Wondering what fall skin care tips are best to maintain your healthy glow?
With fall now upon us, the leaves will be changing in many parts of the county and once again, we’ll be reminded how beautiful change can be. And changing your skincare routine with the transition from summer to fall will help to keep your skin beautiful—as the seasons change, your skincare needs do too.
With fall comes a decrease in humidity. When you add in the use of heaters, it sets the skin up for drier skin and conditions like eczema. Dry skin can lead to sensitivity and irritation, which can lead to splotchiness, itchy dry patches, and painful cracks. Therefore, it’s the perfect time to reassess your skin care routine and decide if your summer go-to-skin-care products need an update to meet the fall weather conditions.
Here are some tips to help you keep your skin glowing and ward off dry skin for the fall months.
Reduce exfoliation
Any time of the year that you’re exfoliating, easy does it. One can easily overly exfoliate their skin, which can create tiny cracks in the skin barrier. These cracks can lead to inflammation and hydration loss. Try using a mild exfoliator, like glycolic treatment pads or a mask with glycol in it once per week. This approach can help to reduce discoloration caused by the sun during the summer months. Using the right exfoliator can also remove dry, dead skin.
Moisturize the face with a thicker moisturizer
Lightweight and oil-free moisturizers might need to be replaced with a thicker moisturizer. Heavy creams that have ceramides in them can be a great option to get you through the cooler months. Ceramides help to support your skin barrier to add a layer of protection.
Hydrate the skin with hyaluronic acid
Moisturizer helps to moisturize the top layer of skin and lock in moisture but doesn’t hydrate the skin on its own. Hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrates the skin, which helps to plump the skin. HA is a naturally occurring substance in the skin that decreases over time. Adding a serum or moisturizer with HA in it is a great addition for your fall routine to help counter any loss of HA and add volume to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Incorporate a lip moisturizer and hydrator
If you don’t already include a lip moisturizer and hydrator as part of your skincare routine, fall is the time to add it. The lips become easily dried and chapped with the cooler weather and wind. SkinMedica’s HA5 lip system is an option to help hydrate and moisturize the lips.
Use sunscreen
Sunscreen is a must all year round. Just because the weather cools down doesn’t mean the sun doesn’t still reach your skin and cause burns and age spots. Use a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. SkinMedica and EltaMD offer some top-of-the-line sunscreen options, including tinted versions. Specialists recommend using a minimum SPF 30 or higher daily and to reapply as needed throughout the day, especially after sweating and swimming.
Get a humidifier
Placing a humidifier in your home can do wonders to help counter the effect of dry heat on your skin from heaters in your home and office. You can also purchase a portable humidifier to take with you when you travel for the office, hotel rooms, and so on. The skin’s natural moisture barrier will be better protected while using a humidified to help reduce skin dryness, peeling, and cracking.
Use a body lotion
The simplest way to stop the skin on your body from drying out and becoming itchy is to moisturize and hydrate it, just as you do the skin on your face. Consider lathering on a body lotion with ceramides, which were mentioned previously.
Carry hand cream
Hand cream is great to have around throughout the year, and it’s especially beneficial during the fall and winter months when our hands tend to dry out more due to the cooler air and dry heat. Where a thinner hand cream could work well during the spring and summer months of the year, a thicker hand cream is more useful during these colder months.
Use a cleanser without sodium lauryl sulfate
Cleansing is something you should do daily, regardless of the season. For fall and all year round, avoid cleansers with sodium lauryl sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate can strip the skin and scalp of natural oils that are needed to protect your skin.
Drink plenty of water
Our bodies are primarily made up of water. As a result, we need to make sure we drink enough water to remain hydrated and prevent dehydration. From day to day, if you don’t drink sufficient water, your skin can dry out. Drinking plenty of water also helps your skin look healthier and plumper.
Work with a professional aesthetician
A professional aesthetician has the expertise and specialized tools to assess and analyze your skin care needs. When unsure, they can guide you in selecting the best products for your skin type and the time of the year. There are also treatments that can enhance your at-home skin care regime that an aesthetician can recommend and often provide, like laser treatments, Ultherapy collagen stimulation, facials, microdermabrasion, and microneedling. They can also refer you to a professional injector that offers Botox and fillers to enhance your skincare regimen.
Do what’s best for your skin type
Each person’s skin is unique, so finding the right balance of products needs to be based on your particular skin type and the products that work best for your skin. For instance, not everyone will need a thicker moisturizer for the cooler months, though generally, it’s an adjustment that works well. Try some products to determine the options you have a positive experience with and vice versa.
Use the tips above to guide you as you identify the right blend of products that work for your skin for the fall season. And when in doubt, schedule an appointment with your local skin care specialist.
DermaTouch RN offers minimally invasive and non-invasive treatments for men and women in Houston, San Antonio, Spring and Cypress, as well as the surrounding areas of Texas. We are the largest aesthetic practice in the Houston area, and all of our medical spa treatments are performed by a team of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and aestheticians who receive continuing education to remain abreast of emerging treatments that benefit our patients. We invite you to learn more about our office before your consultation.
