Your Fall Transitional Skin Care Routine, Solved

Posted by Nikki Wisher on Sep 21st 2022

Depending on where you live, you’re probably just starting to feel the chill in the air that tells us fall is on its way. You might have also seen the humidity in the air drop like a ton of bricks – if it hasn’t hit your area yet, it will soon. That’s why this is the perfect time to figure out your fall transitional skin care routine to keep your skin comfortable and looking spectacular in the face of this changing weather.

Transitional skin care doesn’t have to be a burden. To help you keep it all straight, we’ve laid out this easy-to-follow plan you can start using today.

Step One: Cleanse

The first step in any skin care routine (after removing any makeup, of course) is always cleansing. But the cleanser you use might need to shift when the seasons change. Many people use intensive cleansers during the summer to cut through the sweat and the debris that comes from spending time outside.

In the fall and winter, on the other hand, your skin is drier than usual because of the dry air, so those hardcore cleansers can be too drying. Use a hydrating cleanser for this time of the year instead.

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Step Two: Tone

Cleansers often take your skin’s pH (acidity level) out of its ideal zone, and that can leave you vulnerable to irritation. Not good since dry skin is also more prone to irritation. Following your cleanser with a toner, especially when sweater weather arrives, can bring your skin back into balance.

A word of wisdom, though: in the cooler months in particular, choose an alcohol-free toner. Toners with alcohol can be drying too.

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Step Three: Use a Serum

Serums are incredibly versatile in your skin care routine because they reach deep into your skin for strong results and because you can find serums for just about any skin care goal you have. During the fall transition, you might want to use a hydrating serum to really support your skin’s moisture, especially if you’re already prone to dry skin.

Another great choice is vitamin C serum. This can repair some of the summer sun damage including reducing brown spots that have appeared on your skin from the sun.

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Step Four: Apply an Eye Cream

The skin around your eyes is very delicate and thin, and that makes it even more at risk for dryness and sensitivity during the cooler months than the rest of your skin. That’s why now is the perfect time to add an eye cream into your routine, although some people also use eye creams year-round. Look for an eye cream that centers on hydrating and soothing.

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Step Five: Moisturize

You had to know this one was coming. Clearly, in the cool dry air, daily moisturizer is more important than ever.

This is the time of year to change out the lightweight moisturizer you used in the summer for a thicker moisturizer. If you don’t love having a thick moisturizer on during the day, you can still use a lightweight moisturizer in the morning but use a thicker cream at night. If you’re prone to acne, though, make sure it’s non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic.

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Step Six: Moisturize Your Lips

Don’t forget about those lovely lips of yours! If you’re like me, as soon as there’s the first bit of autumn chill in the air, you have to carry around lip balm as if it gives you life. Regardless of how prone you may or may not be to chapped lips, take a proactive approach and apply a hydrating lip balm at the end of your skin care routine.

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Bonus Tip: Cut Back on Exfoliating

You might have noticed that exfoliating wasn’t mentioned in the routine above, and that’s because it should be a rarity when the weather is cool and dry. Exfoliating can dry out your skin more than you’d like, contributing to the top skin problem in fall and winter. You shouldn’t ditch the exfoliators entirely, but cut back – perhaps from twice per week to once per week.

Starting Your Autumn with Amazing Skin

Between low natural humidity and the drying air that comes from heating systems, yes, your skin is much more prone to dryness during the fall and winter. You don’t have to settle for it as it is, though. Now is the time to perfect your fall transitional skin care routine so your skin can coast through and keep its healthy glow through all the months ahead.