The cooler months are known for beautiful weather full of sunshine & cool, crisp temperatures. It's absolutely perfect right? Unfortunately, with that cooler fall weather comes dry skin & chapped lips. Everyone no matter your age has felt the wrath of cooler weather at some point in their life. You would think your skin would be in the best shape of the year during fall because it isn't too cold & isn't too hot. The reality is that autumn weather is one of the most difficult seasons on your skin because the climate is dryer than what you are used to, and the temperature fluctuates dramatically within a short period of time. We have put together our top five tips for autumn-proofing your skin so that you can enjoy this time of year without having to worry about your skin drying out! 

Tip #1: Exfoliate

As our skin begins to feel the cooler autumn weather, it can become dry & cracked. When you use a good body scrub it sloughs off all of that dry skin to reveal the new bright layer underneath. The process of exfoliating the skin also encourages new skin cells to form which promotes more youthful-looking skin. Exfoliating at least twice a week during the fall months is ideal for maintaining skin health during this time of year.

Tip #2: Stay Hydrated

This is one of the most important tips we can give you! Your skin alone is made up of 64% water. Keeping water at an arms reach at all times can help you remember to stay hydrated. Your skin is a direct reflection of your overall health. A huge factor of body health is staying hydrated! Being well-hydrated not only will improve your skin, it will also improve your overall health.

Tip #3: Use a Heavier Moisturizer

When skin cells lose moisture they create a very dry & tired look. A heavier face moisturizer will lock in moisture & keep your face looking refreshed. A more dense moisturizer is recommended during cooler months because it is able to maintain hydration for a longer period of time versus a thinner moisturizer. If you aren't wanting to switch face moisturizers, another option is to apply a good hydrating serum to your face prior to applying you usual moisturizer. This essentially will do the same thing as a thicker moisturizer. A hydrating serum will immediately absorb into your pores hydrating at a deeper level & the moisturizer on top will act as a surface barrier slowly absorbing throughout the day. 

Tip #4: Keep Body Moisturizer & Lip Balm On Hand

As we said above in tip #3-moisturizer maintains hydration throughout the day ensuring that your skin will not dry out as it normally does with the cool weather. Not only do you need to moisturize your face, you also need to moisturize your body! Many people think that because your body is covered up more than in the summer months, it won't become dry even with the weather change. If only that were true! Even though we are covered up and toasty warm under our clothing & coats, our skin reacts to the dryness. We are in Texas and this state is humid all year around, but in the fall & winter months the humidity level drops. That humidity level we were used to for over half of the year changes in matter of weeks & shocks our skin. We go from having great moisturized skin only needing to apply moisturizer once a day to all of a sudden our hands are cracking & our elbows and feet are dry. Changing your skincare routine to accommodate for the cool weather approaching will make certain that you do not have to deal with any severe skin changes!

Also-don't forget to apply lip balm! Even with coats, scarves, long sleeves, & hats-our lips are always exposed to the winds & weather conditions. I carry some with me in my purse, car,  & even in my nightstand so that no matter what my lips are never dry.  Many lip products are petroleum-based which just creates an artificial moist look. You need something that will truly penetrate the pores of your lips to hydrate them deep down-not just on the surface. Some natural ingredients such as beeswax & sunflower butter are AMAZING for dry lips! When you are buying a good lip balm try to steer clear of all petroleum based products.

Tip #5: Use Toner

A good toner will not only make your skin feel refreshed, it will also keep it hydrated! If toner is a product you haven't been using because you don't think you need it- now is the time to change all of that. When I used to think of toners I thought of an alcohol-based product that instantly made my face feel tight.  There are actually toners that are meant to aid in hydration rather than dry out oily pores. During the cool months, swap our astringent toners for a more moisturizing toner. Moisturizing toners provide extra moisture by prepping the skin to absorb your face moisturizers & serums while balancing the pH levels in your face & supplying direct hydration to your pores. 

We hope these tips help you during the cooler months! As always, if you have any questions or need some help picking out products you can always send us a message with the little chat bubble on our homepage, or send us an email directly to bayharborbeautyhelp@gmail.com.