Skip to content
As fall approaches the humidity of summer begins to fade and temperatures begin to drop. This change in weather forces our skin to work harder to sustain healthy hydration and moisture levels. As moisture continues to decrease our skin becomes more susceptible to inflammation and irritation.
When your skin is irritated, it can accelerate signs of aging and make your skin look dull and lackluster. To avoid these negative seasonal issues, it's important to switch up your skincare routine.
Read on for expert advice on how to achieve the perfect fall skincare routine.
Which is the best moisturizer in the Fall?
Even though the Fall means dryer and colder air, every skin type needs a unique adjustment to these seasonal changes. One thing that every skin type needs to consider is maintaining hydration.
Your skin is made up of three primary layers. Water can pass from the the deepest layer, the hypodermis, through the dermis and eventually to evaporate through the epidermis, the outermost layer. this process is called trans-epidermal water loss or (TEWL.) This is a natural process your skin does on its own, but certain factors like climate can greatly impact it.
The cold weather and dry climate that you experience in the Fall can contribute to experiencing TEWL even more. Thus, it's important for all skin types to protect your skin's moisture barrier in order to prevent too much hydration loss from occurring.
Amy McLain, Esthetics director of education at Kenneth's Salon and Day Spa, recommends that every skin type considers upping the moisture and hydration content of their moisturizer, "I would look for something a little thicker to compensate for the extra moisture loss occurring during this time of year. Hyaluronic acid is also a very popular ingredient that will help to bind water to the skin and keep it more hydrated."
Our picks for a daily moisturizer:
Oily skin: Face Lift Moisturizer
Dry to combination skin: Power Lift Moisturizer
Should I use a moisturizer at night or leave my face dry?
Here's a little-known fact: Your skin performs most of it's repair processes at night, but it also loses the most moisture while you sleep. Thus, moisturizing at night is equally as important as moisturizing in the morning."I would always recommend moisturizing at night versus leaving the skin dry," says McLain. "I would also suggest choosing a moisturizer with more intense reparative benefits such as retinol or bakuchiol to aid in the repair and recovery of your skin throughout the night."
As McLain mentions, nighttime can be a great time to work on some of skin concerns that may have developed over the summer months. Powerful ingredients like retinol and vitamin C can be irritating to sensitive skin types, and their effectiveness can be reduced by sun exposure. However, these ingredients will give amazing benefits if used correctly.
Retinol can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time, and vitamin C can reduce the look of hyperpigmentation. If you're looking for the right time to start using these more intense and effective ingredients, mixing them in with your nighttime moisturizer would be the perfect opportunity.
Our picks for a nighttime moisturizer:
All skin types: Power Luxe Moisturizer
What can help with very dry skin?
If you have naturally dry or normal skin, the drier fall temperatures can lead to even more obvious signs of dryness like flaking and redness. For these skin types, it's even more important to strengthen your moisture barrier with rich, protective creams.
"Very dry skin could almost use a balm or ointment to protect the skin," says McLain. "Oils like HydroPeptide's Moisture Reset can also be very beneficial to mix in with your cream."
Another easy change can be to switch up your cleanser. Oftentimes, over-cleansing can strip your skin of its natural oils and leave it feeling dry and tight. McLain's advice: "Avoid cleansing with harsh drying soaps and replace them with a cleansing milk like Cashmere Cleanse. Refrain from extremely hot (and long) showers and baths and moisturize immediately after."
Lastly, dry skin types should avoid using exfoliating products like scrubs and peels more than once or twice a week.
Try: Cashmere Cleanse and Soothing Balm
What can help with very oily skin?
Oily skin can also suffer from moisture loss in the Fall. Keep in mind, oily skin still needs to be balanced and hydrated to stay healthy. Dehydrated skin is more likely to flake and become irritated, which is a dangerous combination when combined with excessive oil production! If left untreated, you may suffer from acne flare ups and redness.
While you may have been using a gel moisturizer during the summer months, it can still be useful to switch over to a creamier formula, or to add in another hydrating product to your current moisturizer.
"If a client with oily skin doesn't enjoy richer lotions, I often recommend that they layer a hyaluronic acid serum or another hydrating ingredient underneath their current moisturizer of choice," says McLain.
Try: Soothing Serum or Power Serum
Do I still need to use sunscreen in the Fall?
Sunscreen remains the most important step in skincare, year-round. Just because there may be more cloud-cover, doesn't mean that the suns UV rays can't penetrate the clouds and cause skin damage. It's important to keep wearing sunscreen every day, and reapply every two hours when you're going outdoors.
Sun damage not only causes skin cancer, but it's also the leading cause of visible aging! If you've found a sunscreen that works for you, keep using it! This aspect of your routine should never change.
Our picks for Sunscreen:
All Skin Types: Solar Defense Tinted or Solar Defense Non-Tinted
