It is that time of the year! Yes, countless Halloween posts, Thanksgiving content, pumpkins, lots and lots of pumpkin spice lattes season.
Just like switching clothes and wearing more layers, it is that time of the year to change up our skincare routine as well. Skincare routine in fall requires a little bit of adjustment, more attention to your skin, and definitely more ME time.
What happens to your skin in fall?
The change of season always requires some adjustments in skincare, because the skin is naturally forced to adapt to environmental changes.
Autumn is all about transitioning and transforming. Your skin that is accustomed to the summer heat, rebuilds itself, adapting to windy, rainy weather.
At the same time, the weather is very unstable in autumn – a sharp cold snap now, almost summer outside the window two hours later, then rain with wind, then a sunny day. Your skin is having a hard time comprehending all of this, especially if during the summer it was exposed to intense sun exposure. Skincare in fall needs some changing, so here we go.
Scroll down to see our top 8 autumn skincare tips:
1. Up your cleansing game – Switch to more hydrating cleansers
Skin experiences more dryness in cold seasons. This is mainly because of low temperatures that lead to moisture loss of the skin. If you are using a lighter cleanser, which is suitable for summertime, that’s not the case for autumn.
You need to make up for the lost moisture by using a more hydrating cleanser. This would be a great time to introduce cleansing oils to your routine. These oils have purifying ingredients, as well as emollients (substances that soften and moisturize the skin) that won’t leave your skin flaky or dry.
Don’t let the word oil freak you out – they are not heavy or greasy. Quite the opposite, oil-based cleansers are light in their formula and they won’t make you break out. They also make the best makeup removers, using a cleansing oil would break down the makeup very easily.
2. Thicker moisturizers are your friends for skincare routine in fall
Pretty Pop Probiotic Power Whipped Cream
Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Firming Cashmere Cream
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Clinique Moisture Surge Intense 72H Lipid-Replenishing Hydrator
I know that in summer we all like a lightweight moisturizer that won’t feel as heavy on our skin, but it’s all different when autumn arrives. Store your gel, fluid-like moisturizers in your drawers till summer comes.
Instead, get thicker products that are cream-based, for example. You need to provide your skin that extra moisture boost by using a thicker moisturizer. It will lock the hydration in and will protect the skin. Think of it as your ultimate autumn coat, only better. Don’t forget to use a hydrating serum before like hyaluronic acid, for example.
3. Get products with essential ingredients like ceramides, Vitamin E and B3
There are some ingredients that come more in handy for the autumn/winter season. In addition to the essential hydrants (hyaluronic acid, glycerin), look for components in their composition that strengthen the protective barrier on the skin surface:
- Ceramides;
- Squalene – It is a highly-effective emollient and natural antioxidant used in most moisturizers;
- Vitamin E – Being one of the most nourishing ingredients, it is a great moisturizer that is easily absorbed to the skin;
- Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) – Niacinamide has a number of benefits; one of them is its ability to restore skin’s defenses against moisture loss and dehydration
Some other names like petrolatum (vaseline) and shea butter also make the list here, as they prevent the skin from losing moisture.
4. Hydrating toners for skincare in fall
In the fall season, do not forget about toners. Micellar water and cleansing gels can’t always completely get rid of all the accumulated dirt, bacteria on the surface of the skin. The toner will do all the work by removing the residues of makeup and dirt at the end of a long day.
For your skincare routine in autumn, it is better to choose those toners that can actively moisturize the skin. DON’T use alcohol-based toners. They dry out and irritate the skin. Using alcohol-based toners can only take away from the hydration that your skin desperately needs in fall.
More about alcohol in skincare: The Truth About Alcohol in Skincare: Friend or Foe?
5. SPF is important all year round, including fall!
Just because we don’t get that many sunny days in autumn doesn’t mean its damaging UV lights don’t affect the skin. This one isn’t only among fall skincare tips, but rather the tips for life.
