Oh, my gosh! I make so many changes. Creamier cleansers, richer moisturizers (dry skin 4-eva) and ‘ze intensification of exfoliation.
Fall is still officially a few weeks away, but unofficially for me it’s starting right meow…
I’m guessing that your opinion of fall partly depends on where you fall (ha ha) on the Pumpkin Spice/Halloween spectrum, am I right? You’re either delighted by the idea of cooler weather, cozy sweaters and crunchy autumn leaves crackling beneath your ankle boots, or you’re supremely bummed about it.
I’m somewhere in the middle…
At heart, I will always be a summertime baby, but as I get older (and grow more intolerant of being hot and sweaty), I’ve learned to love fall. And now I’m into it, man!
Here are the fall changes I’m making to my skincare routine…
- Falling temps turn the normally dry areas on my cheeks even drier, so creamy cleansers become a must. I plan to pick up a tube of Kate Sommerville Goat Milk Cleanser to help with that this week.
- I also need to add a rich moisturizer up in the mix. Hello, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream!
- And because I won’t be getting as much sun soon (and won’t have to worry as much about sun sensitivity), I’ll be upping my exfoliation game. To that end, I just started using Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, and I’m also thinking about doing a professional chemical peel. (Side note: I’ve never had one before. Have you?!)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Summer days are great but I’ve always preferred the fall weather. We get beautiful foliage here and the temps become comfy. And I do like pumpkin spice. HAHA! I don’t change much up in my skincare routine except keeping an eye on dry patches. Then I’ll use a heavier moisturizer at night and cut back on the retinol.
I looooove me some pumpkin spice (as you know). On my agenda this fall is to learn how to make them at home… I love the flavor but not all the sugar, ya know?!
Yes, agreed! I’ll let you know if I find any good recipes. I just used the Splenda for Baking for the first time this weekend (it’s part Splenda and part sugar if the label can be trusted -HAHA!). It turned out well. Pear and apple crisp from our fruit trees. Artificial sweeteners aren’t great for us but it’s better than sugar for keeping the A1C down! 🙂
PS Have you ever made the pumpkin cookies with yellow cake mix and canned pumpkin? Easy and yummy! You could probably do it with GF yellow or spice cake mix for El Hub, too.
I do love fall, but I think I love all the seasons, which is the great part about Maine. We get them all very extreme!
Once it gets cooler I use a heavier moisturizer during the day and at night. During the day Kiehls original instead of Clinique dramatically different gel, and at night whatever I have around.
I also kick up the physical exfoliation since my tan is fading anyway. I like Dr. Brandt micro exfoliating and leave it on my face for a few mins.
I want to try Korres new face mask that’s coming out. Saw it on Katie Hughes insta yesterday and I am very intrigued. I need another mask like I need a hole in the face though.
I love KHJ so much! Her style of makeup really speaks to my soul.
If you like Clinique, you might want try their Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream someday! It’s really good.
I haven’t tried that, but it sounds awesome!!
I bought it last year during one of the Sephora VIB sales and it’s lasted me for-ev-er, although I’m kind of annoyed that it’s hard to find the large 4.2-oz tub now… grrr! Next time you’re at the counter get a sample! It layers well underneath makeup and other skincare products.
I just started adding a face oil (Sunday Riley CEO Oil) that was too heavy for me to use starting in the spring/summer to mix in with my gel moisturizer and sunscreen. I most likely will end up switching to just the CEO oil once it gets really cold and dry where I live, but for now a few drops is good enough for this time of year. I’ll need to switch toners soon too since the REN glycolic toner I’m using is way too drying/irritating for me to use in the fall/winter, but my First Aid Beauty Radiance pads for sensitive skin don’t cut it in the spring/summer anymore. Needing to have subtle changes like this just started happening to me this year. I guess my skin is changing again!
Hi Monika,
My skin seems to go through a major change every few years now, so I feel you! Have you ever tried Sunday Riley Good Genes? I really liked it when I was using it.
I have tried good genes before, but I heard it can lighten the skin. I stopped using it after I heard that. Did that happen to you at all?
I like fall except that it means winter is coming, which means snow here in North Dakota! I will switch to a thicker moisturizer for my face. Instead of the gel type I’ve been using I’ll probably go back to Origins Plantscription Powerful Lifting Cream. It worked well for me last year, and I can use it morning and night. If I’m really dry, I’ll put a face oil on a couple hours before bed so it soaks in and doesn’t get all over my pillow.
Hi Rachel,
I’m a California girl through and through, so if it dips below 40 I’m completely non-functional. LOL!
What face oil do you like? I’m a fan of Fresh Seaberry Oil!
I am using up an old one from Salma Hayek’s Nuance line at CVS! Then I’ll scrounge through beauty boxes I’ve gotten and try to use up those before I buy anything else!
