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Wellness

The ABC's of a post summer skincare routine

Nicola Moulton tells us how to get back into a skincare regime after the summer...

After the summer holidays our skincare needs a reset. But where do we start with a skincare shake up for the new season? Enter Nicola Moulton, Editorial Director of Beauty Pie (and former Vogue Beauty Director) to tells us just how to do it. Hint: it's as easy as A, B, C (& SPF) ...

Incorporating the ABC+SPF elements into your skincare routine will not only help restore your skin post-summer but ensure you’re enjoying your best possible complexion all year round... Marcia Kilgore

After the holidays it’s time to get serious about our skincare, where do we start? 
Even just being aware of the need to up your skincare game is a great start. It sounds simple, but how does your face feel when you run your fingers over it? Does it feel silky-smooth, or are there drier areas? Is it oily? Any bumps or blemishes? And what are you noticing when you look in the mirror? Does your skin ‘spring back’ after a late night or an early start, or can you notice things like tiredness in your face and/or under your eyes? These are all the kinds of things to look for when considering what your post-summer skin might need. 

What are the biggest skin concerns after the summer months? 
Post-summer skin is often lacking in moisture - so can be dry and uncomfortable, and a little dull-looking and lacking in glow. The odd patch of hyperpigmentation (sometimes called age spots or sun spots) can appear, too. 

What’s the best way to treat pigmentation exacerbated by the summer months?
Beauty Pie’s ABC+SPF system is a great place to start (you can read more about it below). But essentially, using a night cream or serum containing Retinol, and products containing Vitamin C and Niacinamide during the day, will really help start to treat any sun damage you’ve seen appearing. 

What should we do if our skin feels congested after the endless layers of suncream, skincare & makeup?
We love a good skin clearout at Beauty Pie! And we have lots of ways that you can really start to detoxify and decongest your skin. If scrubs are your thing, our Wonderscrub Bio-Dermabrasion Face Polish is incredible - just a pea-sized dose of its super-gentle Volcanic Scrub Spheres, hydrating liquid Shea Butter and super-fruit nutrient Pineapple Enzymes will clear, brighten, purify, smooth and re-energise your skin. If you prefer a mask, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried our Fruitizyme™ Five Minute Facial. With dead-cell sloughing Glycolic Acid, powerful Pomegranate Enzymes, gentle Quartz powder, Bamboo scrub grains and antioxidant Raspberry Stem Cells, this triple-tasking leave-on peeling mask is a marvel. Use weekly (at least) for a perennially fresh complexion.

Can we change up our SPF now we’re not in the sun as much?
The consultant dermatologist we work with at Beauty Pie, Dr Andrew Markey, always says that the best SPF is the one that you’re happy to reach for every single morning. He believes we should all use high factor (SPF30 or above), broad-spectrum (protecting against UVA and UVB) filters every day, and says you shouldn’t worry about whether the sun’s going to be out, or whether you’ll be spending much time outdoors, or sitting by a window, or any of the above… just apply it every single morning, without thinking, like you do brushing your teeth.
 
If we want to start a new skincare routine for the autumn, what would be a good easy routine to follow?
When autumn rolls around, you need to ensure that your skincare contains some key active ingredients. Beauty Pie founder Marcia Kilgore suggests everybody incorporates the ABC+SPF system into their post-summer skincare routine, which involves using vitamins A, B and C plus SPF every single day. (Beauty Pie sells a great kit containing the four items you need, which as a member costs just £56). “Incorporating these key elements into your skincare routine will not only help restore your skin post-summer but ensure you’re enjoying your best possible complexion all year round,” she says. “It improves skin smoothness, firmness, evenness of pigmentation, texture, pore optics, and the appearance of fine lines improve. The all-important ‘glow’ of healthy skin will be your reward for sticking with the program!”

WHY ABC? 
VITAMIN A (AKA RETINOL)
Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A that can help to unclog your pores, boost collagen production (to help reduce fine lines), reduce collagen breakdown, speed up sluggish cell turnover, even out skin discolouration, normalise your skin’s barrier function and smooth your complexion.

VITAMIN B (AKA NIACINAMIDE)
Working to strengthen the skin barrier, Niacinamide is great at restoring harmony to skin that’s stressed, compromised, and generally a little out-of-kilter post-summer.

VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps boost skin regeneration, luminosity and radiance, plus helps equalise uneven skin tone and improve skin texture. It’s also known as a collagen booster!

Nicola Moulton is Beauty Pie’s Editorial Director. She has been a beauty editor for many years and spent a decade as the Beauty Director at British Vogue. She’s obsessed with skincare, perfume and tinted moisturizer, which she says would probably be her specialist subject on Mastermind. 

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