Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine

The days are darker and colder so it’s more important than ever to take care of your skin and your sleep routine. Here are our tips for developing a relaxing Autumn bedtime routine.

As the clocks go back, we’re starting to feel the seasonal changes internally. Many of us may be having problems getting to sleep. As the weather turns colder and darker, it’s important to observe the effect it has on our skin and our mood. Be kind to yourself, autumn can be quite a stressful season – especially under the current circumstances. Wearing PPE can aggravate even the healthiest skin, in addition to cold winds, central heating and less sunlight. At bedtime, take a little time to create a calming atmosphere to ensure a more restful nights sleep. It’s also an ideal time to treat your skin to a little extra love.

Begin With Your Senses

We believe that self care is an important act of self love, and how ever you want to spend your time taking care of yourself, it’s always worth the effort. Of course, seasonal affective disorder is a real thing and there are effective ways to treat it. Lighting is key to both our mood and our physical health. Blue light especially can be harmful to our sleep and our skin. Yellow light on the other hand can be extremely calming. Light a few candles, switch off your screens and leave your phone in another room. Even if you don’t fully pay attention to them, blue light screens are really distracting – and we already spend enough time on them. 

Make yourself a warm, calming drink like a herbal tea.  If you have it, use an essential oil diffuser to fill the air with comforting fragrance. Lavender is a perfect choice for its relaxing properties. Candles take care of the light and scent, or an oil diffuser is also a favourite.

Autumn Skincare Routine

Begin with your lips. If they’re feeling drier than usual then it’s likely your skin is in need of some moisture too, even if it’s not obvious. When conducting your evening skincare routine, consider how you want your skin to feel in the morning (and throughout the day). An overnight mask or intense face oil will absorb as you sleep, leaving you with gorgeous skin in the morning. You might look like a glazed doughnut before going to sleep, but waking up with plump and glowing skin is what you’re aiming for!

Whamisa Cleansing Oil Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine

Cleansers That Care

Cleansing oils are absolutely perfect for the beginning of the cold season. Don’t miss an opportunity to add more moisture to your skin. An oil has a beautifully rich and luxurious texture , which makes it really comforting and relaxing to apply. Also, they’re the best of the best at removing makeup. An oil will completely dissolve any mascara, concealer or lipstick without needing to scrub at your over sensitive skin. This step also protects your skin from irritation when using a second cleanser.

Organic Flowers Cleansing Oil, £27.50, Whamisa Korean Beauty at Cult Beauty

That being said, if you use an oil cleanser, a second cleanser is a pretty important step. A technique taken from the Korean tradition, this step lays the foundation for the rest of your skincare routine. It helps to prevent your pores from feeling congested, whether it’s hormonal or because you’re regularly applying makeup on your skin. A great way to find out if your cleanser is suitable for your skin type is to check whether you’re feeling the need to rush and apply a moisturizer after application. If this is the case, it could be that the cleanser you’re using is too drying and irritating for your skin. 

Middlemist Seven Camellia & Rose Gentle Cream Cleanser, £34, Pai Skincare at Cult Beauty

Pai Skincare Cleanser Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine
Narloa Rose Water Toner Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine

Simple Toners

Autumn is the perfect time to start incorporating richer textures and products into your routine. Your skin will lap it up. Post cleansing, apply a soothing, calming toner with gentle properties. Save the actives for a serum. By doing this you’re making sure that your skin is healthy and calm enough to fully enjoy the beneficial effects of vitamins and retinols etc. usually found in serums. We also love using a simple chamomile tea (cooled) of course, to tone skin after the cleansing step. Sweep over your skin using a reusable cotton pad.

Rose Water Toner, £7, Narloa

Nourishing Serums

When your skin is feeling sensitive, prone to redness, or you’re noticing a little bit of peeling, that’s when you should reach for rich and plumping serums. A soothing serum that helps to rebuild the protective barrier layers of your skins dermis, will calm and eliminate redness. When your skin is properly moisturized, you can then go for your favourite active ingredients. Be strategic in this way, use different ingredients to treat your skin on different days. Vitamin C, Retinol, Bakuchiol (our favourite!), BHA or AHA are the go-to choices. This is a very specific step according to your skin type and what you want to target. Whether it’s hyperpigmentation, anti-oxidant, or evening the skin texture. For this reason, boosters are handy as a few drops added to your serum can target particular concerns, and is less wasteful than having full size products all over the place.

Bakuchiol Booster, £12- £30, Bybi

Bybi Bakuchiol Booster Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine
Queenie Organics Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine

Quench Your Skin

Moisturisers provide protection for your skin, preparing it for the cold season ahead. The richer, the better. If you have acne concerns, make sure you’re opting for a non-comedogenic option to avoid aggravating your acne. If you’re uncomfortable with richer textures, you can still opt for a lighter choice that is more on the hydrating side. Don’t forget to apply to your neck too, as it’s often missed. While moisturising, apply a gentle pressure with your knuckles following your jawline, from your chin to your ear. The motion helps to move excess water to your lymph nodes to drain. It can have a relaxing effect too, making it an ideal pre bedtime ritual.

Hydrating Face Cream For Sensitive Dry Skin, £24, Queenie

Sleep Rituals

Now that your skin is happy, we turn our attention to sleep hygiene. When going to sleep, don’t underestimate the power of textures. Silky and soft fabrics are one of the most comforting feelings as well as being kinder to your skin and hair. Keep that in mind when you’re choosing your pyjama and bedsheets. The final step should be a calming mist on your pillow. Clary sage can promote a sense of clarity and contentedness (but don’t use it if you are pregnant) whereas rosemary is perfect for anxious times, and bergamot has a refreshing feel. 

Deep Sleep Pillow Mist, £15, Wildheart Organics

Wildheart Organics Pillow Mist Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Routine

Disclaimer: The content of this article is for general advice only and should not be used as a substitute for professional healthcare or beauty advice. We make every effort to ensure we only recommend safe products however you should always do a patch test when trying new products. This post may contain affiliate links.

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