As the weather changes, oftentimes, so does our skin. Depending on your environment (chillier climates, we’re looking at you), your skin might get dryer in autumn. Ever experience flaking, redness, soreness, or irritation during the fall seasons? You’ve probably been dealing with dry skin. It can be such a pain, right?
Not to worry. We’re here to help. Keep reading to learn how to prevent dry skin this fall season.
What are the different skin types?
In the cosmetology world, your skin can be categorized based on its balance. Skin balance depends on several factors, like sebaceous secretion, hydration, and sensitivity level [1, 2].
That means everyone’s skin is different, and everyone’s skin needs different types of care.
Knowing your skin type and what it needs can help you care for and nourish your dry skin during the fall.
Let’s take a closer look at the different types of skin [1, 2, 9]:
NORMAL SKIN
Normal skin is just that - normal. It’s not too dry, not too oily, and has a regular texture without pigmentation. Normal skin typically has a soft, clean appearance, and won’t need an extensive care routine.
SENSITIVE SKIN
Sensitive skin can be very fragile. You might have sensitive skin if your skin reacts easily to different environmental changes or skin care products. Sensitive skin can also be very delicate and is usually susceptible to being tight, red, itchy, dry, or reactive to heat. This skin type will need a very careful and gentle skincare routine.
DRY SKIN
Dry skin is typically caused by outside factors rather than genetics, like the weather, low air humidity, and hot water. Dry skin is often temporary, though for some people it can occur frequently and for prolonged periods. If your skin is dry, it might crack and flake, which can lead to other skin disorders like eczema. Dry skin is usually tight and rough and may be followed by itching and redness. This skin type will also need a very careful and gentle skincare routine.
OILY SKIN
Oily skin has a porous, almost watery, greasy, and bright appearance, and is usually related to the occurrence of acne. Oil production is due to the sebaceous glands under each of your pores (to keep skin hydrated). Sometimes these glands will overproduce oil. If you’re constantly blotting your face with a blotting sheet, you know you have oily skin. This skin type will need a skincare routine that is specially formulated for excessive oil production.
COMBINATION SKIN
People with combination skin will typically experience both dry and oily skin types. More often than not, combo skin has more oil production in the T- zone (forehead, nose, and chin), while the skin on the cheeks is normal or dry. This skin type will need a routine that is specially formulated for both oily and dry skin issues.
So, which skin type are you?
Talk to your dermatologist to see where your skin falls and what the best next steps are for your skin type.
Why does my skin get dryer in the colder weather?
It all depends on your skin type. For some, their skin will stay relatively normal throughout the fall season. But for others, their skin will be susceptible to drying out due to weather fluctuations.
During the summer months, there’s more humidity in the air. This humidity can help moisture to stay locked in the skin, protecting the skin barrier. When the months become cooler, this humidity is lost to drier air. This can cause the skin to lose moisture, disrupting the barrier, and leading to increased sensitivity, dryness, and irritation [3].
How can I prevent my skin from getting too dry this fall?
When it gets cold, your skin gets hungry. Ever heard the saying ‘you are what you eat?’ The same goes for your skin. Your skin loves a good meal. We’re talking about hydration, essential nutrients, and ingredients that are food for your dry skin. Why not feed your skin, then?
Here are six ways you can feed your skin and prevent it from getting too dry this fall:
HYDRATE WITH COLLAGEN OR ALOE
When you feel your skin starting to tighten and dry during this fall season, skin experts say the best thing you can do is hydrate and coat your skin with essential oils, serums, and creams designed to restore your skin’s natural moisture balance [3].
You can nourish your dry skin with a collagen supplement to help it recover and heal by adding skin elasticity and smoothness. You can also coat your skin with a cold-pressed aloe product and thicker aloe-infused creams or gels to further restore the moisture barrier [13, 14].
An excellent choice for a cold-pressed aloe vera-infused gel is the Aloe Infusion Aloe Gel. With up to 97% aloe vera, this quick-absorbing aloe gel has been mindfully formulated to be both soothing and hydrating, reducing the effects of dry, itchy, and damaged skin.
SWITCH TO A THICKER MOISTURIZER
You’ll want to switch to a thicker moisturizer so your skin can drink a hearty cup of hydration right before bed. This practice helps to make up for the change of seasons by adding even more moisture back into the skin, plus helping to retain that moisture for longer [4, 5].
The best moisturizer for the job is Aloe Infusion Face and Body Cream. This cream uses aloe vera as the main ingredient, combined with ultra-hydrating 10+ other all-natural ingredients (like Shea Butter or organic Manuka Honey) that soothe, rejuvenate, and protect the skin. This cream can be used as a day or night moisturizer with its non-greasy, non-toxic, and quick-absorbing formula.
LIMIT SHOWER TIME
You might be opting for hotter showers during the cooler months. And why not? A heated shower or bath after coming in from the chilly outdoors usually hits the spot.
