BEST BEAUTY BUYS

The experts share the beauty heroes and best treatments for the cooler days ahead.

As we move into autumn, it’s time to start adjusting our skincare regime and cosmetics to embrace the change of season. From new colour palettes to breakthrough skincare ingredients, the experts share the beauty heroes and best treatments for the cooler days ahead. HEALTHY, GLOWING SKIN

Whatever the season, wherever you are, cleansing your face morning and night should be as regular as brushing your teeth. “Regular skin cleansing is critical to maintaining healthy looking and feeling skin,” says Daniel Isaacs, Director of Research at Medik8. “Cleansing twice a day ensures that skin is clean of impurities, dirt, pollutants and makeup. If we don’t cleanse twice a day, these factors can build up on the skin surface, resulting in blocked pores and visible skin congestion. Cleansing also creates the perfect base for active ingredients to follow in the routine, for the best results.”

The best cleanser for your skin and lifestyle may change over time, so you may consider a cleanser wardrobe to suit your changing needs. Micellar water followed by a cleansing oil or cleansing balm is great for a doublecleanse to remove your makeup. A cleansing foam or cream works well for a speedy morning cleanse; an exfoliating cleanser is useful for times when you want to gently freshen a dull complexion.

As the weather cools, it may be time to switch up your cleanser. “Cold temperatures and low humidity levels can result in dry air that draws moisture away from the skin, leaving it both dry and dehydrated,” says Isaacs.

“A key way to address this within your cleansing routine is with a moisturising cream cleanser that can help to replenish any lost lipids and nourish your skin barrier.”

The change of season to autumn often accompanies a change in the level of moisture in the air.

“The crisp air and wind that comes with the autumn season can leave your skin feeling dry, which means it’s likely to be more sensitive than normal and lacking moisture,” says Fergil Mestanov, skin expert at iS Clinical. “Exfoliating is an important step of your skincare routine and applying a hydrating mask to restore lost moisture levels is crucial to a healthy complexion. Removing the build-up of dead skin layers from sun exposure will allow better absorption of all your skincare products and give a clearer, more even skin tone.”

Exfoliation is a natural process, with normal skin cells renewing every 20-30 days. However, as we age, this process becomes sluggish and we end

up with dead cells clinging to the skin. Younger skin can have the opposite problem, with skin cells reproducing too quickly and many of these new cells become trapped in the pores. Mix these dead cells with oil and bacteria, and you can get breakouts.

Using a gentle exfoliator can remove dead surface skin to encourage new cell production and can also help to unclog pores and clarify acneic skin. The three main types of exfoliators are physical exfoliants, chemical exfoliants (such as alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids) and chemical peels. Exfoliation is recommend weekly during the cooler months to keep your skin looking healthy and fresh.

SAVING FACE WITH A MASK

Face masks applied to clean skin help active ingredients to penetrate into the skin and also help hydration as they create a barrier between your skin and the dry air around you.

A mask is also one of the best performers for a quick fix: they are great for pepping up your skin before an event. The key to choosing a mask is to make sure it suits your skin type.

For this time of year, Mestanov loves the iS Clinical Hydra-Intensive Cooling Masque because it is designed to reinvigorate, refresh and provide soothing hydration.

“It’s a professional strength formula which features natural botanical antioxidants centella asiatica, resveratrol, green tea, aloe vera, and rosemary extracts, which are perfectly balanced with botanically sourced hyaluronic acid, nature’s most powerful hydrator. Skin will appear luminous, fresh and hydrated.”

After a cleanse, exfoliation and mask, it is time to treat any skin concerns with a targeted treatment.

“Serums are formulations of low viscosity or fluid textures that are easily absorbed,” says Skin Virtue founder Nina Gajic. “They are designed to sink into the skin and deliver a concentrated dose of active ingredients.” She says the best way to choose a serum for your skin is to firstly look for serums that contain active ingredients that are hydrating.