Ahh, I still remember when her line launched at CVS! Never tried her oil but I remember liking her eyeshadows and lipsticks. 🙂
Hi Karen, Isn’t the Fresh Seaberry oil just the greatest? It isn’t just an occlusive, it is actually soothing, healing, and contains anti-oxidants. I use the Seaberry Booster version because it is more concentrated and is better suited to my bone dry skin. I use three drops mixed in with my Jack Black Protein Booster serum every single day on my face, neck, and chest. It keeps my rosacea prone skin calm, comfortable, and even toned. Because I use it as generously as I do, I buy a few bottles every time Sephora has a sale. It makes the $45 for .5 oz less painful.
Eileen, it’s beyond epic. I hope they never, ever discontinue it. Lasts forever and never breaks me out, moisturizes like a BEAST and layers well underneath makeup!
I love everything about autumn (except for pumpkin spice! lol) and find the cool, but comfortable, temperatures to be quite invigorating. There’s nothing like a crisp autumn day to make me want to be outside—leisurely walks in the hills with the dogs, working in the garden, meeting up with friends for apple picking, outings with my husband, taking my little nieces to the pumpkin patch, etc. Yes, I adore the fall. There’s a saying about autumn that goes something like this: Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead, has never seen them dance in the wind.
As for skin care, I have bone dry skin at the best of times so I always have plenty of products in my arsenal that combat the dryness—hydrating essences, rich moisturizers, soothing beauty oils, and creamy sunscreens for body and face. I find the only change I really need to make is in the number of times I need to reapply. Of, yes, and Tatcha’s Dewy Mist! I’ve relied on it for years and years. I carry the small travel size in my purse when I’m on the go. It has humectants and 20% beauty oils which seal the moisture in so it is much, much better than misting with those products that are primarily water. I can spritz my face without it disturbing my makeup.
And speaking of makeup, I love the rich shades that are a hallmark of the season and agree with John Donne when he wrote, “No spring nor summer beauty has such grace, as I have seen in one autumnal face.”
Thank you for the Donne quote, Eileen. I took a few poetry classes in college and it reminded me of one of my faves, Song.
It’s still summer in Atlanta. I can’t wait for some cooler temps! I have changed my skincare though. I was experiencing more breakouts than usual, so I bit the bullet and ordered a special acne kit from Renee Rouleau. It has helped so much that I ordered another one to have as a backup. There is a 15% off sale on her site now. The 4 piece kit cleared up the breakouts quickly and didn’t dry out my skin.
I love pumpkin spice too. Check out Williams Sonoma Pumpkin Spice hand wash. It’s fabulous and no calories!
Karen, I have to say you’ve never steered me wrong! I started using Kate Somerville’s Retinol + Vitamin C serum and I am truly loving it. It’s a bit pricey but it looks like it will last a long time and that’s a plus. My skin has never looked better and I’ve only been using it about a week. Now I’m going to pick up her Goat Milk Cleanser next!
I’m so glad you like it! It really does work, doesn’t it? I’ve found that I can get away with using soooooo very little. It’s pricey but you can really stretch it out.
That’s hard to think about when it’s 101 degrees (yes, really) and there are 5 tropical systems out there to keep an eye on. A bit putting-the-cart-before-the-horse, like asking our 3 year old to commit to her college major, lol.
I do have to think about upping the moisture, though. It’s time to start taking allergy pills daily to get ahead of the Fall blooming and that dries me out big time. Since I can’t use anything heavier yet, I just have to moisturize more often with my lighter summertime favorite, Sephora All Day Hydrator. (As in, every 5 minutes!)
I don’t love Autumn (I don’t hate it though), but I think it’s because it’s also rain season in central Mexico. I always say best seasons to visit Mexico are Winter and Spring because it isn’t super cold and it’s dry season.
What I change is moisturizer, I’m always using moisturizing cleansers with a flannel at night. Also I need to see how my skin reacts to the weather changes, but I don’t want to stop the Differin.
I had a professional peels when I was a teenager, around 8 years ago, and I can only say you see the results but it can get painful.
I use a lot of first aid products esp in the winter months . Also Clinique . I use a sunscreen moisturizer every day .
Guess what I learned today ?
My husband came into my Derm appt w me . She asked how he was .
I mentioned he would be finer if he could be rid of his dry patches .
She recommended he wash his face w his dandruff shampoo because he in fact had dandruff on his face !
I never knew that .
I live for fall! Especially, having grown up in Toronto, I have special love for that time of year. And I am ALL about the fall/ halloween/ pumpkin everything! Plus Saavi was born in fall and I got married in fall too. <3 3
I start targeting my hyperpigmentation that inevitably creeps up over summer with extra brightening Vitamin C and stepping up exfoliation. Oh, and a facial to battle the post holiday congestion – that struggle is real.
I am all about the Pumpkin Spice Life! I love my fall clothes: Flannel shirts, jeans, booties. This is definitely my favorite time of year. I have just started back on my Retin-A after taking a break through the summer. I plan to go have my first microdermabrasion soon to have a clean slate to work with. Other than that, I just use a slightly richer moisturizer than during the rest of the year. All of my serums, etc. stay the same.
I was just realizing that my cheeks are dry right now with my normal routine – Michigan goes from really humid to really dry. I’m probably going to go to a non-foaming cleanser, a more hydrating toner, and I need a new sunscreen – mine is really siliconey which can be really drying on me.