6 Fall Skincare Essentials to Prep Skin for Cooler Weather
Inside Out Skin Health Natural Beauty Natural Skincare
The cold, dry air can really do a number on your skin! This is why it’s important to shift your skincare routine seasonally. Keep these 6 cold-weather skincare essentials on hand for healthy, hydrated skin as the temperature drops and winter draws near.
Note: This post is sponsored by iHerb though all thoughts and opinions are of course my own. I love partnering with this fantastic company and longtime Body Unburdened sponsor. Thank you for supporting the companies that make the work I do and this website possible!
With fall just around the corner, I’m dreaming of warm and cozy sweaters, and pumpkin spice everything.
You too!?
But something that has no place in any fall fantasy: dry, tight, itchy skin!
Unfortunately, as the weather cools and humidity drops, the dry air can really do a number on our skin.
This is why it’s important to shift your skincare routine seasonally. The bottom line is: your skin’s needs change from season to season.
So as you’re moving the sundresses and linen out of your closet to make room for the chunky knits and velvet, be sure give your skincare routine an update too!
These six fall skincare essentials will help prep your skin for cooler weather, keeping you hydrated and glowing all the way through to next summer.
1) A cream cleanser
2) Humectants to draw and hold water to the skin
Since our skin needs extra hydration in the fall and winter, when the humidity is low and air is “dry,” humectants are essential.
This is because humectants draw and hold water to the skin.
Two humectants in particular will keep your skin healthy and hydrated all throughout the cooler months…
HYALURONIC ACID
Hyaluronic acid is able to bind over one thousand times its weight in water! (source)
No wonder studies have found that applying hyaluronic acid products provides significant improvement in skin hydration.
When it comes to hyaluronic acid, I like to keep things simple like with Cosmedica Skincare’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. No unnecessary scents, fillers, or other active ingredients to contend with the rest of your skincare routine — just pure hydration.
VEGETABLE GLYCERIN
Like hyaluronic acid, vegetable glycerin is a natural humectant that draws and holds water to the skin. It can also be used on your face, though I personally prefer to use it on my hands and body since it is a little sticky.
But don’t let that scare you away! I honestly don’t know what I — or really, my hands — would do without it in the wintertime, and I’ve turned so many of my family members, friends, and clients into devotees too.
During the winter months, I NEVER leave home without the small (4oz) bottle of Aura Cacia’s Organic Vegetable Glycerin in my purse, and also keep another bottle in the medicine cabinet at home. Did I mention that I don’t know what I’d do without it!?
3) A facial oil for extra moisture and to prevent water loss
Whereas humectants provide skin with hydration (water) facial oils provide skin with moisture (oil). Remember: there is a big difference between these two!
Facial oils and the moisture they provide help lock hydration into the skin and prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).
Argan oil is one of my absolute favorite single oils — choose an organic option like Acure’s The Essentials Moroccan Argan Oil. Add just a few drops to your go-to moisturizer before applying each night, or gently press into skin as the very last step in your evening skincare routine.
Tip: You can also add a bit of oil to the ends of your hair after showering to keep it healthy and moisturized throughout the cooler months, too!
4) A gentle acid-based exfoliant
Exfoliation helps slough away dead skin cells to reveal brighter, smoother skin beneath.
But not all exfoliation is created equally!
Manual exfoliation using scrubs, spinning brushes, or any sort of abrasive can cause irritation and inflammation, plus lead to dryer skin by stripping its protective outer layer.
Instead, choose a gentle acid-based exfoliant like Andalou Naturals Brightening Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Beauty Mask. This formula couples two fantastic exfoliants: glycolic acid and pumpkin (the latter of which is also very seasonally appropriate, right!?). During the winter months, once a week is likely all your skin needs to keep soft, smooth, and hydrated — exfoliating too frequently can also lead to increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and dry skin.
5) SPF (yes, even as the weather cools!)
No matter the time of year, SPF is an absolute must in order to protect skin from UV and free radical damage. Yes, even in the cooler months!
One of my favorite facial sunscreens as the temperature drops is Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses CC Color + Correct SPF 30.
If you haven’t yet tried a CC cream, oh it’s time! Not only do they protect skin with SPF, but also provide a wash of color and dose of skin-perfecting active ingredients — the perfect product for fellow minimalists and those who prefer light color coverage (as opposed to a full-coverage foundation).
Plus, just inhaling rose essential oil has been shown to increase skin hydration! (source)
6) A Supplement (or 2… or 3!) for hydrated skin from within
It’s no secret that healthy, glowing skin starts within, and skin hydration is no exception! Studies have found that these three supplements help enhance skin hydration from the inside out.
Add one or two (or all three!) to your cool weather wellness routine to reap the beauty benefits.
SILICA
Silica is the third most abundant trace element in the human body after iron and zinc. It creates bonds between protein molecules, which are responsible for the skin’s natural ability to retain water, renew, and repair. No wonder it’s considered a key cofactor for collagen formation! It’s also anti-inflammatory and increases oxygen to the skin.
For these reasons, silica may also help the skin retain water and prevent transepidermal water loss.
Flora FloraSil was specifically designed for healthy skin, hair, and nails, and is an easy addition to your winter wellness and beauty routine.
COLLAGEN
Collagen supplements have become very popular in recent years… and for good reason! A number of studies have shown that they can provide far-reaching benefits, both inside and out.
A 2019 review of 11 different studies concluded that supplementing with collagen daily for 4-24 weeks increased skin hydration and treated xerosis, a medical term for dry skin.
To reap the anti-aging benefits of collagen supplementation (why not!?), look to pair your supplement with vitamin C (a necessary cofactor for collagen formation) or choose a supplement that conveniently couples the two together for you, like NeoCell’s Super Collagen + Vitamin C.
VITAMIN C
Not only does vitamin C support the immune system, but it’s also a powerful, skin-protective antioxidant, and is essential for collagen production.
So it’s not surprising that studies have found that dietary and supplemental vitamin C may enhance skin barrier function and help reduce water loss, helping to prevent dry skin.
When choosing a vitamin C supplement, the quality and form impacts absorption. One of my go-tos: Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code RAW Vitamin C made with whole-food sources of vitamin C and also includes probiotics and enzymes.
Where can you get everything you need to keep skin healthy and hydrated AND at a great value?
Not to mention have them conveniently and quickly shipped to your doorstep so you can stay snuggly by the fireplace!?
I picked up all of the products discussed throughout this guide from iHerb, which offers a huge selection of health-oriented products (over 30,000) at seriously amazing prices. Plus iHerb is committed to providing quality assurance for their products (they actually ship directly from a climate controlled warehouse), guarantees the authenticity of all products (not sure if you know, but there’s actually quite a bit of supplement fraud out there these days!),provides free or discounted shipping to over 180 countries around the world, and offers customer service five days a week in 10 different languages.
And iHerb is offering Body Unburdened readers (whether you’re a new or returning iHerb customer) an additional discount on your iHerb order with no minimum purchase when you shop through this link HERE.
