The end of summer affects us in different ways. While some will retire the Vilebrequins and put on proper shoes with a tear gently rolling down each cheek, others will cheerily wave goodbye to a commute that resembles a hot yoga session. While we hope a summer holiday has left your mind refreshed and body revitalised, the dry skin and frazzled hair that come with autumn are less welcome. Laying down good grooming habits now can pay dividends when the real cold weather arrives. Relax! This doesn’t involve a 10-step regime with serious commitment. We’ve got seamless post-summer grooming down to five simple steps that will keep you looking and smelling fresh as the leaves slowly crisp and fall.

After the combined onslaught of sun, salt and chlorine, it’s fair to say that post-holiday hair needs a little attention. “Hair tends to become drier, brittle and lightened on the ends by the end of the summer,” says Mr Larry King, hairstylist to Messrs David Gandy and Niall Horan. “It’s worth getting a professional conditioning treatment, clear gloss or permanent blow-dry if manageability is an issue. This will help maintain a style in the face of rain, wind and central heating. A good silver shampoo will correct the brassiness that sun and chlorine may have caused in grey, blond or bleached hair.”

With regards to style, Mr King’s preferred back-to-work cut is the look he’s perfected on his model client Mr Oliver Cheshire. “Keep some length on top, not too short on the sides and soft around the hairline,” he says. “Blow-dry to look well groomed but not too done. Use some mousse, a Dyson Supersonic hairdryer – with nozzle – a round brush and a little clay for a well-groomed but movable finish. And think about the scalp during the winter months. Central heating can leave it dry and flaky, so invest in a good scalp treatment. Stick to natural products that moisturise both the scalp and the hair.”

Moving on from your summer scent is the olfactory equivalent of ditching salad for the comfort of carbs. The cool-weather scent switch might have a whiff of a marketing gimmick, but certain notes smell out of place as the mercury plummets. Green, herbaceous fragrances, for example, will seem as odd as a freshly mown lawn come November. “The shift in seasons introduces change,” says Ms Anastasia Brozler, creative perfumer and composer of scents for brands such as Murdock London. “We are naturally prompted to move on in preparation for winter. Despite modern technology and travel, our inner senses are still in tune with nature’s changes.” At this time of year, we should be opting for fragrance accords that feel as comforting as Brunello Cucinelli cashmere. “The best notes to seek out are those that capture nature’s radiance and combine it with inner warmth and sensuality,” says Ms Brozler. She recommends woods and resinous materials such as vanilla, as well as nutty aromas, over-ripe berry notes, black spruce and vetiver – the perfect foil for autumn.

Want to bring your best game face to the Monday-morning meeting? Take a leaf out of the Korean grooming playbook and add a sheet mask to your Sunday evening ritual. At this time of year, it’s worth offsetting a holiday’s worth of sun worship with brightening products that encourage cell turnover. Taking 10 minutes to relax before bed with a sheet mask should encourage a better night’s rest and prime the skin for the week ahead. 111Skin’s Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask is infused with real gold and damask rose to give skin a fresher, smoother look.

A few weeks of swimming and sun can also leave skin spotty from sunscreen and drier than usual. A regular scrub, loofah or body brush will help remedy chest or back breakouts and smooth away any flaky or rough areas. It’s a good habit to get into going into the colder months, along with applying a body moisturiser or body oil after bathing or showering. Investing a little more time in your bodycare routine now can help prevent the worst of winter lizard skin from developing.

A chill in the air, crisp leaves underfoot and the sound of coughing and sneezing – cold and flu season is coming. Avoid succumbing to the latest plague by giving your immune system extra support. Ms Jules Miller, founder and CEO of The Nue Co., has some sage advice. “Go back to basics by getting enough sleep, eating nutrient-dense foods, drinking lots of water, moving your body and taking a probiotic to rebalance your microbiome and help ward off germs and illness,” she says. To help maximise good shut-eye, she also suggests investing in an eye mask and The Nue Co. Sleep Drops. “They contain valerian to gently depress your central nervous system, which sets you up for sleep, as well as catnip and passion flower – both of which reduce anxiety – and camomile to calm. The result is a gentle but highly effective sleep aid without side effects.”

Add the The Nue Co. Defence Drops to your travel kit. If you’re sky-bound, or just feeling under the weather, add half a dozen drops of the tincture to water. The blend of echinacea, rosemary, mistletoe and schisandra berry provides a natural antimicrobial remedy to help protect you from infection.