7 Fall Skin Care Tips for More Radiant Skin

September 20, 2021

Time to switch to your Fall skin care routine!

The summer is drawing to a close, and there’s nothing like the crisp air of fall to make you feel more energetic and alive. The autumn leaves are turning and your skin is changing too. It’s time to think about fall skin care and upgrading your regimen for the change in weather. Let’s look at some ways to keep your skin healthy and radiant as the cooler temperatures approach.

Target Those Sunspots

The summer sun can change the pigment in your skin. Those darkened areas, known as sunspots, come from exposure to sunlight. Even if you wear sunscreen, it’s no guarantee that you won’t develop these pigmented areas that are hard to cover with cosmetics. Sunspots and uneven skin color, known as melasma, are also more common during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

Is there a solution? First, make sure you’re wearing sunscreen to lower your risk of future sunspots, but also talk to an aesthetician about products that contain hydroquinone, a skin-lightening compound, that fades those unsightly areas of pigmentation. Hydroquinone works by reducing the number of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes, and by blocking the enzyme that makes melanin, the pigment that gives your skin color. Once you start using it, you should notice lightening of darker areas after about a month. An esthetician can show you how to use hydroquinone gently as part of your Fall skin care routine to get the most benefits.

Be Gentler to Your Skin

Ingredients like glycolic acids and retinols in some anti-aging skincare products make skin look fresher and more youthful, which is why we love to use them. But autumn brings cooler temperatures, and skin becomes dryer and more fragile. Aggressively using products that slough off the outer layer of your skin creates tiny breaks in the skin that cause it to become red, dry, and irritated. There’s no need to eliminate these products, as they have anti-aging benefits, but you can adapt your fall skin care routine to use them less frequently.

How much should you cut back? If you’re using a product containing retinoic acid or glycolic acid most days, reduce it to once or twice per week. Monitor your skin closely for signs of dryness and irritation, and adjust how often you use the product accordingly. The advantage of using it at least once per week is it helps reduce skin pigmentation from melasma. You could also use a product that contains a lower concentration of glycolic acid or retinol during the cooler months.

Upgrade Your Moisturizer

When the season changes, so should your moisturizer. As the weather becomes cooler and dryer, so does your skin. It’s time to trade in your light summer moisturizer for a cream that better nourishes your skin as the weather cools. In the autumn, it’s essential to protect your skin’s delicate moisture loss barrier.

Be picky with the moisturizer you choose. Look for one that contains components like hyaluronic acid and ceramides that strengthen your skin’s barrier against moisture loss. If this barrier is compromised, you’ll experience skin flaking, redness, itching, and your skin will look dull and lifeless. Drugstore moisturizers often lack these ingredients or contain such low levels that they’re ineffective. An aesthetician can help you determine the best moisturizer for your skin type.

Don't Forget about the Skin on Your Body

Too often, people focus on the skin on their face and ignore the skin that covers their body. As the temperatures cool and the air becomes dryer, dry skin becomes a problem everywhere. Signs of dry skin on the body include redness, flaking, and itchiness. How can you protect it? If you live in a house with low humidity, running a humidifier can help. Also, make sure you’re using a heavier body moisturizer. Apply moisturizer right after bathing while your skin is still damp. Moisturizers create a protective layer over the skin that reduces moisture loss and makes your skin smoother. It will look healthier too, because smooth skin reflects light better for more radiance.

Keep Wearing Sunscreen

Even people who religiously wear a sunscreen in the summer sometimes set it aside in the fall. Don’t do it. The sun is still damaging, even after the last days of summer are behind you. You don’t get as much direct sunlight, but you can still sustain cumulative damage to your skin. The result can be wrinkling, skin laxity, and even skin cancer. The solution? Wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 that blocks both UVA (ultraviolet A) and UVB (ultraviolet B) rays. Even when fall turns to winter, keep applying sunscreen. The sun’s rays reflect off of snow and damages your skin, even if you don’t see visible redness. Dermatologists say the number one cause of premature skin aging is sun exposure.

Don't Ignore Your Lips Either

How often do you moisturize your lips? Your lips dry out too as the air becomes drier. Parched, chapped lips are aesthetically displeasing and feel uncomfortable. If you’re using one of the many flavored lip balms on drugstore shelves, stop. Many contain ingredients like menthol, cinnamon, or mint that irritate the lips and cause flaking and dryness. Instead, look for a lip moisturizer that contains hydrating ingredients, like dimethicone, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or shea butter. Also, choose one that’s fragrance-free. Don’t forget about sun protection either. Look for a sunscreen made for lips that contains zinc oxide or titanium oxide as their active ingredients.

Book an Appointment with an Aesthetician

Too often, people try to be their own aesthetician and select products that don’t work well together or aren’t appropriate for their skin type. A professional aesthetician is trained to perform a variety of professional skin care services, using a combination of physical tools and modalities. Plus, they offer professional skin care products and can help you find the combinations that will work best for you. They have the training and knowledge to assess skin and make appropriate recommendations. A consultation with an aesthetician will help you avoid wasting money on products that might not work for you, or could cause irritation or other skin problems.

The Bottom Line on Fall Skin Care

Enjoy autumn, but make sure your skin is ready for the fall festivities too. Now you know how to do that.

Skin Deep has everything you need for your Fall skin care routine

Ditch the drugstore skin care stuff. Everyone seems to be selling products these days even Trader Joe’s but the best products that really work are best purchased from a specialty retailer like Skin Deep. We sell only genuine Obagi, Jan Marini, SkinCeuticals, Refissa, and our own Skin Deep Professional line. Prescription products are also easy to order!