Transitioning to Fall
changes to your skin & this newsletter
Hope you all are having a nice start to the week! Thank you once again for taking the time to fill out my subscriber survey.
Are you supposed to change your skincare with the seasons? What should I be doing differently as it starts to get colder?
One of my favorite pieces of advice for cold weather skincare is to think about what else we change when the temperature drops – we layer our clothes, seek out cozy spots, and eat heavy, nourishing soups. Whenever our environment changes so does our behavior and so does our skin. In the summer, increased humidity helps moisture stay in our skin, but as the air gets drier and the temperature falls, our skin is more susceptible to water loss, our barrier becomes more easily compromised and our skin gets tight, dry, flaky and itchy.
(Important caveat: you may have noticed that our planet is on fire and the seasons aren’t on the same schedule as they used to be. Don’t feel like you need to make all of these changes all at once or at all. Listen to your skin, pay attention to what it’s doing and how it’s feeling. Also if you live in the southern hemisphere, just flip the advice to suit your season!)
Cleansers, moisturizers & everything in between
Cleansing sets the stage for the rest of our routine and we want our skin to retain as much moisture as possible. Whereas in the summer you may have opted for a gel or foamy cleanser that’s great at dissolving oil and sweat, in the winter you want to look for something less stripping and more hydrating, like a creamy or milky cleanser.
Use a thicker moisturizer with humectants and occlusives to draw in and retain moisture. Look for ingredients like ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Thicker doesn’t necessarily mean clogging, so be sure to pick a moisturizer that’s compatible with your skin type, especially if you’re acne prone. (This is my favorite thicker moisturizer for acne-prone skin.)
Balms and ointments, like Aquaphor, can be great for additional barrier support on areas that are dry or flaky, but not as your primary moisturizer. Cold weather might also be a good time to add in a facial oil on top or mixed into your moisturizer. You don’t just want to go straight from cleansing to moisturizer, though…
If you want to be extra warm, you won’t just wear a down coat. Perhaps you’ll add a sweater or vest. Maybe a thin undershirt. Use the same logic for your skin. The more layers of hydration, the more your moisturizer has to keep locked in (and the less heavy it will feel!) It will also help your moisturizer go further, as damp skin absorbs more. Try using a mist, hydrating toner and/or serum before moisturizer. Look for products that do more than just hydrate and also have calming, nourishing or barrier supporting ingredients.
If you feel like your skin is extra parched, looks dull or is eating your makeup, you might also want to try using the “7 skins method” which is the concept of using multiple layers of a lightweight, watery essence or toner. This way, your skin is able to absorb more without weighing down. You don’t have to do it 7 times and you also don’t have to limit this technique to the colder months. I use at least 3 layers of essence nearly every day to keep my skin hydrated and plump. Try: MAKE Beauty, Tatcha or Naturium.
More to keep in mind
Get a humidifier: it’s the time of year where once again, I implore you to get a humidifier. As if the cold, dry air outside wasn’t enough, artificial heating sucks even more moisture out of the air. A humidifier will be your skin barrier’s best friend. I recommend: Carepod (easy to clean, powerful. use JOLDEF for 10% off) or Canopy for smaller spaces (also easy to clean).
Don’t change your SPF routine: the one part of your routine that’s not changing is your sunscreen habit. While you don’t need to be as worried (emphasis on as worried, you can still get burned) about UVB rays that burn your skin, UVA rays that penetrate the dermis and breakdown collagen and elastin are still prevalent even on the cloudiest days. Make sure your sunscreen is broad-spectrum or has the PA symbol to indicate protection against UVA (SPF only refers to UVB protection).
Consider your exfoliation: this might not apply to everyone, but you likely don’t need to exfoliate as much in the colder months, especially if you have drier skin. Flaky skin? It’s holding on for dear life and needs moisturizer!
Maybe get a facial: facials can be beneficial anytime of the year, but it could be a great way to clear up congestion from a sweaty summer. It’s also a good time to get corrective treatments like peels and lasers which normally require sun avoidance.
Hands, lips & hot showers: remember that hot water dehydrates our skin – heat causes inflammation & disrupts our natural oils – so try to take showers/baths and wash your face with lukewarm water. Pat dry instead of rubbing and apply moisturizer all over your body while it's still damp (if you’re not already moisturizing on damp skin, your life is about to change). Regularly moisturize your hands and be generous with lip balm, as our lips aren’t self moisturizing. Try a lip mask overnight.
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