As the temperature drops, your skin’s needs naturally shift for a variety of reasons. Your skin may be zapped of its moisture due to the drier air, you may be more prone to skin redness or sensitivity, your lips may become chapped more easily, and so on. The reality is, while these are all valid concerns, there are many misconceptions about how to prevent or treat them.
Here are 5 skincare myths you shouldn’t fall for this autumn if you want to maintain healthy, dewy skin through the colder months.
MYTH #1: You shouldn’t exfoliate your skin in the fall or winter
Exfoliation is often thought to dry out the skin, but that’s not the case. It’s actually a critical step for healthy skin as winter nears. Why? Because cold, dry air reduces the moisture in your skin, which effectively slows the natural shedding of dead skin cells. This means that without proper exfoliation, your fall and winter complexion will appear dull, dry, rough, and potentially flaky. To effectively remove that lackluster layer of lifeless skin, exfoliation is a non-negotiable.
Reflekt’s unique combination of gentle exfoliation + intense hydration in each step gives you the best of both worlds year-round. It gently yet effectively unclogs pores and removes all the dead skin cells and impurities. At the same time, each product infuses your skin with a powerful dose of moisture to nourish the skin back, so it’s never stripped or dry — and never disrupts your skin’s barrier function.
READ MORE: 6 Essential Ingredients You Need in Your Cold-Weather Skincare Regimen
MYTH #2: A complicated regimen with heavier products is key
Let’s put a halt to complicated regimens that consist of thicker, richer products. While this may work for some, it’s not necessary and can be expensive as well. Plus, it can lead to breakouts, oilyness, and other skin woes. Instead of swapping out for thicker products or increasing the number of steps in your routine, check each one’s ingredients instead.
Look for supercharged hydrators like hyaluronic acid, vegetable collagen, squalane, peptides, and polyglutamic acid. These essential cold-weather ingredients do all the heavy lifting, so you don’t need a complicated 12-step routine. In fact, our four-step regimen features a different combination of the above at every step, making these lightweight yet ultra-powerful necessities ideal for keeping your skin pH balanced and luminous 24/7/365.
READ MORE: The Ultimate Fall Skincare Regimen: Simple Yet Effective
MYTH #3: The more moisturizer you use, the more hydrated your skin will be
When it comes to the amount of product you use, the “less is more” rule still holds up. Globbing on extra moisturizer in an attempt to hydrate your skin more is like charging a phone whose battery is already at 100%. It’s not only unnecessary to use too much product, but it’s also wasteful.
Our general rule of thumb is to start with the following amount of each product and gradually add more as needed:
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Cleanser: Quarter-sized dollop
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Serum: Dime-sized pump
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Moisturizer: Nickel-sized amount
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Eye & Lip Cream: Pea-sized amount
MYTH #4: Sunscreen isn’t necessary on cold, cloudy days
Repeat after us: sunscreen is always necessary. Even when the skies are filled with clouds and there’s snow coming down, the sun is always in the sky. Though the sun’s UV rays are weaker in the cooler seasons and the clouds can help filter some of its negative effects, UV radiation is still present and dangerous — hence why skiers often get sunburn on the slopes.
To protect yourself, wearing SPF daily is essential for any exposed areas of skin. Then, as the weather really drops, additional protection with beanies, scarves, gloves, and the like is helpful to shield skin not just from sunburn but from the damaging effects of the cold, wind, and frost as well.
MYTH #5: Hot showers will soothe dry skin
We know firsthand how relaxing (and tempting) a hot shower is, especially when you’re cold. But while it may feel calming in the moment, it’s anything but for your skin. In fact, it’s actually doing more harm than good because of how drying it is. Hot water zaps the skin of its natural oils, which we know how important those are to preserve.
Less moisture contributes to skin irritation, dryness, and even a compromised skin barrier over time. Instead, use lukewarm water to keep your skin happy, hydrated, and soothed.
READ MORE: If You’re Not Following These 7 Rules, You’re Showering Wrong
