I’m a beauty expert – 6 ways to get your glow back if you’re suffering from ‘ugly autumn’ including £1 dull skin reviver

LEAVES are falling and temperatures are plummeting, but it’s not just nature that goes through dramatic changes in the autumn.

Our bodies can take a hit, too.

With 75 per cent of women experiencing more hair loss as the weather shifts, and the average person scoffing an extra 222 calories a day more than in the summer, the changing season has a lot to answer for.

Between dry skin, thinning hair and expanding waistlines — thanks to all those pumpkin spice lattes — this time of year can really take its toll on our bodies.

For mum-of-two Shalina Casey, 48, from New Alresford, Hants, as soon as autumn arrives, she starts to feel less attractive.

She says: “During the spring and summer, I always feel so happy and confident.

“My hair is shiny and my skin looks dewy.

“But as soon as autumn kicks in, I feel I have to hide myself away.

“It’s like a switch is flicked and I go from being attractive and confident to a shell of my former self.”

Actress and author Shalina, who is mum to Avianna, 13, and Alex, nine, says her skin is the first thing impacted by the drop in temperature.

She adds: “As soon as the cold weather starts to hit, my skin gets drier and paler and immediately looks blotchy.

“My lips lose their redness and plumpness, becoming dry and flaky.

“I sometimes wonder if it’s the sudden lack of vitamin D you no longer get from being outside in the summer, or if it’s my hormones.

“But every year, without fail — and no matter how much I hydrate or take care of myself — my looks seem to suffer.

“My skin turns grey and it creates a knock-on effect, meaning my teeth don’t look so white against my dull ­complexion.

“Even my eyes don’t sparkle as much.”

And it’s not just skin that loses its glow.

“I notice my hair becomes dry and starts to thin,” Shalina adds.

“Even mascara is harder to apply in the autumn, which I think is due to my eyelashes drying out.”

Turning to carb-heavy comfort food also has a negative effect.

‘Skin drier, paler and blotchy’

Shalina says: “Another reason I feel so unattractive in autumn is because I eat more.

“I normally take real pride in my figure, but when it gets cold I just want to throw a jumper on, so I stop worrying about the size of my tummy.”

But it’s not just physical issues at play.

Seasonal affective disorder, known as SAD, is thought to dampen the mood of around one in 15 of us between the months of September and April, according to the NHS.

Shalina says she can relate, adding: “It’s hard to feel good about yourself when you don’t look good.

“The changing season does affect me emotionally and I can get really down about it.

“I feel older in the autumn and recently told my daughter I might have to get Botox.

“She just laughed it off and told me I was beautiful, but I’m considering it.

“I’ve accepted this is the way it’s going to be for a few months of the year and that by spring, I’ll be back to feeling beautiful again.”

If, like Shalina, you find autumn awful, rather than awesome, there are steps you can take to feel better about yourself and your looks.

Here, beauty expert Joyce Connor reveals six ways autumn can affect your looks — and how to combat them.

LACKLUSTRE THINNING HAIR

SEASONAL hair loss is a reality for a lot of women, with some losing as much as double what they shed in spring.

Joyce says a lack of vitamin D and the sudden change in weather can both contribute.

She adds: “When it gets colder we stick the heating on, or forgo cold water for hot drinks like tea, which can be a diuretic.

“So we’re inadvertently drying ourselves out.

“This can particularly affect hair, leaving it brittle and prone to falling out.

“Staying indoors more and not getting any vitamin D can also leave hair looking dull.

“The best form of defence is to keep it as conditioned as possible, using products such as the Pantene repair and protect hair mask, £2.49, from Boots.”

DULL, DEHYDRATED SKIN

ANOTHER victim of the changing seasons is our skin, which suddenly suffers from less sunlight and warmth.

“We’ve had lots of vitamin D over the summer – we’ve stocked up from the sun,” says Joyce.

“But we shouldn’t rest on our laurels now that autumn is here because our skin will get dryer in the cold weather.

“We need to keep as moisturised and hydrated as possible and it’s important to keep using an SPF.

“Facial oils are great to help with moisture, as are facial spritzes.

“Poundland also does an excellent vitamin C collagen mask (£1) which can be used to brighten skin, giving it a fresher, more youthful appearance.”

BRITTLE NAILS

IF you’re wondering why your nails are weaker than they usually are, it could be because of the weather.

“Our nails are a continuation of our skin. They’re made up of keratin and, again, they just dry out,” Joyce says.

“When the temperatures drop outside, we look to heating, hot showers and cups of tea to keep us warm inside.

“All these things are dehydrating us, so we must make an effort to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.”

Joyce also recommends using cuticle oil, like Rimmel Nail Nurse (£4.99) and encourages filing nails more than usual.

She adds: “I know people want to keep their nails long, but a light file every week would do wonders in keeping them healthy.”

DRY, CHAPPED LIPS

AT this time of year lips dry out and easily become chapped.

Joyce’s top tip is to exfoliate every day, using a baby toothbrush and a baby wipe, to get rid of any excess dead skin.

She also says you can save money by doubling up and using other products as a lip salve.

“When I put my eye cream on, I use what’s left over on my lips,” she says.

“Lips are a similar type of skin to the under eye, so a good cream will nourish them in the same way.

“Another great tip is to use nipple balm, or even a couple of drops of facial oil, on dry lips, for the same effect as a good lip balm.”

Try Neutrogena Retinol Boost eye cream, Boots, £11.99.

UNWANTED WEIGHT GAIN

AS it gets colder, many of us turn to comfort foods, leading to weight gain.

Joyce explains: “The weather has a huge impact on how we feel, and when it gets colder and darker, we tend to stay indoors and eat foods that make us temporarily feel better, like carbs and sugar.”

With no bikini weather in sight, it’s easy to accept weight gain and wrap up in big jumpers to hide it.

But Joyce warns that poor diet can cause uncomfortable bloating, which only makes us feel worse.

She recommends sipping on a cup of tum-soothing herbal tea, like Twinings SuperBlends wellbeing collection (£3.50 for 20 bags) before bed.

MORE SLEEP, LESS ENERGY

STUDIES have shown the shorter days and darker evenings cause havoc with the body’s circadian rhythm, which regulates our sleep cycle.

This can leave us with less energy in the evenings, even though we may be getting more kip overall.

Joyce says it pays to be careful with alcohol and caffeine intake at this time of year.

“Anything like that will just affect your ability to fall asleep and leave you worse off,” she says.

“Don’t try to use caffeine to stay awake.

“Instead, go to bed earlier and use a good bath soak, like the I Love Wellness bath soak (£3.99, TK Maxx) for a more restful sleep.”

Joyce also recommends using “sleep sounds”, apps and audio that play the noise of thunderstorms, white noise or rainfall to help relax the brain and promote sleep.