Sun is around every day, all year round. We cannot stress this enough really. You have to protect your skin from harmful UV light in autumn too. This is one of the common mistakes people make. Don’t fall for that, you gotta prevent the photoaging, people!
Apply SPF as the last step after moisturizing or simply use a moisturizer with an SPF 25 or 30. There are lots of BB and CC creams with an SPF factor that can be great for your routine. This step isn’t important only for your skincare routine in fall, but rather, all seasons.
Read: Your Effective Quick Guide to CC creams, BB creams, and DD creams
6. Invest in Vitamin C in autumn too
If you thought Vitamin C benefited the skin only in summer, think again. Vitamin C might be one of the must ingredients for your skincare routine in fall. It is also the strongest antioxidant ally in your fight against cold weather.
It plays an important role in skin’s collagen production, evens out the skin tone, and prevents early signs of aging. As the weather gets colder, your immune system gets weaker. Eating foods rich in vitamin C will boost your immune system. Add fruits like kiwis, oranges, citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, leafy greens to your diet.
More on vitamins for skin: 8 Best Vitamins for Healthy Skin
7. Treat redness with calming products
If you have sensitive, redness-prone skin, you will experience even more redness in colder months. Use products with ingredients such as Centella extract, aloe vera, snail mucin, calendula extract, or azelaic acid.
It is also known that Vitamin C can help you deal with redness, makes blood vessels less visible.
8. Don’t forget your lips as a part of your skincare routine in fall
Do not forget about one of the sensitive parts of the face – your lips especially in your skincare routine in fall. Skincare in fall should be nice and friendly to lips as they often crack and get irritated.
Be proactive by addressing this problem earlier on. Use a hydrating balm or chapstick for your lips. An oil-based product would be most suitable. It will perfectly moisturize and protect the skin from wind and extremely cold temperatures. Look for ingredients like jojoba oil, avocado oil, Vitamin E that will nourish dry, chapped lips.
Bonus tip: Skincare routine in fall for different skin types
Sensitive skin: Choose products with soothing, calming ingredients for your skincare routine in fall. (niacinamide, cica, azelaic acid, etc.) Vitamin C serum will help you with hyperpigmentation and blotchiness. Use thicker moisturizers + SPF (a must!)
IMPORTANT: Be careful with using a Vitamin C serum, especially, if you are a beginner. Check out our blog post on its use, side effects, and more.
Oily skin: In autumn, problems such as greasiness of the skin, acne breakouts common for oily skin may worsen. A common mistake is to deal with these issues with alcohol-containing products. Use an exfoliating lotion instead of toner, or use a night peel as an evening treatment.
During the day, ALWAYS wear sunscreen. Stay away from scrubs, turn to AHAs and BHAs instead as they will definitely boost your skincare in fall.
Dry skin: Focus on extra hydration with a hyaluronic acid serum or toner. And don’t forget about sheet masks if you need extra moisture. Use cream-based, thicker moisturizers in your autumn routine.
Combination skin: In autumn months, don’t overload your skin with richly textured products that can give you a greasy shine in the T-zone. The most suitable option would be a hydrating serum + your favorite light cream.
Sensitive skin: I know, this one can be a double trouble in fall. Sensitive skin needs extra love all year long, especially in colder seasons. You need to strengthen your skin barrier with ingredients like ceramides, peptides, and essential fatty acids. Ingredients like oat extract, niacinamide, panthenol will definitely provide that extra help to calm skin down repair the skin barrier.
When it comes to moisturizing, you can make the cream more nourishing by enriching it with a drop of hydrating oil (almond oil, jojoba oil would be great) just before use.
To conclude
Skincare in fall needs extra love, extra care, and yes, extra attention. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give it to your skin. It is never too late to prep your skin for what’s to come in fall. So, prep your skin, give it what it needs in fall and finish off your cozy autumn nights with a blankie and a healthy glow 🙂
