How to Update Your Skincare and Makeup Routine for Autumn and Winter

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As a professional makeup artist here in the UK, I am often asked about how to maintain skincare throughout the year. Our weather changes from one minute to the next! So, as we are heading into the colder days and darker evenings, let’s look at how to update your skincare and makeup routine for autumn and winter.

Have you noticed that as the seasons change, so do our skincare and makeup needs? The colder and drier weather can affect our overall health and appearance, making our skin more prone to dryness, dullness, and sensitivity.

That’s why it is so important to update our skincare and makeup routine for each season, in order to feel our best at any age.

In this post, I share some tips on how to update your skincare and makeup for autumn and winter, using products and techniques that suit your skin type and concerns. I will also offer you the opportunity to contact me for more information or a 1-to-1 tutorial (face-to-face or via an online call) where you can learn more about skincare and makeup for mature women.

Skincare Tips for Autumn and Winter

Skincare is the base or foundation (😉) of any beauty routine, as it can affect how your makeup looks and lasts. Here are a few of my skincare tips for autumn and winter that can help you keep your skin healthy, hydrated, and radiant.

Exfoliate regularly

Coming into autumn, we need to start washing away the remains of summer. Your skin may look and feel its best in summer (yes, even in the UK), partially down to a boost from Vitamin D in sunshine, and also the change in food that we consume during the summer months. Natural fruits and salads, and we naturally seem to drink more water. But, as the seasons change and your tan starts to fade, it’s time to reset your skin with regular exfoliation. Exfoliating skin of any age helps to remove those grey-looking dead skin cells, improve your skin texture, brighten your complexion, and stimulate collagen production (which is great for more mature skin). Be careful not to over-exfoliate or use products that are too harsh for your skin. I always recommend a patch test before using a new product and always follow the instructions carefully.

Inject more moisture into your skin

As the temperature drops and the air becomes drier, your skin may lose its natural moisture and become dehydrated, flaky, or tight. To prevent this, you need to use skincare products that can lock in moisture and nourish your skin. Look for products that contain hyaluronic acid, glycerine, ceramides, or oils. These ingredients help restore the skin barrier function, prevent water loss, and soothe dry or irritated skin. Personally, I love Hyaluronic Acid which is naturally found in the body and can hold over 1000 times its weight in water, ideal as a serum after cleansing and before moisturising. These are my recommendations:

• Garden of Wisdom Hyaluronic Acid Serum, available online from Victoria Health.

• Vichy Minerale 89 Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum from Look Fantastic.*

Protect your skin from the sun

Even though the sun may not feel as strong at this time of year, it can still cause sun damage, premature ageing, and skin cancer. So, it’s just as important to protect your skin from the sun every day by using a suitable sunscreen for your skin type even during the autumn and winter. I recommend:

• Paula's Choice range of moisturisers with SPF.

• Garnier Ambre Solaire Over Make-up UV Protection Mist SPF 50 is ideal for reapplying regularly throughout the day (especially if you are going through perimenopause or menopausal hot flushes!).

Moisturise and nourish your skin at night

I know how hard it can be to remember to cleanse and moisturise at night, especially as the evenings draw in, but cleansing our skin at the end of every day is key to achieving the best-looking skin and make-up. Just as your body repairs itself overnight, so does your skin. To support this process, you need to use products that replenish and nourish your skin at night and help it recover from the day’s stressors.

Your night cream can be richer than your day cream. Or possibly look at an oil or serum to target specific skin concerns, such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or dullness. Remember to choose products for your specific skin type. Look out for my post specifically on the difference between daytime and nighttime skincare routines.

Makeup Tips for Autumn and Winter

I adore a natural makeup look at any time of year, especially on more mature skin. We can always add a subtle tone here and there, to highlight the eyes or lips. So, I’m really pleased to see the trending makeup looks for autumn/winter 2023/24 include the “latte” looks with soft caramels, honey, and cinnamon tones (well it is cinnamon latte season!)

For added drama, check out this season's "'Espresso" look, with the main focus on the eyes using deep brown and cocoa tones.

