As we shift from sunny beach days into the colder, crisper months ahead, excited about trading our cotton tanks to our glorious coats and fabulous leather jackets, our skin is a different story. Your skin might actually not be super psyched about cooler temperatures and windier weather.

But there are some plus sides to this season: before diving headlong into the heavy moisturizers and balms that winter requires, we still have some warm days left to get things in order. And it's never too early to start preparing before those warm days are gone for good.

Fall is the transitional period when you’ll want to consider swapping out some items in your skincare routine, or maybe add another step or two. It can be a bit of an adjustment in order to maintain that healthy glow we all strive for, but with the right products in hand, your skin will not only stay healthy all season long--it will be ready to take on even harsher conditions come winter.

Transitioning your skincare from summer to fall doesn't have to be a bother, and here are some tips to make it pretty easy.

Tip # 1. Start moisturizing more, but don’t bring in the heavyweights just yet. 

Your lightweight moisturizer worked wonders at keeping breakouts and shine at bay under the summer sun, but it may not cut it in the face of the chilly, windy elements. It's possible (and sometimes even necessary) to replace that moisturiser you thought you can't live without.

If you're someone who sweats quite a bit during hot summer months, it’s no surprise if your moisturiser is a lightweight gel. But as things cool down, you'll find yourself sweating less and less from your morning commute, and your skin might feel a little… underwhelmed.

Although a heavier moisturizer may sound daunting for some, there are new formulas out there specifically to intensely hydrate without clogging pores and weighing down your skin. It’s important to keep skin well moisturized to prevent your skin from freaking out: we’re talking about unwanted breakouts, oiliness, dryness, and those nasty things we don't want.

We recommend the following moisturizers that will hydrate and soothe your skin all day long without clogging your pores. Balanced and hydrated skin is the foundation to an easy seasonal transition, and honestly, to good skin in general.

• COSRX Hydrium Moisture Power Enriched Cream. Packed with ceramides, panthenol and propolis.

• If you already love our best-selling Mizon All-In-One Repair Snail Cream, you can double up on this all-time favorite snail cream, or consider switching to Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream that is loaded with fatty acids and has a semi-thick but fast absorbing texture.

• Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Moist Cream. A hydrating face cream formulated with 5 types of hyaluronic acid, natural plant oils and ceramides to nourish and keep skin moisturised, with green tea extracts to soothe the skin.

• Purito Deep Sea Water Cream. A natural and intensive moisturising cream formulated with deep sea water, marine ingredients and sodium hyaluronate to improve skin dryness and hydrate the skin all day long without clogging pores, this one is an ideal moisturiser for oily skin types for the fall.

• Pyunkang Yul Intensive Repair Cream. A cream that is neither heavy or sticky that quickly absorbs into the skin. It contains peptides, ceramides, and botanical ingredients for deep hydration and nourishment all day long and reinforces the skin’s moisture barrier.

• Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream. A moisturising cream formulated with snail mucin and bee venom that supply the skin with intensive nutrition, improve its elasticity and help maintain its water-oil balance, with botanical oils to soothe and cool the skin and help form a strong moisture barrier.

Tip # 2. Add a facial oil or ampoule to your regimen.

If you feel like you’re still in need of some extra hydration, try adding a face oil to your routine. It can be used alone as a more hydrating moisturizer, or you can mix it in with your current moisturizer for a supercharged boost. Adding 2-3 drops of oil into your moisturizer is a seamless way to boost your everyday routine. 

• PURITO Plainet Squalene Oil 100. A lightweight, multi-purpose squalene oil derived from 100% sugarcane that instantly penetrates the skin to instantly hydrate and lock in moisture, while also soothing redness and skin irritation.

• Benton Let’s Carrot Multi Oil. A hydrating, silky oil without a sticky residue that contains beta-carotene for smoother, plumper, and brighter skin that also calms irritation and protects the skin from free radicals.

The good thing? These facial oils are specially formulated not to leave any residue!

 
Tip # 3.  Cycle in hydrating treatments.

Keep the hydration train going with a moisturizing essence or emulsion. Each essence and emulsion below provides serious long-lasting hydration, while still being lightweight and quick to absorb. 

• Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water. With ginseng as star ingredient known for its anti-aging and firming properties, it provides serious long-lasting hydration, while still being lightweight and quick to absorb.

• Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence
• Laneige Water Bank Hydro & Laneige Water Bank Moisture Essence
• Laneige Essential Balancing Emulsion Light & Laneige Essential Balancing Emulsion Moisture

If face oils just aren’t your cup of tea, try a fast-absorbing boosting ampoule, serum, or essence that injects hydration back into the skin, like these:

• Purito Pure Hyaluronic Acid 90 Serum
• Pyunkang Yul Moisture Serum
• Purito DermHA-3 Serum
• Rovectin Aqua Activating Serum
• Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Water Essence
• COSRX Hyaluronic Hydra Power Essence
• The Plant Base Waterfall Moist Balanced Hyaluronic Acid 100

Tip # 4. Swap out a clarifying toner for a hydrating one.

