I love Autumn. (what a way to start a skincare post. Good job, K.)
The air cools down, humidity drops, I’m less irritable (which is 1000% connected with SSS, a.k.a. Seoul swamp summer).
If you live in the US or Canada, Starbucks is blessing you with pumpkin spice on literally everything.
It’s cozy season…until suddenly your skin feels like you’re its being molested by a cactus.
Burning. Stinging. Dry patches that show up overnight. And breakouts that don’t, on the surface, make sense.
Or, alternatively, just skin just looks like sh*t during this time of year.
Fortunately, this isn’t random. And there is a pretty straightforward solution to this.
To avoid wasting the time of those with even a little contextual understanding of their skin and living environment:
Yes, your skin is reacting to environmental change.
Studies show hydration levels drop as seasons shift, and oil balance gets messy. Killer combo for the aforementioned sh*tty skin.
Result: skin that’s both dry and breaking out, sensitive and congested at the same time.
Note: this is the shortened version of a 26 page in-depth guide, which I’ll be sending my readers way on November 24.
I had to collect my thoughts together, but this “lite” version, while a pillar content on my blog, is missing a lot of stuff and nuance, which I added.
If you have an additional 10-minutes or feel like this is something that might be relevant to you, you can, for lack of a better term, pre-sign up for the Fall Guide just under this note.
This document will be on my site only for a short time, because:
- a) fall/winter doesn’t last the entire year
- b) it was never meant to be the hero lead magnet on my site, but it’s – in my personal opinion – the most important document I’ve written, and comes straight from my experience as someone that’s had great skin for years before having my barrier nuked. Going through this definitely unlocked a new dimension to my writing.
You can get on the letter below.
Update: since the post where I announced the guide seems to have exploded on Reddit again, I’ll also be doing a giveaway within the guide itself. It’s part thanks for the support, part to ease the Black Friday spending, and part to spread the message that skincare products should be treated as a small part of the whole that is skin-care. So, if you want to participate and like free money (in particular, $200 Amazon giftcards), you’ll want to get it to your inbox on the 24th.
Most people panic and throw more products at the problem: heavier creams, extra exfoliation (yes, really), new serums, more expensive products.
A change in your routine is, in theory, a good idea as the weather changes.
But, after witnessing how the great majority of people execute on this idea – this spray (more like splurge) and pray approach is usually how things get worse.
What your skin needs in fall is protection first, treatment second.
Your skin barrier is the foundation, and if it cracks, everything else fails.
And the way to achieve said protection is through first changing our environment.
Since this is a skincare blog I understand most people aren’t interested in hearing this kind of advice on here, or think they already have a sweet setup as far as living environment goes, so I’ll reserve that bit for the in-depth guide.
In my opinion, it’s more important than cosmetics (which is why you never see specific product recommendations on my posts)
One of the things I’m learning about getting older is that, first, around your early~mid 20s, your metabolism says “f*ck you” and you gain weight by just existing.
Then, half a decade after that, your skin barrier flips you another bird, and starts flaring up and breaking for the most stupid reasons, even though it never did that before.
This post breaks down what to cut, what to add, and how to keep your routine working as the seasons change.
Whether you’re in a full skin crisis or just feeling like your barrier feels off, this guide has you covered.
Why Your Skin Freaks Out in Fall
As great as Fall is, it also creates the perfect storm for barrier stress.
As I mentioned before – humidity drops, air gets cooler – which is great for anyone that can’t handle hot weather.
But also:
- since humidity drops
- and air gets cooler
- Winds pick up
- and, depending on where you live – air quality gets worse
That combo strips water from your skin faster.
Your barrier is suddenly leaking moisture at the same time it’s struggling to hold it in.
If you’re into sciency terms, this is a classic example of transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
You feel it as tightness, burning, or stinging.
Another curveball we get thrown is that oil production doesn’t shut off.
In some people sebum actually spikes in fall as the skin tries to compensate.
More oil + weaker barrier = breakouts that make no sense.
Dry and flaky on the cheeks, clogged and shiny on the T-zone. Both at once.
This is why your “summer” routine fails you.
A light gel moisturizer that worked in July is suddenly useless.
Or, at least it feels that way.