“We can be preoccupied with looking for active ingredients for many other reasons and forget the basics: hydration is a necessity for healthylooking skin.”

Good hydrating ingredients include hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid. Other serum ingredients can target specific skin conditions such as lines and wrinkles, redness, pigmentation or congestion.

You should always apply serums sparingly, and they need to be absorbed for a few minutes before applying your moisturiser.

“Moisturisers can be formulated with occlusives that leave a film on your skin and this can affect the penetration of your serum, reducing its function,” says Gajic.

THE VALUE OF SERUMS

Serums don’t replace moisturisers because serums are about delivering an active ingredient, whereas moisturisers are about locking the active ingredients into your skin.

“Serums are usually formulated with humectants that attract moisture from the environment and the deepest layers of the skin, such as sodium hyaluronate, panthenol and allantoin,” says Gajic.

“Serums aren’t usually formulated with occlusives that help protect your skin barrier; moisturisers are. Moisturisers are formulated with emollients that hydrate the surface of the skin, they help restore the skin’s natural lipid barrier and protect the skin from moisture loss – so yes, you need both. If you have dry skin, you should include moisturisers that contain barrier restoring properties such as ceramides, panthenol and olea europaea. These ingredients help to strengthen the skin barrier and reduce trans-epidermal water loss.”

Cleansing, exfoliating, masks, serum and moisturising are recommended for all skin types this season, but obviously specific products need to be selected based on skin type, particularly for those with sensitive skin. “Sensitive skin is skin that is intolerant and irritable and prone to inflammation and adverse reactions,” says Gajic. “If you have sensitive skin you will notice your skin is easily irritated and reactive; symptoms can range from redness, itching, stinging, burning, hives, red rashes and peeling and flaking skin.

“You may also experience more breakouts than usual. Sensitive skin is usually associated with an impaired barrier function and is reactive to a wide variety of factors both intrinsic and extrinsic.”

The best way to look after sensitive skin is to nurture it with ingredients that influence the skin’s function, providing anti-inflammatory, soothing and strengthening properties, making it less reactive and more able to cope with irritants.

“ALWAYS BE GENTLE WITH YOUR SKIN.”

NINA GAJIC

“This means stop overwashing and stripping your skin barrier, keep exfoliation to a minimum (once or twice a week), use hydrating actives and moisturise with creams that suit your skin type,” says Gajic. “Also stay away from harsh ingredients and don’t go crazy with laser and chemical treatments; less is more, and remember always be gentle to your skin.”

NEW SEASON COLOURS

Bobbi Brown National Education Executive Kheahni’s top tip for autumn is to warm up your hands, then press your foundation into the skin using your hands. “This ensures it becomes like a veil on the skin and doesn’t sit on the surface, creating texture,” she says.

Autumn’s new eyeshadow colour trends include warm, rosy hues that look great when layered to create dimension. Kheahni’s favourite product for the season is Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm. It has pearl particles in red, green and yellow, which gives a beautiful luminous finish to the skin: perfect for under your foundation or dotted onto cheekbones for added glow.

The ‘no makeup, makeup’ look is here to stay, as people favour a paired-back makeup routine, says Oli Antunes, makeup and nail artist for Mavala. “A lit-from-within glow on the outside is the holy grail for skin, with a focus on creating natural and glowing radiance”, says Antunes. “Eyes are the bride, driven by our current pandemic situation, with lips taking on the role of the bridesmaid. With mask-wearing still de rigueur, it’s time to experiment with bold eye statements. Try sharpening your eyeliner by using liquid or layered khol and make your lashes pop with coloured mascara. Wash a sheer pop of colour over your eyelids.”

Antunes says this season is about lightly stained or freshly kissed lips instead of a bold, full lip. “Don’t be afraid of experimenting! Dab plummy shades onto the lip for a more washed-out effect, a great way to transition between sheer glosses from summer to an understated winter look. Of course, at night lips can be ramped up with deeper shades, layered lipsticks and a lip liner. Having said that, red lips never date and always transcend seasons: try a lip stain this winter.”

