Fall Skincare Guide

The changing of the seasons is a perfect time to reassess your skin condition, needs, and skincare regimen. It’s a well-known fact that summer can wreak havoc on delicate facial skin from culprits such as excess UV exposure, salt, and chlorine. Fall brings its own set of challenges with drops in temperature and a decrease in humidity. 

These seasonal changes indicate that it’s time to swap out our summertime-skincare-favorites for products better suited to colder, drier conditions. This usually means choosing products that provide additional long-lasting-hydration, superior occlusion, and powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

CLEANSERS 

Effectively cleansing the skin of excess oil, makeup, and impurities is an important first step! Unfortunately, many performance cleansers remove necessary lipids from the skins surface that can cause dryness and irritation. Opting for a creamy formulation that will cleanse and nourish the skin without stripping away its natural-moisturizing-factors is an important step when the temperature drops. Performance cleansers are still a great option for healthy skin but should be used sparingly, no more than every other day, to avoid irritation.

TONERS

A lot of toners on the market can strip important surface oils from the skin and negatively affect the barrier function. In order for the skin to function properly and do its primary job which is protecting against water loss, the barrier needs to be intact. Choose toners that restore the skins pH balance while providing added hydration and antioxidant protection.

SERUMS

Depending on your skin condition and concerns, you may need more than one serum during colder months. Cold weather and indoor heating cause moisture to be pulled out of the skin leading to dryness, sensitivity, and irritation. As always, start with a high potency antioxidant serum to prevent visible aging and top it with a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid to provide lasting moisture. If two serums seem like too much, you can opt for a multifunctional product that contains additional hydrating ingredients.

MOISTURIZER

It’s recommended during summer months to use moisturizers that are lighter, more breathable, and create less occlusion. Fall and winter are great times to switch to something heavier and more protective. We love moisturizers that contain hydration-boosting-ingredients like ceramides, free-fatty-acids, cholesterol, and squalene. If your skin tends to be combination or acne prone consider using a heavier moisturizer only in the evenings and adding a bit of water to help thin it out and prevent breakouts.

FACIAL BALMS

It’s surprising how many people don’t know the benefits of facial balms for treating winter skin. Facial balms are a terrific option for drier skin conditions as they’re much denser than moisturizers and contain little to no water. They act as a sealant trapping in your layered products and preventing water loss. Balms can also be applied to the eye area, lips, cuticles, and anywhere else that needs added moisture. It’s important to note that any products applied after facial balms won’t penetrate effectively into the skin rendering them useless. To achieve maximum results, make sure to apply your skincare products in the proper order.

SUNSCREEN

Yes, summer is over and yes, you still need to wear sunscreen! Sunscreen should be the last step in your skincare routine regardless of the time of year. Remember, it’s not just direct sunlight that damages the skin and causes visible aging. Indirect sunlight and UV emitted from lighting electronic devices cause skin damage too. Even if you’re not planning on leaving the house, plan to wear sunscreen!

EXFOLIATORS

Regular exfoliation is key to keeping the skin smooth, hydrated, and supple. Adding gentle mechanical or enzymatic exfoliation will help to remove surface dead surface skin cells and allow deeper penetration of active ingredients.  Just be careful not to overdo it! Removing too many surface cells can result it water loss and skin irritation. Mechanical and enzymatic exfoliation can be safely performed 2-4 times per week depending on the condition of the skin.

FACE MASKS

Now is the perfect time to start implementing face masks into your regimen. Hydrating masks quench thirsty skin with ultra-nourishing ingredients that help bring parched skin back to life. Any skin type can benefit from masking and there are many options available. If your skin is on the dry side, look for masks with ingredients like olive oil, mango seed butter, and squalene. If your skin is dehydrated and/or acne-prone, choose options that contain water-binding-ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Regular masking will result in a healthier, smoother, suppler complexion.

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To learn more, contact our San Francisco office and call us at 415.409.6500.