Your toner is obviously a necessity no matter the season. In the summer, your skin can benefit from a cleansing toner to help pores stay clear when you’re sweating and producing excess oil. But in the cooler months, a hydrating toner might be a better choice.

• Whamisa Organic Flowers Deep Rich Toner
• Haru Haru Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner
• Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner
• COSRX Purefit Cica Toner
• Purito DermHA-3 Liquid
• Bonajour Green Tea Water Bomb Toner
• Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Toner
• Mamonde Rose Water Toner
• Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner

Cream toners are favourites in the fall, as these have a milky texture in comparison to the usual watery consistency of a toner. I’m From Rice Toner is formulated with rice extract and Frudia Pomegranate Nutri-Moisturising Cream in Mist are some toners that are particularly nourishing.

Tip # 5. Invest in a good sleeping pack.

One of the best ways to recover your skin from a day out in the autumn air is with a sleeping pack, otherwise known as an overnight mask. It’ll help you make the most of your hours asleep while your skin is recharging, and you’ll wake up with dewy, hydrated skin, no matter the previous day’s forecast.

Apply a few times a week as needed as the final step of your evening routine after your normal night time moisturizer.

• COSRX Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask
• COSRX Full Fit Propolis Honey Overnight Mask
• Iunik Propolis Sleeping Mask
• Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Water Sleeping Mask
• Mizon Snail Wrinkle Care Sleeping Pack
• Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask
• PURITO Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Pack

Tip # 6. Ease back on the exfoliation.

We all know exfoliation is the key to clear, smooth skin, but in the fall, we're more prone to over-exfoliate. This is because your skin is already exposed to harsher conditions which weaken the skin barrier and make your skin more susceptible to irritation.

Be extra vigilant in watching for signs of over-exfoliation and irritation, and make sure to follow up each exfoliation with soothing products or a good sheet mask.

• By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Prep Water. A gentle exfoliator that is less irritating compared to other AHAs and contains panthenol, Centella asiatica and beta-glucan to hydrate, soothe and calm the skin.

• Rovectin LHA Blemish Ampoule. Contains LHA that promotes skin turnover and has the same exfoliation ability as AHA and BHA that are effective on clogged pores, excessive sebum, and blackheads, but less irritating to the skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe and calm the skin while exfoliating.

• Beplain BHA Peeling Ampoule. A gentle ampoule that exfoliates and removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, and regulates excessive sebum with salicylic acid while soothing the skin with green tea water instead of purified water.

• Neogen Dermalogy Real Bakuchiol Firming Serum. A gentler alternative to retinol that does not cause irritation. It promotes skin turnover, boosts skin elasticity and makes skin firmer, evens out skin texture, and helps brighten skin tone.

• Sioris My Soft Grain Scrub. A gentle scrub made of 86% organic oats which reduces skin irritation and controls excessive sebum while removing dead skin cells.

• Isntree Clear Skin 8% AHA Essence. A sensitive skin-friendly exfoliating product that uses glycolic acid and lactic acid (a mild exfoliant that also has hydrating properties) to gently remove dead skin cells. It also includes hyaluronic acid and Centella asiatica to soothe and hydrate skin.

Tip # 7. Add a Boost of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C helps repair any summer skin damage, such as dark skin and uneven skin tone. Adding a vitamin C-rich formula to your routine helps treat fine lines and wrinkles, improves the appearance of sun-stressed skin, and protects skin from free radical environmental damage.

Here are some of our favorite Vitamin C products:

• Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop
• Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum
• By Wishtrend Pure Vitamin 21.5% Advanced Serum
• Neogen Dermalogy Real Vita C Serum
• Mizon Real Vitamin C Ampoule
• Bonajour Green Multi-Vitamin Vital Nutrition Serum

Tip # 8. Add "extras" into your skincare.

• Eye creams. Don’t forget that those dreaded fine lines around your eyes need special treatment every now and then, too. Between tugging the lids to get the perfect cat-eye and rubbing to get waterproof mascara off, the delicate skin there goes through a lot--so remember to give it some love. 

o Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream
o Missha Time Revolution Vitality Eye Cream
o Heimish Marine Care Eye Cream
o Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Eye Cream
o Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel EX

• Sheet masks. If you augmented your summer skincare routine with acne-combating and/or skin firming masks, now would be a good time to try incorporating hydrating masks. Check out our fall sheet mask collection here.

Tip # 9.  Always remember to use SPF.

While it’s definitely wise to reapply and slather on more sunscreen during the summer months, proper sun protection is a yearlong deal. As long as the sun sustains the earth we're in, even if it hides behind clouds, you'll still need protection from UV rays.

Your only change might be choosing a sunscreen that's a bit more lightweight, since you’ll be rotating heavier moisturizers and other formulas into your regimen. But regardless, make sure you don’t skimp on that SPF number!

Check out our sunscreens here.

Seasonal changes are often fun for your wardrobe. After spending all summer combating your office’s blasting cold A/C, you remember what it’s like to struggle against the drying heater or radiator later in the year. So as you switch light linen for heavier wool, or tinted lip balm for dark matte lipstick, don’t forget about how best to change up your skincare, too! 😊