It’s autumn, which means falling leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and your annual revisit to your skincare routine.
After all, the leaves aren’t the only thing that changes when the weather gets brisk.
Unfortunately, many of us make the same skincare mistakes year after year when fall comes knocking–and our skin pays the price. Here are a few common skincare mistakes to avoid this fall and what you should do instead.
Keeping the Same Skincare Routine
By far one of the biggest mistakes is keeping the same skincare routine year-round–even if you live in a climate where the weather doesn’t change all that much.
As the seasons transition, weather and lifestyle changes mean that your skin’s environment isn’t constant. For example, cooler, drier air has less humidity than sticky summer air, and combined with hot showers and internal heating, that leaves your skin stripped of moisture and essential oils that are already running scarce in winter.
In other words? Your skincare routine isn’t equipped to keep up.
In the fall, your skincare should gradually transition to the heavy-duty moisturizing that characterizes your winter skincare routine. That means packing up the light, oil-free products you used all summer in favor of products that pack moisture and oil to make up for what your skin is lacking. Ceramides are your new best friend (along with pumpkin spice, of course).
Hot Showers
Everybody loves a hot shower–except your skin, that is.
Hot water strips your skin of sebum, essential oils, and healthy fats that are vital for skin health, and it’s worse the longer you stay under hot water. The problem is that all of those things are in increasingly scant supply as fall sets in, which leaves you saddled with a compromised skin barrier.
In other words? It’s a recipe for skin irritation and dryness.
The effect is even worse if you have eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, or a similar skin condition. But even if you have healthy skin overall, your skin still produces less oil, fat, and sebum in winter, and hot water strips what little you do have.
So while it may be tempting to hop into a steaming shower, stick to lukewarm, and try to keep your shower (or bath) brief.
Skin-Drying Products
Similarly, if you’re sticking to the same skin-drying products you use to keep oily skin free of breakouts in summertime, your skin will wind up dry, irritated, and (ironically) even more broken out than before.
During the summer, when you sweat quite a lot and there’s plenty of humidity in the air, your skin produces plenty of oil. In those conditions, it’s fine to strip away the excess.
However, fall and winter don’t work that way. The air gets progressively cooler and drier, and your skin needs all the oil it can get (yes, even if your skin is naturally oily). So if you continue to use the same skin-drying products all year, your skin will actually end up dried out and more broken out.
Instead, make the switch to products that help replenish your natural oil and pH levels. For those with dry and sensitive skin, your skin doesn’t produce enough oil to begin with, so don’t be afraid to reach for products to boost oil. For those who have oily skin, reach for products that introduce just enough moisture and oil to balance what you lose. Otherwise, your skin will frantically produce oil, and you’ll wind up with breakouts.
Not Washing Sheets and Clothing Enough
If you do laundry like the Olympics (it doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s an event) you’re not doing your skin any favors. Especially in the fall and winter.
Regardless of whether or not you sweat in your clothes, your clothes pick up oil and dead skin cells every time you wear them. The same goes for your sheets, pillowcases, and even blankets.
In the summer, that’s a recipe for breakouts, but you also tend to wash clothes often because they get sweaty. In the fall and winter, it’s still a recipe for skin irritation, but it’s worsened by infrequent washes.
Don’t use fall as an excuse for your laundry habits to go into hibernation. Do your skin a favor and keep washing your clothes and sheets.
Skipping the SPF
There is exactly one thing that should remain the same no matter the time of year: your sunscreen.
While you may not be lounging in the sun anymore, your skin still gets sun damage. If there’s enough natural light to see your hand in front of your face, there’s enough UV rays to cause skin damage. Keep your SPF handy–your skin will thank you when spring and summer come knocking.
Keep Your Skin Clear This Season
Don’t fall victim to the same old skincare mistakes this fall. Make the switch to gentle, clinically formulated products designed to heal and support your skin throughout the season. Fortunately, you’re in the right place. Check out our shop to find products tailored for your needs, and make sure to add them to your cart.