Summer screams sun-kissed skin (sans the burns), Cosmopolitans by the beach, and pared-down skincare routines.
But as the temperatures start dipping, it might be time to begin preparations for the impending chilly turmoil by swapping out the lightweight summer staples for heavier options.
When your neighborhood starts filling up with beautiful foliage and crisp temperatures, it’s not just your wardrobe that needs adjusting – your skincare routine also needs a mini-overhaul too.
What Happens to Your Skin During Fall?
According to studies, your skin recognizes temperature changes and reacts to them to control its needs.
Crispier, drier air typically leads to drier skin due to limited humidity, so be sure to use products that maintain moisture and safeguard your skin’s lipid barrier to minimize irritations.
However, dry skin isn’t the only result of cold weather – breakouts, dullness, and redness often ensue, too.
So, to avert the itch fest, here are the top tips to help you quickly shift your skincare regimen from summer to fall without triggering any skin-related freak-outs.
Add in A Boost of Vitamin C
Before you delve into the fall skincare regimen, you need to assess summer’s impact on your skin.
A jar of vitamin C can help repair sun damage, even out your skin tone, and reduce hyperpigmentation caused by the summer’s heat.
The powerhouse ingredient also helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and safeguards your skin from cellular damage.
Choose A Gentler Cleanser
Summer involves using gel-based and foaming cleansers that reduce oil production while speeding up cell turnover.
However, your summer approach to cleansing might not be ideal for fall.
Since your skin produces less oil during cooler climates, it’s best to swap the gel-based cleanser for cream-based ones.
Invest in A Hydrating Serum
Fall calls out from rich moisturizers. But, apart from slathering your face with moisturizers, you need to add a serum that contains active ingredients that penetrate the skin, taking the hydration game to another level.
You should also apply your serum, say hyaluronic acid, before using a moisturizer since it will help trap moisture.
A good serum will also boost your skin’s ability to produce collagen and promote cell renewal.
Opt for A Thicker Moisturizer
Buh-bye lightweight, oil-free moisturizers and hello, heftier moisturizers.
When temperatures start dropping, you need to start slathering on heavier creams doused with ceramides, essential and healthy fatty acids that occur naturally but need to be replenished when the weather gets snappy.
Ceramides are especially vital since they act as a protective barrier for your skin. Without them, your skin easily gets flaky, dull, irritated, and worse, eczema.
Include A Hydrating Body Lotion to Your Routine
We might sound like a broken record, but when humidity becomes an ancient memory, your skin starts feeling dry and itchy since there’s less moisture in the air to aid in hydration.
The smartest way to halt the itch? Loading up on a hydrating lotion from head to toe. Moisturizers offer a protective barrier for the skin, enabling it to retain moisture.
Cut Back on Exfoliators
You might be tempted to scrape off the dead skin cells clogging up your pores, but experts recommend cutting back on harsh exfoliators and alcohol-based toners in colder months.
While these products should always be used carefully, especially if you have sensitive skin, fall is essential to be gentle on your skin and avoid stripping it of the natural oils.
Retinol is the Fall Skincare Superstar
Retinol is an anti-aging powerhouse, but since it causes photosensitivity and triggers redness, the general rule is to avoid it during the hotter months. But, come the cold season, the Vitamin A-packed element helps in exfoliation and reduces sun discoloration.
Moreover, during fall, you don’t have to worry about sun sensitivity.
Top Tip: Use it in the evenings and alongside a peptide-rich moisturizer.
Don’t Swear Off Your SPF 50
Don’t even think about it! While using SPF during the cold seasons might seem counterintuitive, proper UV rays protection is a yearlong deal.
The only difference is that you need to select a lightweight option since you’ll be slathering on heavy moisturizers and skincare ingredients.
Remember Your Lips Need Some TLC, Too
Your skin isn’t the only organ that needs some care – your lips do, need some protection against chapping, flaking, and cracking.
So, to avoid dry, chapped lips all fall, swipe on your favorite occlusive balm that contains beeswax, glycerin, and petroleum to lock in moisture.
You might also have to use some moisturizing lip masks – here’s a guide to some incredible DIY options.
Lips can also experience sun damage, so use lip sunscreen to manage pigmentation and aging.
