Skin Smart: Four Steps to a Perfect Autumn Face

Every season brings a unique set of skin care challenges (goodbye summer sun) and planning for those challenges can improve even the most basic routines. Here in Texas, it may not turn cold overnight, but you can still prepare your skin for drier, windier weather with a few basic steps. Here are four tips to help you get perfect autumn skin:
1. Use more moisturizer!
Part of what gives autumn air its distinctive cool crispness is drier air. Cool, dry air supplies your skin with less ambient hydration, and on breezy days, it can even carry away moisture from the surface of your skin.
2. Use a moisture-rich body wash.
Did you know that fabric can interfere with the normal process your skin uses to keep itself healthy? Fabric wicks away normal oils on the skin surface, speeding the drying process, especially if you’re in the habit of stripping those oils from your skin in the shower. Body wash products with harsh detergents, paired with autumn’s long sleeves and pants can spell trouble come winter! Prep your skin now with an extra-gentle, moisturizing body wash. Look for cream-based, lotion or foaming soap-less wash cleansers.
3. Stick with the sunscreen.
When you’re facing down another gray day, or even basking in the glory of a brilliant autumn afternoon, it can be hard to remember that you still need that sunscreen. The sun may not be as intense in the fall, but nothing should ever stop you from religiously protecting your face against aging ultraviolet rays, regardless of the season. For everyday wear, a physical sunscreen with finely milled titanium oxide, like Elta Physical from the EltaMD line, will do the trick.
4. Keep exfoliating.
Exfoliation is the gold-standard of glowy skin in summer, and that goes for the cooler months as well. But there is one caveat; as with moisturizer and body wash, autumn exfoliation should be gentler, and your products should help skin retain moisture first. Oil-based products, like sugar scrubs, are a good stand-in for more abrasive summer exfoliation.
Next, read about the top 5 things to know about acne,