5 Skincare Products to Forget this Fall

In the fall, skin needs extra moisture, extra nourishment, and even more love. When the colder months arrive, skin is more prone to drying out, which means your skincare routine should be full of products that hydrate and replenish lost moisture. You’ll also benefit from using reparative skincare products — to help your skin recover from all those months of sunbathing.

To save your skin from further dryness and dullness, here are the five products you really don’t need this fall.

#1: Harsh, Drying Cleansers

Especially if you have dry skin or sensitive skin, harsh cleansers will only cause even more dryness and irritation. That said, even those with oily or acne-prone skin should limit their use of natural-oil-stripping cleansers in the autumn, as they’ll only encourage your skin to create more sebum — resulting in further oiliness and breakouts.

In the summer, what with the sweat and oil that accumulates on the skin, a clarifying cleanser is needed to keep pores unclogged. But in the cooler months when skin is drier, you need a cleanser that will remove the day’s dirt while being hydrating enough to stop skin from getting dry.

Choose a gentle, hydrating face wash or cream cleanser to remove the buildup of oil, impurities, and dead skin without parching your complexion. Look for formulas enriched with nourishing botanicals like green tea and aloe to soothe, and humectants like hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture.

#2: Astringent Toners

Some astringent toners can be beneficial in the summer when there’s more of a buildup of sweat, sunscreen, and oil. In the fall, however, skin becomes less oily, more dry. For that reason, an astringent toner isn’t necessary. In fact, it might make your skin concerns worse as astringent toners dehydrate the skin, causing excess oil production — ultimately clogging pores.

Switch to a hydrating mist instead infused with nourishing ingredients like rose, vitamin E, and coconut oil. You can spritz it on throughout the day whenever your skin feels dry or needs a glow boost. With the right facial mist, you can achieve dewy, glowing skin — whenever you are. You can even spritz it over makeup for a quick refresh.

Start including an antioxidant-rich facial mist into your daily skincare regimen to keep skin smooth, healthy, and glowing. It’ll also help alleviate fall-related dryness and irritation.

#3: Scrubs

Exfoliation can be beneficial all year round. However, make sure you’re using the right exfoliator for your face. The face is more delicate than the rest of the body, so while it’s fine to use a body scrub, you shouldn’t be scrubbing at your face. Not only can it cause irritation, it can also lead to microtears on the skin, especially if the formula contains large particles like walnut shells.

Opt for a chemical exfoliant instead. The most common are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). Glycolic and lactic acid come under AHAs. Unlike a scrub that manually removes dead skin cells, these two acids gently lift dead cells, revealing fresh, glowing skin and gradually reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Salicylic acid is a BHA. It’s best for oily and acne-prone skin as it works by unclogging pores, fighting acne-causing bacteria, and eliminating excess sebum.

You’ll find these exfoliating acids in everything from cleansers to serums to lotions and face masks. They’re best used in your nighttime routine, as AHAs and BHAs make skin more sensitive to sun exposure.

We recommend our GLOW Bundle, which comes with a face mask and serum formulated with glycolic acid and bakuchiol to brighten, smooth, and diminish dark spots.

#4: Soaps

Soap is known for drying out the skin. Have you ever noticed how your skin feels all tight and dry after lathering up with your bar soap? That’s because most soaps contain sulfates and surfactants that steal skin’s moisture. Hydrating soaps do exist. However, the average soap bar that you’ll find at your local drugstore, Sephora, Nordstrom, or on Amazon is usually chock full of dehydrating ingredients that’ll do nothing for your skin.

Whatever your skin type, stick to using hydrating beauty products in the fall to prevent dry, dehydrated skin. It’s always better to choose a gentle cleanser to avoid irritating or drying out your skin.

Especially if you have a skin condition like eczema or rosacea, it is even more important to use products that support healthy skin barrier function — and most soaps do not.

#5: Heavy Sunscreens

SPF is still essential in the fall. However, you can swap out your heavy summer sunscreen for a more lightweight version in the winter. Since you’re going outside less, your skin doesn’t need as much protection so you can definitely get away with using a broad spectrum SPF 15-30. In the summer, you should be wearing at least SPF 30 to protect skin against sun damage — and ultimately fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and skin cancer. In the autumn, you should still be wearing sunscreen daily but it doesn’t need to be such a rich formula.

If you’ve got oily or acne-prone skin, opt of an oil-free, non-comedogenic SPF. And if you’re using a retinol serum, eye cream, or moisturizer, make sure you apply a little extra sunscreen as retinoids increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun.

Dermatologists recommend pairing it with a vitamin C serum, as the vitamin C boosts the effectiveness of your sunscreen. We recommend our SMOOTH Serum, a silky formula packed with vitamin C and vegan collagen, which work in tandem to brighten, plump, improve skin tone, and fend off free radicals.

WHAT DO YOU NEED IN THE FALL?

You still need most of the products you used in the summer. Although, your skin will benefit most from using slightly different formulas. You can still use your face oils, anti-puffiness eye creams, and sleeping masks. You can still slather your skin with actives like retinol (vitamin A), ceramides, and AHAs. Just make sure you’re using fall-friendly formulas that will hydrate, nourish, and soothe your skin.

The best skincare products are those that contain a carefully crafted blend of high-performing active ingredients. Skin looks and feels its best when it’s well cared for.