What do you love about FALL? Is it the colours of the leaves? Sipping on pumpkin spice lattes? Curling up with a good book and a warm blanket?  I love all these things, but I also love the feel of a rich nourishing cream on my skin.  As temperatures start to drop and the colours of the leaves start to change, fall is a great time start thinking about cooler weather skincare.

The changes in temperature both indoors and outdoors can make our skin feel dry, tight, flaky and itchy. It can also make products that we're already using stop working.  There's nothing wrong with our old products; they just don't live up to what our skin needs at this time of year. 

The changes to our skincare regimen don’t have to be big.  Just adding a few drops of oil serum to our existing moisturizer can make all the difference! Make some small changes that work for you and your skin and it'll be easy to create a skincare routine that's easy to execute.  Here are some tips to get your skincare ready for the cooler months ahead.

1) A creamier cleanser

 I used to love my gel cleanser because it gave me a squeaky-clean face.  That was when I didn’t know that it stripped my skin of more than just my makeup.  If you’re 30 and up, you should switch to a richer hydrating cleanser (permanently) made with beneficial anti-aging ingredients and antioxidants to prevent the skin from damage by free radicals.  Here are my recommendations:

Helena Lane’s Chamomile and Mandarin cleanser is an oil cleanser made with jojoba oil which has anti-inflammatory properties to keep skin cool and comfortable and anti-oxidant properties which naturally slow down the signs of aging.  I'm on the second jar of this cleanser because I absolutely love it! If you've decided oil cleansing is not for you, (I hope you’ve given it a try first),

Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Facial Cleanser is a beautiful alternative.  This is a cream cleanser with a scent of blooms - lavender and geranium essential oils are a perfect combination for normal to dry skin types. 

And lastly, Graydon's Aloe Milk Cleanser which is perfect for all skin types, especially sensitive, dry, or combination skin. It's enriched with niacinamide, vitamins E and K, and omega 6 rich apricot kernel oil. Not completely unscented, but not floral either, this cleanser has delicate notes of pink grapefruit and blood orange. 

2) A richer moisturizer

Although a heavy face cream is the last thing we want to think of during the summer, a richer moisturizer is an essential item to add to your cooler weather skincare.  Our skin goes through numerous temperature changes as we go from the cooler outdoors to the heated indoors. 

A great choice for a day time moisturizer should be one with sunscreen because the sun rays are still strong even in winter.  If you're someone who spends time at the park with the little ones or takes long walks with a furry friend, you must still apply sunscreen in the winter.  Here are my recommendations with and without SPF:

Helena Lane’s Sun Cream is a blend of natural moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil and avocado oil with the protection of non-nano zinc oxide.  The protection it offers is comparable to SPF 30 making it a great choice for a daily moisturizer.  For night, I would recommend one of Helena Lane's rich moisturizers. 

The Shea & Starflower Calming moisturizer is perfect for anyone looking for a moisturizer that's packed with nourishment.   This moisturizer is crafted from 100% organic ingredients, and the fatty acids in the shea butter, argan, starflower and seabuckthorn oils are essential for healthy, glowing skin.

If you prefer rich but not completely oil based, then I recommend Iremia's Moisturizers - The Soothing Lotion and The Protective Cream. These moisturizers are creamy, lightly scented and easily absorbed into the skin.   

3) A Serum

Learn to listen to your skin and give it a little more when it asks for it.  This is where serums come in.  There are two different kinds: oil-based serums and water-based serums. An oil serum adds nutrition and I love the dewy look it can give the skin.  You can add it under your makeup and get that beautiful glass-skin look.  A water-based serum adds hydration, but also a little something extra: it firms, lightens, tightens, etc.  Here are my recommendations for these cooler weather skincare essentials.

Oil-based serum

Helena Lane's Argan and Frankincense oil serum is the bomb.  I know I’ve blogged about this oil before, but I just can’t help myself.  It feels beautiful on.  When I wake up in the morning, I can tell I had it on the night before.  There’s just something about it I can’t explain; I look more toned and refreshed. Frankincense and neroli essential oils encourage cell regeneration, reduce inflammation, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scars! I love the smell and it does wonders on fading sun spots. Perfect for anyone looking for anti-aging and firming results!

If you're looking for an oil serum to calm inflamed skin and brighten the complexion, Montreal's Etymologie Probiotic Vitamin C Concentrate packs a powerful punch when it comes to ingredients. 15% Vitamin C ester (THD Ascorbate) and live probiotics uniquely work together to help restore skin barrier function, promote collagen production, provide antioxidant protection, and brighten the skin.

Water-based serum

Graydon Skincare's Full Moon serum adds that extra hydration my skin craves. On the nights that I don’t feel like using my oil cleanser (because it would all be too much together), I add this serum before my moisturizer.  Graydon Skincare's Full Moon serum contains botanical retinol and collagen as well as Vitamin C from Moringa oil.  Three drops are all that's needed - one on the forehead and one on each cheek.  I gently press it into my  face and neck and then lightly tap it in with my fingertips until it's absorbed.  My skin drinks it up instantly.  I also love this water-serum in the am before my makeup application. It's the perfect primer! If you want to read more on why your skincare should contain vitamins C and E, have a read at this blog by Graydon Skincare! 

Do I need a disclaimer for this one? Sure.  I'm not a dermatologist.  My recommendations are based on research and testing of products on myself and my clients.  My knowledge and passion for skincare and makeup comes from 17 years of experience working with products in makeup school, as a manager in a spa and in retail.

Message me if you have any questions about the article or about how you should be winterizing your skin. Don't forget that if you need advice on switching over your products without the overwhelm, I offer virtual consultations. Book yours and let's chat about how to get some cleaner products into your hands!

xox

Maria