With temperatures dropping as we’ve entered autumn and are gearing up for the inevitable long winter-haul, one of the most important self-care adjustments to consider is your skincare routine. During summer, we focused on lighter layers of products and SPF everything, but now we need to nurture our skin in the cold. 

From what I’ve learned after being ridiculously influenced by social media is that a good, stable routine is better than wasting money on popular products. I’m no skincare guru, but I’ve gathered a few tips over the years that I ought to share with you. 

Get to Know Your Skin Type

The most important thing before buying products is knowing your skin type. Whether it’s normal, dry, oily, sensitive or a combination of those, it’s crucial that you figure this out in order to find the right products for you. I never realised how sensitive my skin was until after I was using recommended products that left me red in the face. 

Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise.

Moisturising your face is needed even if you don’t have dry skin. I’ve found that my skin, specifically my T-Zone, gets quite oily while the other areas are not. Investing in a moisturiser that caters to your skin type is crucial, and for me, I’ve seen better progress with oil-free moisturisers than those that are more heavy on the face. Remember that not all hyped-up products are right for you!

Sunscreen Never Dies  

The need for sunscreen never changes throughout the different seasons.  In New Zealand, we’re exposed to high levels of UV radiation, so it’s important to stay stocked up with a good sunscreen. Again, consider your skin type when buying these. It’s also nice to consider the amount of white-cast the sunscreen leaves; as a brown-skinned girlie, I know I’d rather not walk around looking like a Twilight vampire. 

Mask It Up

Having a hydrating face mask is important to combat the dryness of cold weather, however you might want to also think about getting an overnight lip mask too. I’m sure we’ve all had bouts of dry, flaky lips when it’s cold, so a moisturising lip balm and a lip mask to swipe on at night may just be your saving grace. 

There are no rules to decide who can and can’t have an organised, nourishing skin care routine. Forget about social stigma; it’s about time we started properly taking care of our skin.