Autumn Skincare: How to Repair Summer Skin and Get Your Glow Back

As the leaves turn and the air gets crisper, your skin is dealing with two things at once: everything summer left behind, and the drying effect of cooler weather and central heating. Most of us notice it in September and October. Skin looks duller, new dark spots have appeared, tone is patchier and it feels drier than it did a month ago.

Here's the exciting part: autumn is the best time of year to turn it around. Add a vitamin C serum every morning to fade summer's sun spots and bring back your glow, bring retinol back at night, and step up your hydration. Start now, and you'll head into party season with brighter, more even, glowing skin. Here's exactly what to do.

Your autumn skincare routine

You don't need a whole new routine. You need three powerful changes: vitamin C every morning to fade summer's damage, hyaluronic acid morning and night to put back the moisture summer took, and retinol in the evening to renew your skin while you sleep. Autumn is the ideal time to bring retinol back, because UV levels are lower.

In the morning, cleanse, then apply 3–4 drops of our 20% Vitamin C Serum to your face, neck, décolletage and the backs of your hands. Follow with our Hyaluronic Acid Serum, a moisturiser such as our Pure Radiance Face Cream or Men's Daily Moisturiser, then SPF. In the evening, cleanse, apply our 2.5% Retinol Serum (start with 2–3 nights a week), then hyaluronic acid and moisturiser.

Want the whole routine in one box? Our 3 Serum Set gives you 20% Vitamin C, 2.5% Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid together, everything you need to undo summer, morning and night, for £34.95, saving you £9.90 on buying them separately.

Is it too late to fade summer sun spots?

Not at all, and now is the perfect time. Recent pigmentation tends to respond well to vitamin C, because it slows the production of melanin while your skin renews itself and sheds the pigmented cells. Most people see a brighter glow within three weeks, and dark spots start to fade from around week six. Start in late September or October, and by the Christmas party season your skin can look noticeably brighter and more even. Older, deeper marks take longer, so stick with it.

The key is choosing a vitamin C that's strong enough to make a visible difference. Ours uses high-strength pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid) at 20%, the top of the range studies look at, with niacinamide to help even tone, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and beta glucan to soothe, so it's gentle enough to use every morning from day one. It's a formula we'd be proud to use ourselves every single day, and we think you'll love what it does for your skin this autumn.

The bottom line

Summer leaves its mark, but autumn is your chance to wipe the slate clean. Vitamin C every morning, retinol at night, plenty of hydration and SPF every single day, and your skin can look brighter, more even and more radiant by Christmas. Our 20% Vitamin C Serum is £14.95 and lasts around 4–6 weeks, so for the full twelve-week reset, save 10% on two bottles or 15% on three, or mix and match any of our products to save up to 15%. It's rated 4.7 out of 5 by our customers and backed by our 60-day money-back guarantee.