You’ll definitely want to try some of these seasonal skincare tips to help upgrade your fall skincare routine & really prep your skin well for the cooler months ahead!
It’s hard to believe that we are essentially in October! This is my favorite time of year! With the cooler temperatures & seasonal changes, it’s always a good idea to change up your skincare routine a bit to best support your skin! I don’t know about you, but I can absolutely notice a difference in my skin as the seasons change. In the colder months, skin tends to be drier, more sensitive, red, skin tone may be uneven, & you may even experience dry, flaky patches which is never fun.
Below I’m sharing 10 tips for transitioning & upgrading your skincare routine to best support your skin during Fall & Winter. Hopefully by incorporating a few of these suggestions you’re able to take better care of your skin as the seasons change!
How to Prep Your Skin for Fall
1. Switch to a gentle cleanser
I used to think that if the skin on my face was super tight & or red after I cleansed, that I was doing something right. Well turns out, I was VERY wrong! You do NOT want your face or skin feeling tight or pulled after cleansing. If it does, your cleanser is way too harsh for your skin type & may disrupt your skin barrier over time.
If you experience really dry skin in the Fall or Winter, or just have sensitive skin in general, I’d suggest making the switch over to a gentle creamy or oil-based cleanser. Both can be great to properly cleanse your skin of impurities but gentle enough to where they won’t dry you out.
I love switching between the Countermatch Refresh Foaming Cleanser & the Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil especially as I prep my skin for Fall.
2. Incorporate a Hyaluronic Serum
Hyaluronic acid is a fantastic ingredient to look for in skincare, especially because it helps add moisture back into your skin! Looking for a treatment serum, toner, or moisturizer with hyaluronic acid present on the ingredient list is a great way to take care of your skin as we enter cooler weather.
If you’re in the market for a hyaluronic serum, I’d highly suggest checking out the Countermatch Intense Moisture Serum from Beautycounter. With two forms of hyaluronic acid, it’s truly like a glass of water for your skin. I love it because it’s a product that you can use morning or night after you apply your toner & before you moisturize! With continued use, you’re definitely going to notice a difference in your hydration levels, the firmness of your skin, & how much more even your skin tone will look overall.
A trick to keep in mind when using a hyaluronic serum is to apply it onto your skin when your skin is a little wet for major hydration benefits. I mentioned that I apply this Intense Moisture Serum after my gel toner & I do so when my toner is still wet on my face! It really makes a huge difference! AND be sure to lock in the benefits of your serum with a good moisturizer afterwards!
3. Upgrade to a thicker moisturizer
Most of us experience dryer skin in the Fall & Winter, myself included! It’s never a bad idea to upgrade your current moisturizer for a thicker consistency to make sure your skin isn’t losing moisture, especially at night when you sleep. For example, my go-to daily moisturizer is the Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion which is a lightweight formula that adjusts to your hydration levels during the day. But for my P.M. skincare routine, I prefer a thicker moisturizer like the Countermatch Recovery Sleeping Cream or the Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream.
In the warmer months I use the Countermatch Recovery Sleeping Cream which has two forms of hyaluronic acid which helps create a protective barrier on your skin which prevents moisture loss. And in the Fall & Winter, I LOVE using the Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream which is an extremely rich night cream that is packed with clean anti-aging benefits that supports elasticity, firmness, & hydration. Both are incredible options.
If you have skin that is really really dry & you’re not experiencing any relief in hydration with a thicker moisturizer, I’d suggest taking a look at your water intake because your skin is probably dehydrated from the inside out. I’d also suggest incorporating a treatment serum such as a hyaluronic serum mentioned above into your routine & or adding in a face oil for an additional layer of hydration!
4. Don’t be scared of face oils
If you’re new to oils, don’t let the word oil intimidate you! A face oil can be a beautiful addition to your skincare routine, especially as you prepare your skin for Fall! Face oils are intended to moisturize, balance, & hydrate your skin. I personally notice a huge difference in my hydration levels when I’m incorporating an oil into my routine. My favorite way to use face oils is mixed into my daily moisturizer or after I apply my moisturizer, I love taking a few drops of the oil into my palm & gently pressing it onto my skin!
Oil molecules are much larger & can only penetrate the outermost layers of your skin, which is why you shouldn’t apply an oil in the first or second step in your skincare routine OR before your moisturizer because they can create a protective layer over your skin which can hinder the absorption of your other products!