When it comes to nails, healthy nails are always on trend and vital whether you prefer a natural nail look or statement polished look. Feed the nail root or matrix externally with a specialised cream like Mavala Nailactan, which contains essential amino acids, lipids and keratobalancing vitamins and regularly apply a cuticle oil to nourish and protect the skin around the nails.

One of the cornerstones of nail health is a nutrient-rich diet that feeds the nails with vitamins, minerals and healthy fats to optimise the keratinisation or nail formation stage.

In an ideal world, nails should look light pink and be firm, yet flexible and able to absorb normal shocks without splitting or chipping. Their surface should be smooth with a subtle sheen that does not flake or peel at the tip.

Antunes’ recommendation for autumn nails is a matte topcoat; a more textured finish than the high gloss of summer. “Variations of chocolate and latte colours are big this season, as well as berry, plum-like hues and versatile khaki.”

BEAUTIFUL BROWS

Well before perfectly groomed, lusciously full brows were the must-have they are today, Brow Code founder Melanie Marris (pictured below) was reimagining the humble brow wax with her iconic brow styling services. In 2012 she launched the first

Melanie Marris Eyebrow Stylist Studio in Perth and has now grown her empire to include a flagship studio in Melbourne, pop-up studios in Sydney and the Gold Coast as well as studios in Bali and LA. When she opened her first studio, Melanie sold a small range of her brow products in-store, but dreamed of one day creating a fully fledged brow beauty brand. Brow Code is the realisation of that dream and the result of years of research, testing and perfecting.

Brow Code is the first beauty range of its kind in the world that is dedicated solely to creating and maintaining beautiful, salon-quality brows at home. Whether you’re shaping, waxing, laminating or wanting to promote healthy brow hair growth, Brow Code’s comprehensive range offers everything you need to be your own brow stylist including creamades, henna kits, micro pencils, tweezers, brow wax, lamination kits, brow brushes and brow growth oil.

Marris said the current brow craze is all about lamination. “This technique achieves a fluffy brushed-up brow while still creating a sculpted shape and style,” she says. “There is no denying that full and lifted brows have been on trend for some time now, but I definitely think it’s here to stay. This brow look is super achievable and maintains your natural brow shape while still adding a super aesthetic and bold pop to the face.”

NEW BROW TRENDS

Another big trend in the brow industry is ombre and permanent makeup. Brow lamination is a fairly new technique used in the industry. It is the process of straightening the brow hairs, resulting in instantly full, lifted and fluffy brows.

“The biggest mistake I’ve probably seen is people messing around too much with their natural brows to achieve on-trend brows,” says Marris. “You don’t have to physically wax off the brows to achieve the current sought-after brows.

“Trends are going to come and go, so you should use brow products to make your brows look on trend instead. Another big mistake I notice people make is over-tweezing.” Marris says she is a DIY kind of girl. “I don’t always have time to visit a professional to get my brows done, so I do it all myself from home. I love waxing. Waxing is warm, which opens up the pores, making it super easy to remove the hairs from the root. Waxing is also really gentle, which clients love. However, of course, the effectiveness of waxing comes down to technique.”

Marris says threading can give an incredibly crisp line, however, sometimes this technique can snap the hairs instead of pulling them from the root. “A lot of people do turn to waxing just because it’s seen as the more hygienic option. Some professional brow technicians put the thread in their mouth, which of course isn’t very hygienic and is also seen as a major no-no with everything going on in the world at the moment.”

Of course the humble tweezers are a must to tidy up the brow. “Tweezers are also a great tool to use in between your eyebrow appointments to get rid of any stray hairs. It’s not a good idea to constantly pluck because the brows will begin to grow unevenly and will give off that black dotted effect.”

“YOU DONT HAVE TO WAX OFF YOUR BROWS TO ACHIEVE SOUGHTAFTER BROWS.”

MELANIE MARRIS