Achieving great skin year-round takes more than just luck—it requires a season-by-season approach to keep your complexion glowing, no matter the weather. As temperatures rise and fall, our skin faces different challenges, from the sun-drenched days of summer to the harsh chill of winter. To help you navigate the changing seasons with ease, we’ve gathered expert tips from Skiniri founder Lettica Phillips, who shares her insider knowledge on how to care for your skin through spring, summer, autumn and winter. Whether it’s battling humidity, soothing sunburn, or prepping for a dewy spring glow, Lettica’s advice will keep your skin looking its best all year long.
With summer just gone, what are your skincare tips for avoiding product build-up on the skin?
To avoid product build-up on your skin, allow each product in your skincare routine time to be properly absorbed into your skin before applying the next one. A minute or so in between layers should be fine.
If you apply all of your skincare steps one after the other without allowing the appropriate time for each product to be properly absorbed, you risk what is known as skincare or product pilling. Pilling is what happens when your skincare product or make-up clumps in to tiny balls or flakes after you’ve applied it. It can also occur when people apply too much of any given product like a primer and moisturiser or moisturiser and sunscreen etc.
Whilst pilling is harmless it can affect your skin barrier and even clog your pores, so be mindful if you notice your products are not being absorbed into or sitting on your skin correctly (especially with make-up) as it could be a sign that your skincare application and routine needs to be altered.
I always say less is more! Especially with SKINIRI products which are naturally rich, so a little will always go a long way and the richness of each product may mean some with take longer to absorb than others.
Tip: Start with less, you can always add more, (this will also avoid wasting products) and then give each product time to absorb before you move on to the next layer or product.
The other side of avoiding product build-up is making sure it has been removed properly and for this step I really enjoy double cleansing for my face, especially after a long day wearing makeup. I just love how clean and free my skin feels after doing it.
Your face attracts all sorts, whilst you are going about your daily business, from dust, dirt and bacteria from outside to excess oils and sweat produced by your own skin. So cleansing your face at the end of the day regardless if you wear make-up or not, is essential.
Double cleansing is basically cleansing your face twice, first with an oil-based product and then followed by a water/gel-based cleanser. Although the thought of cleansing twice may seem like double the effort, it can have double the benefits as many dermatologists support double cleansing as the answer to smoother, brighter skin.
However, double cleansing might not work for everyone. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you should avoid double cleansing as you might find it too drying for your skin.
While SPF is essential, slip-ups can happen! What can we use to care for sunburnt skin?
Aloe vera gel is one of the best natural remedies for sunburn, it has a naturally cooling and calming effect on inflamed and irritated skin and can relieve some of the pain and promote skin healing.
If you have an aloe vera plant to hand, simply cut open one of the cactus leaves and scoop out the gel or you can purchase pure aloe vera gel from your local high-street. Where possible opt for pure aloe as many stores will provide products mixed with other ingredients and whilst they might contain useful additions in a normal setting you want to avoid any additional ingredients that might cause further discomfort to your now sensitised skin.
Tips:
- Get out of the sun as soon as you notice you are burning
- Try a cool shower to help your skin cool down
- Apply a cooling/healing agent like aloe vera gel to the affected areas
- Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration
- Wear loose clothing to cover any sunburnt areas from sunlight until your skin has healed
- DO NOT pop any blisters, scratch or try to remove peeling skin whilst you are healing as this can cause further damage to the skin resulting in marks or scars.
What are your tips for streamlining your skincare while travelling?
I say stick to your routine, especially if you have found one that is working for you. Many people experience breakouts on holiday because they forget their good habits and start doing things they would never do at home. Like not taking their makeup off properly before bed, which leads to product build-up and spots!
So bring what you need, but bring minis! By bringing travel sized products for short holidays, you not only save space and weight; you get to continue your great skincare routine with the products your skin loves anywhere in the world. This applies to traveling internationally or even when you are simply staying over at a friend’s house. You can buy reusable travel containers to fill with your daily essentials and never be without them when you travel.
Tip 1: If you are traveling with just a carry-on bag and worry about not fitting into the small plastic bag you need to use when going through airport security – get your own TSA approved clear toiletry bag. They are much bigger and valid for use at most UK airports. So you get to bring more products and don’t have to do the awkward bag swap just before you reach security.
Also, be mindful of the climate where you are traveling to and the duration you will be there for and pack accordingly. For example, in warmer climates you may opt for a light weight moisturising body oil rather than a rich body butter – which is better suited for cooler destinations.
Tip 2: If I am going away for a week, I will do my weekly exfoliation using my Coco Salts the night before I fly, knowing that my next scrub can wait until I get back home. I like to scrub before I shave for a closer shave that leaves my skin feeling extra smooth and silky soft. If you tan, scrubs are also great to do just before, as your tan will be more even and will last longer.
If you feel like your skin could do with a scrub whilst you are on holiday, try using sand (nature’s natural exfoliant) to buff away any dead skin to revive your glow. Make sure to apply it very gently and work the sand scrub in circular motions over the area you want to exfoliate. Rubbing too aggressively can be abrasive and leave your skin feeling irritated. Be sure to rinse off thoroughly and follow with a hydrating moisturiser.
