When it comes to effective seasonal skincare, you should swap out at least some of your summer formulas and replace them with products better suited for the cool, dry weather that lies ahead. From body wash to lip balm, take a look at some of the top ways to prep your regimen for autumn.
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If you’re tired of the heat, cooler fall temperatures are a welcome relief. This season, make sure your skin is prepared, too. In this article, you’ll learn how to choose gentler soaps and cleansers, scrub off dead skin cells for smoother skin, up the hydration in your facial skincare products and even keep a little bit of your summer tan, safely.
Tip 1: Swap your soaps
When it’s summertime, cleansers with fruity fragrances are always appealing. But, if you struggle with dry skin, toss aside these aromatic formulas for the fall, as they tend to include extra alcohol that can strip away natural skin oils that lock in hydration. Fall is the perfect time to transition to gentle, soap-free cleansing products to maintain healthy, well-hydrated skin from head to toe.
- Hands: Because we wash them so often, our hands often bear the burden of cool weather. Maintain moisture by swapping your normal hand soap with H2O Plus Moisturizing Marine Hand Cleanser. This mild, soap-free cleanser is formulated with marine extracts, including spirulina, sea fennel and sea lettuce, to disinfect hands without compromising hydration.
- Face: For daily facial cleansing, Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel is an ideal option for autumn. This multi-tasking formula gently removes makeup while cleansing pores of daily dirt and debris without stripping away natural moisture. Be sure to follow up with a daily moisturizer.
- Body: Restore hydration all over with Archipelago Botanicals MILK Body Wash. This rich, creamy cleanser features natural milk extracts and soy, oat and rice proteins and creates a hydrating foam.
Tip 2: Exfoliate once a week
When we develop drier, more sensitive skin during the cooler weather months, it’s a misconception that we should skip exfoliation. This is actually the ideal time to regularly exfoliate and help clear away the dry, dead cells that create a dull complexion. Plus, exfoliating enhances the effects of your hydrating lotions. The key is to choose more gentle exfoliants with alpha hydroxy acids instead of granular scrubs, which may irritate dry skin. You’ll be rewarded with a brighter, more radiant complexion.
- Product picks
- For the face: Achieve a balanced, fresh complexion with Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel/2 Steps. This mild, 2-step peel features alpha and beta hydroxy acids to even out skin tone and texture as well as green tea extract, and antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E to bring hydrated, soothed and balanced skin.
- For the body:Philosophy The Microdelivery Exfoliating Body Wash is the ideal autumn scrub – creamy, gentle and hydrating. With a unique blend of oils and botanicals, this all-over exfoliant helps maintain skin's natural moisture barrier while an advanced micro-delivery system enhances ingredient effectiveness.
Tip 3: Baby your hands and feet
Hands and feet need an extra bit of attention when the warm weather is replaced with dry, cool air. Even those with skin that’s normally well-hydrated may find that their hands and feet become dry, dull and – worst of all – uncomfortable. Maintain supple hands and feet by adding some hard-working hydrators into your fall skin care routine.
- Product pick: Here’s an all-in-one hydrating set that tackles both hands and feet. H2O Plus Hand and Foot Spa Collection includes Spa Hand and Nail Cream, a lightweight, oil-free treatment with vitamins, marine extracts, aloe vera and panthenol to relieve cracking, dryness and redness; Spa Hand and Cuticle Scrub and Spa Pumice Foot Scrub to polish away dry, rough skin; and Spa Softening Mint Foot Rub that features balm mint, menthol and hydrating marine extracts to relieve tension and smooth dry skin.
Tip 4: Don’t forget sunscreen!
Just because it’s fall doesn’t mean you get to pass on sun protection. Although the temperature has dropped a bit, damaging UV rays are still present. WebMD explains, “Exposure to sunlight during the winter months puts you at the same risk as exposure during the summertime.” So, don’t forget to shield your skin from environmental damage by applying a daily broad-spectrum protector to all exposed areas, including face, lips, neck and hands.
