News & Blog

It has been a strange summer. It almost feels like it passed us by this year. As the nights get darker, the air has a definite chill; the coldest weather is still to come. You may have noticed your lips beginning to feel a little dry. Your hands might not feel as soft as they were a few weeks ago, and annoyingly, you may even have had a breakout in acne and spots for the first time in a few months.  Winter is on its way - what is happening to my skin? A mysterious breakout or blemish will appear when we think we have found the right balance of products and skincare regime to keep our skin looking and feeling healthy. It reminds us that our skin is our barrier against our environment. Winter is the worst season for people who suffer from acne. The colder, dry conditions strip our skin of its natural moisture. Having gotten used to easier conditions that have allowed it to keep hydrated, the skin finds itself under a barrage of different elements. Cold air, chilling winds, dry heat inside our houses full of radiators, and the bracing cold rain all make your skin grow dryer, more irritated and tighter. Moisture levels: Hot weather is more humid, cold weather is drier. The outer layers of the skin, known as the stratum corneum, act as a barrier to protect against moisture loss. In cold, dry conditions, this barrier can struggle to retain moisture, leading to dryness and dehydration in your skin. Blood vessels: In cold temperatures, our blood vessels constrict to conserve heat and maintain our core body temperature. This leads to reduced blood flow to the skin and can be why you may have a paler appearance. Oil production: Sebum, the skin’s natural oil, can be affected by fluctuations in temperature. In hotter conditions, more oil is produced. When it gets colder, less sebum is produced, resulting in dryness and flakiness of your skin. What will my skin typically experience in Winter? All of our skin is unique, and the change to Winter will affect everyone’s skin slightly differently, but the most common impacts the cold weather has on the skin are: Dryness: With the cold air usually being less humid, skin hydration starts to fall. With this, your skin tightens, becoming drier and rougher, particularly at the start of the transition from warm weather to cold. Our skin is under a constant barrage; even in our homes, the heating reduces humidity, leading to more dryness. Flakiness: With dryness comes flakiness. Your skin may flake or peel, particularly on the face and hands. This flakiness can lead to your skin looking slightly dull and less radiant. Redness and irritation: The Winter can be very problematic for your skin if you have sensitive skin. Exposure to cold winds and low temperatures can irritate the skin, causing it to become red and itchy. Chapped lips: The cold weather also affects our lips. Our lips lack oil glands, making them more susceptible to moisture loss in dry, cold conditions. This can lead to them becoming chapped and quite often painful. Acne: You may notice increased acne breakouts during the transition to colder weather. The combination of dry skin, increased dead skin cell build-up, and heavier use of the wrong moisturisers leads pores to become blocked, ultimately forcing more breakouts. How to help your skin fight the battle against the cold. With all skin guides, it is important to remember that we are all different and our skin changes with time. It is always worth taking the time to have a proper skin consultation as the seasons begin to change, but in the meantime, you should think about: Hydration: Keeping your skin hydrated from both inside and outside is essential. We often drink less water in Winter, which doesn’t help the skin’s battle to stay hydrated. Make sure you are drinking plenty to look after the inside. Use a good moisturiser to keep the skin hydrated from the outside. I recommend Alumier’s HydraDew for normal skin and HydraRich if you have drier skin. Gentle Cleansing: While the drier weather builds up dry, flakey skin, it is important to take a softer approach to cleansing. Harsh soaps and cleansers that keep your skin radiant in Summer may strip away the reduced natural oils from the skin. Mild, hydrating cleansers will serve your skin better in Winter. Alumier’s HydraBoost Cleanser is a great winter cleanser. Sun Protection: We often think the sun’s rays don’t harm our skin because it isn’t hot. It would be best if you continued to use your SPF to stop the skin from getting damaged by the UV rays. Humidifiers: The heating in your house will also lead to drier conditions indoors. To give your skin a break, try adding a humidifier to your home to add moisture to your indoor air. Lip Balm: To help with your dry and chapping lips, make sure you are regularly applying lip balm, especially as you begin a journey outside. I always recommend a lip balm that has SPF to counter sun damage. If you are experiencing any difficulties or changes to your skin as the weather changes, you can book a consultation with me. We’ll take the time to understand your skin and recommend a treatment plan to help you glow through Winter.

