Autumn has arrived, and you may have noticed the changes it has brought: depending on where you live, you might see the leaves changing outside, a drop in temperature and a bit more darkness as the days get shorter.
Additionally, you may also have noticed changes in your skin.
If you experience a seasonal change at this time of year, you may notice that your skin begins to behave differently as well. This is your transition sign to fall skincare.
Why should you change your skincare with the seasons?
You may be wondering: why should I change skincare for fall?
Our surrounding environments play a big role in how our skin looks and feels; If you live in a hot and humid climate, your skin may feel oily from that excess moisture in the air. Likewise, cool, dry patches can leave your skin dry.
If you live in a part of the world where the seasons change, it’s a good idea to have a skincare routine that reflects that. Typically, fall brings with it cool, dry air, which can dehydrate the skin. On top of that, your skin may experience a bit of stress due to the sudden change in its surroundings, which can lead to breakouts. It is therefore useful to have products that support it.
How to Transition Your Fall Skincare
When you search the internet: “how do I switch to a fall skincare routine?” or “how to prepare my skin for fall”, the main advice you will find is that you should use a heavier moisturizer because cooler weather often means drier skin.
And while that’s certainly useful for many people, it has its flaws. For starters, this might not apply to all individuals, as many of us have oily skin all year round. Besides that, it’s certainly not the only way to protect your skin from the elements. Case in point: the sun is always out and it can still damage your skin as it would during the summer, so we certainly can’t forget sunscreen (more on that later).
Be sure to protect your skin from both the cold wind and the sun, and start broadening your skincare perspective.
What do we mean by that?
In the summer, we tend to focus more on facial skin care, but not so much on body care, unless we get sunburned. With the extra humidity in the air, we may not have to worry about hydration as much. Then, the cold season arrives, and suddenly our legs are dehydrated and our knees and elbows are rough and itchy.
With fall skincare, the name of the game is to focus on hydration and prevent dryness. When you’re in the bath or shower, limit your soaking time to around 10 minutes to avoid drying out your skin, and avoid boiling water. It is also extremely useful to sleep with a humidifier at night.
When transitioning into your fall skincare routine, it’s important to remember that the change of seasons is gradual. as the weather gets cooler, the days get shorter. And as you search for more comfortable layers, you can gradually upgrade your skincare routine for the fall season. And if your skin is sensitive, you might want to start the skincare transition as soon as possible.
Here are 5 more ways to upgrade your skincare for fall.
1. Exfoliate
As the fall season begins, the summer season recedes. This means the tan is fading and the extra layers are coming out. And chances are you have dead skin cells that need to be removed.
During the summer, keratinocytes form on the surface of your skin at a faster rate because they are more exposed to the sun during this time. And with sun exposure at its peak, you may have completely neglected to exfoliate.
Skipping scrubs during the summer isn’t a bad idea, as they can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. But now that fall has arrived, it’s time to shed those layers.
Enhance your skincare routine with a high-quality body scrub, which can help polish and smooth your skin all season long. Just be sure to keep your exfoliation to 2-3 days a week and choose a scrub that’s both gentle and effective.
Crystal sea salt scrubs are a great choice because of how they smooth the skin while increasing circulation. We especially love our own body scrubs because they’re suspended in a base of rich sunflower and apricot oils, which helps it lift away bumps and flakiness.
You can also exfoliate your face with a scrub, but we recommend avoiding products containing sea salt or apricot shells; although they are great for exfoliating the body, they can be too harsh on the skin. Our acai pulp facial scrub is made with acai seed powder, which gently polishes the surface of the skin to reveal a dewy complexion.
2. Break out the retinoids
Retinoids have been the gold standard in skincare for over twenty years, not only for preventing fine lines and wrinkles, but also for clearing acne and brightening skin.
Retinoids work by gently exfoliating the skin and stimulating the production of collagen, which is a key protein for keeping skin elastic and firm.
But because they exfoliate, retinoids tend to increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun. As a result, many women choose to forego retinoids during the summer months.
But as the air gets colder and the days get shorter, now might be the perfect time to start reintroducing retinoids into your skincare routine. If your skin is sensitive, eczema-prone, or just drier, be sure to slowly incorporate your retinoid and, if possible, do so with the advice of a dermatologist.
Fall is the perfect time to try a particularly nourishing retinoid product, like our Retinol Repair Night Balm.
3. Keep using sunscreen
While it’s true that the days aren’t as sunny as they were in the summer months, that doesn’t mean it’s time to ditch your SPF.
Even with shorter days and cooler weather, your skin is still susceptible to sun damage, especially if you use retinoids or scrubs. And while you may not get as much sun as you used to, that will definitely add up as the season progresses.
Whatever the season, always finish your daily skincare routine with sunscreen, preferably with an SPF of at least 15, like our Green Tea SPF 30, which contains an extra dose of antioxidants.
4. Change your moisturizer
Whether your skin type is dry, oily, normal, or combination, regular hydration is essential for fall skincare.
If your skin is rather oily, it is normal to fear that a moisturizer will make it worse. However, drying out your skin can only make it oilier! Instead, use a moisturizer that’s lightweight and easily absorbed into your skin, like our Watermelon Cucumber Moisturizer.
If your skin is dry, opt for a thicker moisturizer, such as our Hydra Drench cream, as it is generally more hydrating, helping to protect your skin from the cold.
5. Hydrate
While not necessarily skincare advice, drinking plenty of water is still a fantastic way to enhance your fall skincare routine.
During the hot summer months, it’s easier to notice when you’re dehydrated. When we’re having fun in the sun, we’re hot and sweaty, and we’re visibly thirsty.
Meanwhile, it’s harder to notice how much water our bodies lose during the colder months. Along with the cold air, those extra layers of clothing can dehydrate our bodies without us noticing. Hydrating throughout the day keeps our skin plumped up, while protecting our immune system, lubricating our joints, promoting circulation and so much more.
