How to Switch Up Your Beauty Routine for Autumn

Your skin is always exposed to the environment. Once the seasons change- when the weather becomes cooler, the air becomes drier- your skin’s needs change, too.

One of the things that I pay attention to when seasons change, is to notice if, and how, my skin changes. Does it feel dry? Is it starting to flake? Does it feel more sensitive? Red?

Once you notice how (and if) your skin changes, you can adjust its needs accordingly.

I’ve been off Accutane for months now and while I haven’t experienced any breakouts, I’ve been dealing with a lot of dryness.

Besides the weather change, I think that Autumn + Winter laziness is a bit to blame, too. I certainly don’t reach for my water jug as often, and my diet could use some cleaning up.

And hey, another thing that can use some cleaning up? Your beauty stash. Switching your beauty/skincare routine is also perfect opportunity to get rid of any unloved, old or expired products you forgot you had.

BEAUTY ROUTINE FOR AUTUMN

LAYER IT ON

Once the seasons change, our skin tends to produce less oil during colder months, than it does during Summer. Well, at least I know mine does.

Dry skin will be more prone to inflammation and irritation. To avoid redness becoming a problem, it’s best to prevent it by switching your nighttime moisturizer to something richer. While I’m not a huge fan of their cleansers, Cetaphil’s Moisturizing Cream is a staple in my skincare routine- all year round. Seriously, this is one of those drugstore products that I just can’t go without and I’ve never used any high-end moisturizers that would work just as well as this stuff does for me (with the exception for IT Cosmetics creams which are very hydrating- I love Secret Sauce and Confidence in a Cream and Clinique’s Moisture Surge). I’d rather buy ten tubs of Cetaphil than one jar of Creme de La Mer (tried it once, it was nice, not nice enough to spend the money on a full jar). I do reach for it a lot more often during colder months, though. It’s gentle- I used it even back when my skin was extremely dry to the point of cracking and bleeding, very soothing to dry and burning skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. I actually use it all over, not just my face.

Oils will also give you a nice boost (you don’t have to be afraid of them, even if you have oily skin). Argan Oil (for moisturizing) and Jojoba Oil (for double-cleansing) have been solid favorites of mine for many, many years now. I also recently discovered Monastery products, which you might have seen me talk briefly about on my Instagram- I’ve been really enjoying their Neroli Black Botanical Brighten Oil.* It’s still a bit too soon to tell if this helps to brighten my skin, but it certainly does a lovely job at hydrating the skin. Love that it’s not greasy- it has a unique texture that’s a bit velvety and even though it’s an oil, it feels extremely light.

RENEW

Fall and Spring are the best times of year for renewal- also when it comes to your skin. Since you are most like not going to spend a ton of time outdoors in the sun, you can freely reach for renewing products like AHA + BHA peels and products. If summer left your skin with some sun spots or dull skin, then Fall is a great time to lighten those up. One of the most affordable and effective treatments I’ve tried has been The Ordinary Lactic Acid, which sells at a fraction of the price, but works almost as well as Sunday Riley’s Good Genes. I also love Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Peel– if you have post-acne scars, sun sposts or dull skin, I can’t recommend this enough (also helped me with acne when I still struggled with it, I’ve been using these pads for over 5 years now and I keep coming back).

Unless you’re used to using acids, I’d recommend staying away from them once the weather begins to get really cold, though. Paula’s Choice 2 % BHA Liquid is very gentle and a great product to try if you want to introduce acids to your routine (Pixi’s Glow Tonic is another good one).

USE PROTECTION

Sunscreen is important all year round, even on those gloomy days. If your skin suffers from any kind of discoloration, no treatments will give you long-lasting results, unless you use sunscreen daily. You should always use 1/4 teaspoon on your entire face, applying it AFTER your moisturizer. The earlier you start incorporating sunscreen into your skincare routine, the better, but it’s never too late to start. Use of sunscreen is especially important when using AHA/BHA or Vitamin C products (pretty much anything that helps fight hyperpigmenation, promotes skin renewing- not wearing proper sun protection while using these products can leave your skin vulnerable and produce reverse results e.g. your acne scars will get darker, instead of getting lighter).

Some of my favorites are Moisture Milk, Elta MD UV Shield, and Missha’s Soft Finish Sun Milk.

STAY GENTLE

If there is one thing that helped me change my skin, it’s learning to treat it gently. This includes using gentle products- this was a problem for me, especially in the cleanser department. I used to think I could scrub my skin problems away.

No, sadly, that just doesn’t work.

If you notice your skin become more dry and tight when the weather changes, switch your gel or foaming cleansers for something that’s a bit creamier. You’ve seen me talk about Akwi Cleanser when my skin was at its more sensitive stage- both when going through the Retin-A and Accutane treatments. Double-cleansing is one of my favorite end-of-the-day rituals. I usually remove my makeup first, then follow up with MUN’s Akwi Cleanser which is incredible for dry skin (right now their 3-product Daily Face Essentials Set is on sale and you can also save 15% on top of that with code MUN13T). I massage it in, then gently press a warm washcloth on my skin and finish off with one of my favorite cleansers like CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser. This combo gets my skin clean, without leaving it feeling dry, tight and itchy, it just brings instant relief to my skin. Stay away from cleansers that contain a lot of fragrance, harsh scrubs, or anything that leaves your skin feel dry and tight. Two other favorites are Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser and Garnier’s Gentle Cleanser.

MASK IT 

When you have oily, acne-prone skin, it can be a little difficult to find products that work well for you. Especially when it comes to face masks. When still suffering from acne, some of my all-time favorites included Origins Charcoal Mask and Aztec Secret Healing Clay Mask– pretty much anything with clay or charcoal.

These days I no longer look for blemish control in my face masks, instead, I need them to hydrate, sooth and brighten. Now, a lot of face masks I’ve used in the past can be extremely irritating to my skin, which is why I’m a bit picky when it comes to face masks. Here are a few hydrating masks my skin loves, even with daily Tazorac and/or Retin-A Micro use: Laszlo’s Hydra Therapy Memory Sleep Mask*– a little pricey for a product that comes in a jar, but it feels SO amazing on the skin, even when it’s irritated. This mask feels very luxurious, it plumps, hydrates, all without being greasy or sticky. I have yet to see if there will be any long-term benefits to using this mask, but I’ll keep you guys posted.  I usually use masks like this one (the Lierac one is a little similar to this but has a stronger scent) in place of moisturizer. Complex Beauty’s Thirst Quencher is also great. I really didn’t come across any hydrating masks from the drugstore that I loved, but I find that sometimes a nice layer of Cetaphil in a tub gently sealed with Aquaphor does just as good of a job; it helps to get all those dry bits around mouth, nose, and cheeks under control.

BODY CARE

If like me, you love wearing skinnies even when it’s really cold outside, then you probably know just how GOOD it feels to take them off at the end of the day.

One thing I DON’T look forward to is how dry and flaky the skin on my legs gets. Dry brushing, using my favorite in-shower tools like this one and Amlactin help me keep my skin smooth and soft (Salux Cloth and Amlactin are also my secret weapon for things like ingrown hairs). In my Autumn Pamper post, I talked about some of my favorite body care products and things that help me deal with sore muscles.

I briefly talked about the Yuzu Butter* from Monastery and I just have to mention it again because this stuff is SO GOOD. I apply this all over after a shower and my skin feels soft and hydrated, even the next day. This butter is not greasy, has a very delicate scent- I use it all over, even my cuticles. The only wish I have is that it came in a bigger jar.

 

How do you guys switch up your beauty routine for Autumn? What are some products you always reach for this time of year?