How to Keep Your Skin Supple and Glowing This Fall & Winter

As the weather gets colder and the days shorten, our skin goes through some changes and can behave differently as well. We often notice an increase in dryness, sensitivity and redness, hyper-pigmentation and flaking skin. At the same time, we may see more breakouts because our skin is used to producing more oil during the summer months. Dead skin buildup can increase all of these issues. Fortunately, we have some really simple ways to keep our skin bright, clear and glowing!

 

Fall Skincare Tip:
This is the time of year to exfoliate!
Get rid of dead skin cells and open pores to receive hydration and antioxidants.

While we tend to like that "squeaky clean" feeling during the summer months, the gel or soap-bases cleansers may become too drying in the crisp fall air, when your skin is producing less oil. You'll especially notice this if you live in a colder climate or if you have normal, dry or sensitive skin.

Try using either a soap free cleansing gel like our new Apple Chamomile Cleansing Gel or switch to a cream-based cleanser like the Youth in Bloom Hydrating Cleanser.

2. Increase your water intake

I know, drinking water isn't the sexiest, most exciting skin care tip, but it really changes the way your skin looks and the health of your skin in general! I keep track of my water intake by making sure I drink about 10 fl oz ( a tall glass) of water every hour. It's a lot and I won't lie- bathroom breaks are definitely frequent, but I notice that in addition to my skin staying hydrated and smoother, I break out less often and my energy level and mental focus stay high throughout the day.

TIP: Add some electrolytes to one glass of water each day. I've been enjoying the Scratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix because the ingredients are simple and healthy and the flavors are natural and delicious. (No, I'm not sponsored by them, but I wish I was!)

3. Use a facial toner to increase hydration

An alcohol-free toner will balance the pH of your skin after cleansing and start locking in moisture. Immediately after cleansing and before your skin is fully dry, mist a toner over your skin or apply it to a cotton pad and gently draw it across your skin. Cleansers are "basic"- low pH which helps breakup excess oil and remove dirt, etc., and your skin should be slightly acidic (around pH 5.5). A well-formulated toner will restore that slightly acidic pH while also removing the last traces of makeup, oil and impurities from the skin.

You can choose to leave your toner on or wipe if off with clean cotton. Our Bulgarian Rose Hydrosol is a perfect leave-on toner for sensitive and drier skin. If your skin tends to breakout or is oily, you'll do better with the Yarrow & Willow Bark BHA Toner. For "normal" skin types, try the Lavender & Aloe Facial Toner. 

4. Exfoliate to remove dead skin and hyperpigmentation

All that fun outside and in the sun over the summer can lead to a buildup of dead skin cells. You may notice your moisturizers "not working" or feel like they're simply sitting on top of your skin. You skin may look dry, flaky, have small dry patches, show dark spots or it may be breaking out more often- or all of these at once! Fortunately, there's a very simple solution- exfoliate a couple times a week.

Removing dead skin cells allows your products to actually penetrate into the skin and do the work they're designed for. It also brightens your complexion, opens pores, dissolves hyper-pigmented skin (dark spots) and increases the formation of new skin cells.

We recently launched The Exfoliation Experience, bundling our most popular products for doing a weekly double exfoliation. 

5. Use a more moisturizing face mask

If you're experiencing dryness, try changing up your face mask (or adding one if you don't have one already). While our peels remove dead skin, other masks will give back to your skin, nourishing it with vital nutrients and moisture. Masking just once a week can make a big difference in your skin's overall moisture. Our most popular face mask this time of year and going into the dry winter months is the Honey Avocado Rescue Mask. You can leave this one on as long as you like- even overnight!

6. Eat more healthy fats and oils

Topical products only penetrate about 40% into the skin. The deeper 60% is nourished from within and what we eat makes all the difference. Adding healthy oils like cold-pressed avocado, coconut and olive oils to salads and cooked dishes will boost our skin's hydration.

7. Switch to a heavier moisturizer

As the heaters kick on indoors and the temperatures plummet, the air outside becomes drier. At the same time, our skin starts producing less oil than it did in the summer. Consider using a heavier moisturizer to prevent moisture loss during the colder months. If you've been using a moisturizing gel, switch to a light cream based moisturizer like our Goji Mate' Ultralight Moisturizer. If you're using a lightweight cream, step up the moisture with something more emollient like our Youth in Bloom Firming Day or Night Cream. For really dry skin, you may love the feel of our heaviest facial moisturizer, the Herbal Day or Night Cream.

8. Boost your moisturizer with a facial oil

Is your skin in love with your moisturizer, but you just need a little more? You can keep using the same moisturizer and easily boost the hydration level with a few drops of an oil based serum. And you have a couple options here- you can apply the serum to clean skin and layer your moisturizer over that, or you can blend them together in the palm of your hand and then apply. Either way works and it’s just personal preference. We've designed three different facial oils to meet the needs of your unique skin. The Calming Facial Oil provides lightweight moisture and soothes sensitive skin while the Herbal Facial Oil deeply nourishes dryness. Whether you use one of our unique formulas or another product, make sure to read the ingredients. Your oil should only contain plant-derived ingredients. Look for oils that are cold-pressed, antioxidant rich and avoid synthetic ingredients and fragrances.

9. Your skin is unique!

Remember that we're all different and really listen to your own body. Rather than wishing your skin was different, start where you're at right now and take a step or two toward bringing your skin into a healthy balance. Glowing, happy skin is a continuous process and rather than viewing it as a "battle", give yourself some love today. You're more beautiful than you'll ever realize.

Unsure which products are right for your skin? Take the Skin Quiz and get personalized recommendations.