Except your skin might be suffering from it.
Spending too much time in hot water can dry your skin even further, stripping it of the moisture it so desperately needs this fall season. Skin experts recommend limiting your shower time to no more than 5 or 10 minutes during the colder months [3].
USE A HUMIDIFIER
A super simple way to add even more hydration to your skin is with a humidifier at home. The air is dryer during the cooler months, meaning you’ll want to restore the moisture in the air so your skin can soak it right up.
We recommend trying this first - run a small humidifier near your bed before falling asleep. Not only will this keep your skin hydrated while you sleep, but a humidifier can also help you breathe easier, too. Humidifiers are often used for relieving things like dry skin, sinus congestion, dry throat, nose irritation, dry cough, stuffy airways, and chapped lips [3, 6].
CUT BACK ON EXFOLIATING
It’s recommended not to use exfoliants and retinoids as frequently during the cooler months. It is believed that humidity in the summer months counteracts skin irritation from topical retinoids and exfoliants because the skin is more oily from the heat [8, 9]. But the same can’t be said for the colder months.
Robust ingredients like retinol might irritate your already dry skin even further, leading to more loss of hydration and possible inflammation [7]. Remember, you want MORE moisture retention in your dry skin this fall season - be careful not to overdo it during your skincare routine!
ADD VITAMIN C TO YOUR REGIMEN
The more vitamin C, the better. Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for many bodily functions, and we usually get our daily intake of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables like oranges or leafy greens [10, 11, 12]. However, there’s no certainty your skin is reaping the benefits of the vitamin C you’re consuming. That’s why topical vitamin C is so helpful - we’re talking serums.
Vitamin C works double-duty in the colder months. It can help combat sun damage from UV rays and even skin pigmentation, boosting collagen production and resulting in an overall brighter complexion [10, 11, 12]. Vitamin C serum can also help boost hydration and fight inflammation caused by free radicals [10, 11, 12].
We recommend serums that use a stable, active form of vitamin C that is gentle on the skin. Look for vitamin C serums with water-free formulations, opaque bottles that are airtight, and about 10% to 20% vitamin C for optimum results. If you’d like to know more about the beauty benefits of vitamin C, check out our blog on all things vitamin C serum and how to use it properly in your daily routine.
Ready to try dry-skin-fighting products that will feed your skin this fall? Click here!
What are some ways you combat dry skin in the cooler months? Let us know! The Aloe Infusion community always loves hearing from you.
We’ve gone ahead and enclosed a 20% off Coupon below for you to use in the store - remember, you DESERVE to have naturally flawless skin! Click here to start shopping!
Resources:
- Leslie Baumann, Understanding and Treating Various Skin Types: The Baumann Skin Type Indicator, Dermatologic Clinics, Volume 26, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 359-373, ISSN 0733-8635, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2008.03.007.
- Roberts WE. The Roberts Skin Type Classification System. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology: JDD. 2008 May;7(5):452-456. PMID: 18505137. https://europepmc.org/article/med/18505137.
- What to do about dry skin in winter. Harvard Health. (2011, February 1). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/what-to-do-about-dry-skin-in-winter.
- Lodén, M. (2012, August 21). Role of topical emollients and moisturizers in the treatment of dry skin barrier disorders - American journal of clinical dermatology. SpringerLink. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00128071-200304110-00005.
- Purnamawati, S., Indrastuti, N., Danarti, R., & Saefudin, T. (2017). The Role of Moisturizers in Addressing Various Kinds of Dermatitis: A Review. Clinical medicine & research, 15(3-4), 75–87. https://doi.org/10.3121/cmr.2017.1363.
- Moore, K. (2020, April 13). Humidifiers and health: Uses, types & risks. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/humidifiers-and-health#risks.
- Mukherjee, S., Date, A., Patravale, V., Korting, H. C., Roeder, A., & Weindl, G. (2006). Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clinical interventions in aging, 1(4), 327–348. https://doi.org/10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.327.
- Endly, D. C., & Miller, R. A. (2017). Oily Skin: A review of Treatment Options. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 10(8), 49–55. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5605215/.
- Cherney, K. (2018, September 26). What are the causes of oily skin? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/oily-skin-causes#location-and-season.
- Pullar, J., Carr, A., & Vissers, M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866.
- Neera Nathan, M. D., & Payal Patel, M. D. (2021, November 10). Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? Harvard Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-topical-vitamin-c-important-for-skin-health-202111102635.
- Doyle, A. (2021, November 15). 11 reasons to use a vitamin C serum. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/vitamin-c-serum-benefits#benefits.
- Walle, G. V. D. (2021, December 21). Health benefits of collagen: Pros, cons, and more. Healthline. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen-benefits#benefits.
- Cherney, K. (2019, June 7). Aloe vera for the face: 10 benefits, side effects, and more. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/aloe-vera-for-face.
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