I currently use two different face oils from Beautycounter, the first is their #1 Brightening Oil which is amazing for providing intense hydration, antioxidants, & it will also help brighten your skin. I also love the #3 Balancing Oil. The Balancing Oil is a great option for acne prone skin since it helps restore balance. It also helps hydrate, smooth, & even skin tone!
5. Gently exfoliate
With the seasons changing, you may start to notice your skin appearing a little dull, maybe even rough, or simply looking a little lack-luster. Even in the cooler months, you’ll want to still be incorporating a gentle exfoliating product into your skincare routine to take care of those dull surface level skin cells that are just sitting at the surface of your skin. Getting rid of those cells or any other buildup will also help your other skincare products properly absorb as well!
The key here is to not over-exfoliate because that will disrupt the barrier of the skin which may lead to dehydration, acne, or inflammation. Using a gentle exfoliating product like Beautycounter’s Overnight Resurfacing Peel 1-3x a week is perfect as we begin to transition our skincare routine into the Fall & Winter.
6. Avoid super hot water
I’ll be the first to admit that I LOVEE me a hot hot shower. But, even though hot water feels amazing, it’s not always the best for our skin. Hot showers, baths, or just hot water in general (think when you wash your face), can really dry out the skin on our bodies & our face. Hot water can also be irritating for already dry skin, it may make existing conditions like eczema or psoriasis worse, & overall, just draws a lot of needed moisture from our skin. This is something that I’ve had to be mindful of, especially with my dyshidrotic eczema too.
Instead of hot showers/baths, I’d recommend using lukewarm water instead. I’d also suggest not washing your face in the shower because that can speed up moisture loss & definitely be sure to moisturize after getting out!
Below are three great options for body moisturizers:
7. Add a Vitamin C Serum into your routine
If you’re not currently using a Vitamin C Serum, now is definitely the time to add one into your skincare routine! Vitamin C is an antioxidant powerhouse that protects our skin against environmental aggressors throughout the day. Those environmental aggressors end up causing damage to our cells that result in fine lines, hyperpigmentation, & wrinkles.
Not only that, but a good Vitamin C Serum, like the All Bright C Serum from Beautycounter (which is my personal go-to), is an anti-aging must have because it also aids in collagen production which helps give our skin its elasticity & helps keeps things smooth & plump which is always good! A product like the All Bright C Serum is also going to help brighten your complexion which can be a game changer all year long, but especially helpful in the colder months when skin tends to be a little on the dull side.
Be sure to check out my review of the All Bright C Serum here. It’s the first & only Vitamin C serum I’ll ever use thanks to its ultra-potent 10% blend of Vitamin C which works to brighten, smooth, reduce the appearance of dark spots, shield the skin from environmental aggressors, & is great for evening skin tone! This product is truly a must in any routine!
8. Clean your makeup brushes
Cleaning your makeup brushes is something that you *should* be doing regularly BUT if you’re like me & are a little behind on the cleanliness of your brushes, give them a good scrub as we enter Fall. Brushes & makeup sponges can hold onto a lot of bacteria, dirt, & built up product, so it’s always a good idea to clean them every few weeks!
9. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
No matter the season, it’s always super important to make sure we hydrate our bodies from the inside out! Drinking water is a huge component for glowing healthy skin year round! They say that you should take 1/2 your body weight in ounces & that’s the amount of water you should be drinking on a daily basis! Have a hard time keeping up? Buy a cute water bottle! I got my first Hydro Flask a few months ago & it has really helped me stay on top of my water intake!
10. Layer your skincare properly
An essential tip for good skincare is to properly layer the products you’re using! A good rule of thumb regarding how to layer skincare is to apply the thinnest to the thickest in terms of product consistency. You’ll want to layer your products correctly because it helps make sure each product you use is able to penetrate your skin properly. For example, if you apply a face oil first, which has a larger molecular structure, & then a serum, which has a much smaller molecular structure, your skin isn’t going to be able to properly absorb the benefits of the serum, essentially making it useless!
Below is the proper way to layer skincare:
- Cleanser
- Toner/Essense
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- Face Oil
- SPF
So there you have it! Those are my top suggestions to transition & upgrade your skincare routine for Fall! Is there anything else you’d add? Let me know in the comments!
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