I love NUDESTIX Eye Crayons* for the quickest, easiest smokey eyes that don't require eye brushes or Bobbi Brown Long Wear Crayons*.

I have put together some of my makeup tips for autumn and winter to help you create a great stylised look for all ages.

Choose makeup products that are hydrating, lightweight, and luminous

We might love cake with our coffee, but we don’t want to see it on our skin as well! Heavy and cakey products tend to sit in even the finest of lines and wrinkles, so your skin looks dry and dull. Instead, choose creamy, liquid, or gel concealer and foundation that is easy to blend for a natural finish.

Use a primer before applying foundation or concealer

I honestly dreaded seeing pores. But the Laura Mercier Perfecting Primer* is a firm favourite of mine for smoothing out the skin, minimising pores, and ensuring your makeup will stay in place for longer. Another benefit of a primer is you can neutralise any redness or skin discolouration (get ahead of those hot flushes again!) Check out the fabulous all-in-one product by Rosalique**for this.

Apply concealer and foundation sparingly and only where you need it

My advice is to use a buffing brush to blend the product evenly and avoid creating harsh lines or edges. I love a tinted moisturiser like Laura Mercier Natural Skin Perfector* or try mixing foundation with a little moisturiser or serum to create a beautiful, natural look.

Enhance your eyes with eyeshadow shades that complement your eye colour and skin tone

One of my favourite eyeshadow palettes this season is the MAC Connect in Colour Eye Palette - Unfiltered Nudes* which contains complementary shades and textures that will suit many eye colours and skin tones.

The Bobbi Brown Disco Drama Set* would also be ideal for creating both soft and dramatic eye looks.

Experiment with different colour eyeliner to define your lash line - think brown, bronze, burgundy, green and a mascara to curl and lengthen your lashes.

Add colour and definition to your cheeks with a bronzer or blusher

Younger skin looks best with blush or bronzer applied to the ‘apples’ of the cheeks. As our skin ages and we need to create a slightly more mature look, it is better to go higher, just above the cheekbones. Be sure to choose the right colour for your skin tone (more to come on matching makeup colours to skin tones in a future post). And look out for cream blushers or bronzers, easier to apply and blend with a sponge or angled makeup brush.

Photo credit: Claire Naylor Photography

Finish with a lipstick or gloss that suits your skin tone, style, and personality!

I wouldn't be without a lip liner to outline and fill in my lips (keep the edges nice and soft around the Cupid’s Bow) and also to create a fuller appearance. This can also help to avoid lipstick feathering. I never imagined that my lips would start looking thinner as I got older, but they do, I’m afraid! Try to use a creamy lipliner and a moisturising lipstick to add that extra luscious look and make sure your lips are hydrated. This time of year is perfect for autumnal shades; these are my favourites:

• Maybelline Superstar Vinyl Ink Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick* in Cheeky, Witty and Royal

• Lisa Eldridge True Velvet Lip Colours in Cinnabar or Jazz

Conclusion

There you have my tips and recommendations for your autumn and winter skincare and makeup. Following these tips will help keep your skin healthy and hydrated to create a flattering look as the seasons change.

Looking for more make-up and skincare tips?

If you would like to learn more about how to enhance your makeup with confidence, including skincare, please contact me here for more information about my 1-to-1 make-up lessons - I would love to hear from you. I hope you have enjoyed reading my tips on how to update your skincare and makeup routine for the new season.

Remember, beauty is not about age, it is about attitude and confidence.

Photo credit: Claire Naylor Photography

IMPORTANT NOTES ON AFFILIATE PURCHASES

*Use my Affiliate code LFTJUSTINEMUA for extra discounts when purchasing products via Look Fantastic.

** Use my discount code JUSTINEMUA for 15% discount when purchasing Rosalique on the Rosalique website.

New Online Tutorial - A Quick and Easy Smokey Eye

Want to learn more about creating the perfect smokey-eye look? Check out my brand new short tutorial here that will help you to achieve this quickly and easily.

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