Tip 5: Keep your color
No matter how subtle your summer color, it’s hard to let go of the summer glow. Maintain the beautiful summery-shade of your skin with a self-tanner. There’s a formula for every skin type and shade, whether you’d like an understated illumination or a dark, just-back-from-the beach shade of bronze.
- Body: Fake Bake is a leader in sunless tans. Fake Bake Instant Self Tanning Spray features DHA and Erythrulose and an advanced technology that delivers these active ingredients to deeper layers of the skin for a more realistic shade from head to toe.
Tip 6: Step up your moisturizer
Cool, dry air robs skin of the natural oils that normally keep your complexion soft and supple. During fall, swap your lightweight lotions for heavier, cream-based balms that are more emollient. These bring long-lasting hydration by providing a thick barrier that reduces water loss on the surface of the skin. For the face, it’s best to apply after cleansing, and for the body, after showering; this light layer of moisture binds to the balm for better hydrating effects.
- Face: Relastin Ultra Emollient infuses your face with vitamins, extracts and peptides to bring intense hydration and visible anti-aging effects for a healthier, more ageless complexion.
Tip 7: Nurture your nails
It doesn’t take long before nails become brittle and prone to breakage. During the fall, be sure to give your cuticles some extra attention and add a conditioning formula to your nail care regimen.
Tip 8: Repair summer discoloration
Increased sun exposure during the summer months can bring darkened patches of hyperpigmentation on the surface of skin, which are often referred to as sunspots. A result of the overproduction of melanin, sunspots require targeted treatments to diminish their appearance. Look for lotions that contain glucosamine to reduce melanin production as well as kojic acid or hydroquinone to brighten the dark patches.
- Product pick: SkinCeuticals Phyto+ is a plant-based gel that repairs darkened skin due to hyperpigmentation, featuring four active ingredients, including kojic acid, arbutin, cucumber and thyme, delivered in a hyaluronic acid base to hydrate as they help heal, soothe and brighten the appearance of the skin.
Tip 9: Soothe your scalp
Cooler outdoor air and drier indoor air during fall can wreak havoc on the sensitive skin on your scalp, making it itchy, dry and even prone to dandruff. If this is a problem for you, consider washing your hair less often and with cooler water to avoid stripping your scalp of the natural conditioning oils that help maintain healthy hydration. Also, swap out your normal shampoo for a gentle formula that’s intended to help condition your scalp and hair.
- Product pick: Nourish your hair and scalp without stripping away protective oils by adding Klorane Gentle Shampoo with Oat Milk to your fall hair care regimen. This gentle shampoo cleanses, moisturizes and protects to improve the health and appearance of your skin and hair.
Tip 10: Protect your pout
Moisturizing your lips is an essential lip care step – especially as the seasons start to change. Avoid petroleum-based products as well as those with eucalyptus, camphor and menthol, which can have a drying effect on your pucker, and instead look for lip balms formulated with beeswax, hem seed oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and avocado oil. Also, no matter how yummy your lip balm tastes, always avoid licking your lips – this can dry them out even more!
- Product picks: Korres Lip Butter - Guava layers your lips with conditioning shea butter while rice wax helps to seal in hydration, leaving your lips kissably smooth all day long.
Transition your routine
Even if you’ve never addressed autumn skin care before, now is the perfect time to re-evaluate your routine and ready your regimen for the winter season. From shea butter and SPF to self-tanners and soap-free cleansers, embrace the formulas that promote healthy hydration for a gorgeous autumn glow.
See also:
Fall Beauty Switch-Up Part 1: 7 Tips for Office Skincare This Fall
The Fall Switch-Up Part 3: Your Ideal Autumn Moisturizer
Fall Beauty Switch-up Part 2: Trendy Autumn Makeup
Fall Hair Care: 5 Tips For Transitioning Your Tresses