We've made it! Spring is finally here, the world looks glorious, and the air is warmer. This breath of fresh air is excellent for your skin too. The warmer temperatures bring higher moisture levels into the air, removing winter's cold, dry, damaging feel. This new weather will bring about a slight change in how you approach your skincare. So I thought I'd share a few tips: Firstly, sunscreen. A quality SPF should be part of your skincare regime all year round. The sun's rays are just as damaging in winter as in Spring, but if you haven't been as diligent, it is time to ensure this is part of your daily routine. You'll find yourself outdoors more, walking when you would have taken the car or bus, and you'll certainly want to sit outside while having lunch. People often think that because it isn't hot, the sun isn't intense - this causes many people to forget about using their SPF and increases the risk of sun damage to your skin. Dull and dry skin Winter can be tough on your skin, but Spring gives us an excellent opportunity to get your skin back its glow. You should tweak your skincare routine to include exfoliation if you have dull skin. Exfoliating will remove the layer of dead and flaky skin that has built up. The colder, harsher weather has attacked your skin; by exfoliating, you will find your skin looking brighter, with fresh skin being brought to the surface. This brings the added benefit of your other Alumier skincare products being more readily absorbed. Acne- Prone skin As we emerge into Spring, the outdoors becomes more appealing. You will sweat more, affecting your skin, particularly if you have oily or acne-prone skin. Consider a lighter moisturiser that is less likely to plug your pores and reduce any flare-ups your acne may have. Ageing Skin Spring is a great time to increase your use of retinoids or retinol. These vitamin A derivatives increase skin cell activity, improving skin texture that helps make your complexion, just like the weather, brighter and fresher! Talk through your skin Making changes to skincare that is working can be scary, so always base any changes on how your skin is feeling. If it is still working, keep doing it, your skin might only require changes once it is warmer and heading towards summer. However your skin feels, it's a great time to book a consultation to ensure you know how to be ready for any changes your skin might face.

It’s usually necessary to make some subtle changes to your skincare routine as the season changes because the conditions in the summer and winter are very different, and the skin often cannot acclimatise to the new conditions quickly enough to protect itself adequately.

Myth: Vitamin E fades scars Rubbing vitamin E on your scars will do nothing to fade these marks. Time does the most to fade scars though creams and lotions with hyaluronic acid, retinols, and the medication tretinoin can help to reduce the appearance of scars. Laser therapy and microneedling to encourage collagen and elastin production can help with scar reduction. My main advice would be to avoid direct exposure to the sun as scars tend to darken with sunlight. Myth: You can shrink your pores No, you can’t shrink your pores. The size of your pores is mostly due to your genetics, age and skin type. As we age our pores can start to appear larger due to our skin slowing down production of collagen and losing its elasticity. This stretches and sags the skin making our pores look bigger. We have two types of pores, one releases natural oils and the other sweat. Sometimes the oil-releasing pores can appear enlarged. Whilst we can’t shrink the pore, there are ways to minimise the appearance. Incorporating monthly facials into your skincare routine can help. Myth: You can use the same products for your day and night routines Some products can be used both day and night such as a gentle cleanser. However, during the day your skin is in ‘protect’ mode and you should help it by using products that offer defence from free radicals and sunscreen. At night your skin is no longer warding off pollutants and the sun so your night-time products should be more restorative. Retinol for example should only be used at night as it encourages cell turnover. Myth: You don’t need to wear sunscreen if your makeup has SPF While the extra sun protection in your make up is a bonus, it shouldn’t be your main point of defence against the sun. We never apply enough makeup to provide sufficient SPF coverage during the day. Your makeup may also not provide protection from both UVA and UVB rays. So, stick to a broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply it liberally throughout the day. Myth: the more you wash your face, the cleaner and healthier your skin is Washing your face too much can do more harm than good, often leading to dry, irritated skin that is vulnerable to breakouts and infections. Washing with a gentle face wash will help to unclog pores and dissolve the residue that has built up over the course of the day. The main thing is not to overdo the cleaning because it will make your skin dry and will cause the oil glands in the skin to produce extra sebum. To keep the skin’s natural barrier unharmed and glowing, I recommend using a simple, non-exfoliating face wash morning and evening. Myth: Facial wipes are as good as a cleanser These wipes are actually not designed to cleanse your skin and should not be used as your primary method of makeup removal. The chemicals in them to keep them moist also coat your skin so will gradually block your pores. These wipes are handy for emergencies only. Myth: Budget skincare products are just as effective as expensive ones Unfortunately, in most cases you get what you pay for and whilst it might not be initially obvious, over time it becomes apparent. Some poor-quality skincare ingredients can have an adverse effect on the skin in the long term, particularly synthetic ingredients which have been known to build up toxicity in the skin over time. Try to look for quality over quantity. Your skin only needs a couple of quality products to survive, so invest in a quality cleanser and broad-spectrum sunscreen. Myth: People with oily skin don’t need to moisturise You do need to moisturise at least once a day. This is because the oil glands in the skin go into overdrive to compensate for being dehydrated making your skin feel even oilier. If you have oily skin then use a lightweight moisturiser that is non comedogenic so that they are less likely to clog pores.