An exfoliating toner you got away with 4-5 nights a week is now over-stripping.
Even sunscreen can start feeling harsher because your barrier isn’t as resilient.
And most people make it worse. They add more products to “fix” it. They grab the richest cream on the shelf. They double up on exfoliation because of sudden dullness.
They chase overnight remedies to stabilize their skin without realizing the real problem is how the environment affects their skin.
Chasing overnight remedies will (again, more often than not) just leave you in a worse state.
Your skin doesn’t like rapid change. It runs best in steady conditions.
And Fall is anything but steady.
If you live in an area with very distinct 4 seasons, you know how it’s warm one day, then cold the next. Dry air inside from heaters, chilly wind outside.
The back-and-forth keeps your barrier on its last legs 24/7 until it finally gives out.
I view this time of year as a season that tells you how ready your skin really is.
If your barrier is solid, you’ll have no issues getting through. If it’s already fragile, you’ll see how fragile it really is.
What you need to take from this:
- Fall = higher water loss + unstable oil balance.
- Symptoms = burning, stinging, random breakouts.
- Cause = environmental swing, not “bad products.”
If you’re going through any of the above, you’re very likely dealing with seasonal changes.
Understand that, and you’ll stop blaming your routine or your genetics. You see it for what it is: a seasonal shift your skin wasn’t prepared for.
And once we name the problem, we can look for ways to fix it.
The Barrier Rule: Protect First, Treat Second
Every fall routine has to start here. Protect first. Treat second.
I have mentioned it twice so far, and I’ll (hopefully) find at least 2 more opportunities to mention it in this post.
Protect first. Treat second.
If your barrier is compromised, nothing else works. Retinol won’t. Vitamin C won’t.
Even your moisturizer won’t feel right.
A side note on the previous sentence: I’m using the most light weight, minimal ingredient, calming moisturizer at the moment, and ever since I broke out, for the first 5-6 days, my skin stung when I even just applied this basic moisturizer.
If you’re feeling an outbreak or barrier compromise coming, don’t shrug it off or wait until it’s too late.
I’ve laid out the 5 things I’m doing right now while my skin calms down.
1. Strip everything back.
No foaming cleansers that leave you squeaky. Use a gentle, low-pH cleanser. Do it twice a day if you have to, but I recommend you just splash your face with water in the AM. Over-cleansing in fall is a fast track to raw, stinging skin.
2. Moisturizer is your saving grace.
Pick one with barrier-supporting ingredients: ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids. Apply more than once a day if your skin feels tight.
For comparison, I generally moisturize once, at night (I just do sunscreen in the AM), but nowadays I’m applying it thrice. Basic moisturizer in the AM/PM, lighter lotion once more, usually after I’ve had lunch.
3. Sunscreen stays.
Fall sun is weaker, but UV is still breaking collagen and pigmenting your skin every day. Dropping SPF because it’s cloudy outside is not a valid reason.
4. Cut all actives.
Acids, scrubs, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids are all things which add stress to the barrier. That stress can be good and stimulate your skin to look better, but if you’re dealing with a weaker barrier due to changing weather, drop everything. At least for the first 10-15 days. Add them back once your skin is steady again.
5. If everything goes to sh*t
If your skin tips into a full freakout (hi, me): burning, peeling, raw patches, get on the most minimal “boring” routine immediately. Bland cleanser, minimal-ingredient moisturizer, and SPF until you’re back to baseline.
This is what “protection first” means. Keep your barrier calm, then layer treatments on top of that. If you reverse the order and chase treatment while ignoring your barrier, you’ll be chasing your tail (and deal with a cracked, stinging face) all season.
As I’m writing this I’m realizing that I’m using a lot more cuss words than in general.
But, like I said, once you feel it on your skin, it definitely does give an extra dimension to ones writing (and their irritability)
This was a really short rant on what Fall did to my skin, and some of the steps I took that fixed this insane barrier nuke.
I suppose, writing this, it will also serve as an announcement for the full guide, that puts literally everything before products.
If you think you might benefit from it, I’ll be sending it to my readers on the 24th.
That’s it for this post.
Here’s to keeping your skin steady when the weather isn’t.
Thanks for reading.
K. Hoe