Skiniri products are packed with vitamins – which vitamins should we focus on for nourished skin in winter?
During the winter we should focus on protecting our skin from the cold and dry weather. Our skin tends to experience greater moisture loss during the winter, often resulting in chapped or rough skin that is dry and dull.
Using a moisture-rich cream like our Shea Silk Mousse can help to soften and soothe dry skin by locking in moisture and supporting skin healing. Our Mousse is an occlusive vitamin rich body butter which means it has a richer and thicker formulation and is packed with ingredients that help to create a long-lasting protective barrier against environmental factors such as cold winds and low humidity. It is also packed with skin loving vitamins that keep your skin thriving even in the harshest of climates.
Some of our favourite winter skin vitamins include:
1. Vitamin A – Vitamin A is an extremely effective moisturiser that helps to promote more radiant looking skin. It assists in promoting and maintaining a healthy dermis and epidermis (the top two layers of your skin). It also helps to speed up skin healing, prevent breakouts and support the skin’s immune system.
You can find Vitamin A in carrot seed oil, moringa seed oil, rosehips oils and retinols. Please note you can get retinols derived from plants or synthetic versions, so do your research before you buy to find out what type you are buying and if they are likely to have more harmful additives.
2. Vitamin C – Vitamin C plays a major role in maintaining healthy skin by supporting our collagen production, which helps our skin to stay more elastic and look more youthful. It also supports skin healing as a powerful antioxidant, protecting skin cells from cellular damage and premature ageing by neutralising free radicals.
We use 100% pure, unrefined Organic Moringa Oil sourced from Kenya in our Shea Silk Mousse. Moringa Oil is derived from one of the most nutritious plants on earth also known as the Tree of Life. It is said to provide 7x more vitamin C than oranges and 10x more vitamin A than carrots and so much more! Moringa oil is jam packed with over 90 skin loving nutrients, essential fatty acids and vitamins.
3. Vitamin E – Vitamin E is a staple natural oil added to many of our products to provide an extra nourishing boost to support your overall skin health and is known to be an effective treatment for scars. It is also a ‘humectant’ and an ’emollient’ – so it helps your skin absorb more water and lock in moisture for longer, leading to softer and more supple skin.
Spring is a time of new beginnings! Which products would you swap-out and swap-in for your new springtime skincare routine?
Here are my top tips for getting your skin ready for spring/summer:
- Exfoliate on a weekly basis – If your skin is feeling dull and dry after a long winter, it’s time to focus on exfoliation. Exfoliation is the key to removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin to reveal the newer, healthier skin cells underneath. In addition to improving your skin’s complexion, exfoliation helps boost circulation and stimulates the production of new skin cells to leave your skin feel silky and smooth to the touch. Try using our Coco Salts body polish once a week. It’s packed with over 80 skin loving minerals that help to soothe and soften your skin plus coconut oil to help lock in moisture and leave your complexion glowing.
- Make hydration a priority – Hydration is always important. In the winter you likely used a thicker, richer moisturiser like our Shea Silk Mousse which still works great for summer as it’s an occlusive body butter that helps to seal moisture into the skin creating a lasting protective layer. If you prefer something lighter during the warm weather you should try our new body oils. Our Skin Repair Body Oil is a lightweight moisturiser that hydrates without clogging your pores and has a sweet yet zesty subtle aroma from the nutrient rich essential oils. If you love our Twilight Recovery Oil, you’ll love this larger sized body oil version. We’ve been soft launching it at markets with fantastic feedback – so it will be available online very soon.
- Use a face mask once a week – A weekly face mask is the ideal way to keep individual skin concerns under control. If you struggle with acne, a weekly clay face mask may help draw impurities from the skin and prevent breakouts. Our Afri Face Mask uses African Black Soap and bentonite clay that contains anti-blemish, detoxifying and healing properties. Afri serves as a 2in1 skin detox and can be used once a week as a face mask or daily as a face wash.
- Use natural sunscreen – It doesn’t seem right to share tips on spring skincare without mentioning sunscreen. Sunscreen is important to help protect the skin against sun damage. However, many sun protection products contain harmful chemicals that with continuous use are absorbed into our bodies much faster than we can filter them out leading to longer term health problems as these chemicals and toxins build up over time. Good news is there is an increasing number of plant-based alternatives that provide some sun protection. Studies have shown many herbal oils contain sun protecting factors, although most remain under SPF 10, so be mindful if your skin requires a stronger dose. Raspberry seed, avocado, olive, coconut and wheat germ oils and also Shea Butter to name a few natural plant-derived ingredients all provide some degree of sun protection. Do your research to find a suitable alternative that works for you.
Which essential oil do you most associate with spring, and why?
I have a soft spot for citrus oils. Cold pressed lemon is my all-time favourite, but I also love sweet orange or lemongrass. The zesty aroma is fresh and uplifting.
Lemon oil not only has skin benefits like brightening your complexion and can clear dark spots but it can also be used as a diffuser oil throughout your home and it will remove airborne bacteria and purify stale air, leaving a light, clean and zesty aroma.
