Weathering the Season's Changes

You can almost tell that fall is coming by looking at the state of your hair, nails and skin - everything's a little drier, a little flakier, a little flatter than it was. But it doesn't have to stay that way for long! There are tons of little tricks, tips and products to help facilitate a seamless seasonal shift. Here's a sampling of some of the beauty industry's best ways to make the summer-fall transition smooth sailing.

For Skin:

It's time to put away your lighter lotions and break out the thicker, more emollient face creams to tackle colder weather woes. Invest in ones with moisture-binding Hyaluronic Acid, vitamins and antioxidants to continue protecting skin well into winter.

As the weather gets colder and drier, skin starts to loose its natural glow. A healthy dose of Vitamin C serum can help ramp up your radiance, while highlighting makeup can give the illusion of candlelit skin. Also look for face and eye creams that have a tiny hint of shimmer in them, which can also add to your rosy outlook.

Nothing gets more in the way of beautiful skin than dry, flaky patches. Now that the air is drier and colder, it's even more important to exfoliate your face and body to help stimulate cell turnover and rid yourself of that scaly skin. Be wary of harsh exfoliators that contain large granules as these can tear and damage skin. Instead, look for sugar or fruit acid scrubs that naturally slough away dead skin cells without the potential for irritation.

There's a reason why they call it "beauty sleep" - skin does the most healing and renewing while you snooze, so slather on a nutrient-rich night cream to help restore lost moisture.

Because heat and steam can zap skin's moisture, switch your long, scalding showers to shorter, warmer ones where you won't sweat away precious moisture. Afterward, pat, don't rub, yourself dry and apply a healthy dose of moisturizer to your damp face and body, which helps lock in moisture for hours.

Invest in a good humidifier to help prevent skin and sensitive nasal passages from drying out as the temperature drops.

The colder it gets, the rougher lips get. Smooth them out with a natural and gentle lip scrub. Follow it with a creamy lip balm.

Since UV rays reflect off concrete and snow (80% of rays reflect off snow compared to 12% off sand!), you have to continue wearing an SPF of 15-30 to keep skin protected from UV damage.

For Nails:

As delicate skin on the hands and around the nails becomes more prone to chapping as cold air rushes in, exposing it to unnecessary chemicals and detergents can take its toll. Investing in a pair of rubber gloves for doing dishes can save you a ton of money on manicures.

Ditch the fast-drying nail polishes come fall, since they often have a higher percentage of Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA), which causes nails to get more dry and brittle. Instead, switch to a regular formula and prime it with nail-strengthening base coat.

Switching up your nail shape in the cooler months can also help nails stay healthy. The sides of the fingernail are what give it strength, so an overly pointed nail shape can mean weaker nails that snap and tear more easily. Opt for a more square shape to help reinforce your nail's natural resistance.

Because they're often exposed to the open wind and cold the most, hands are the first thing to get dry and itchy as fall rolls in. Take special care to replenish lost moisture by layering on a rich hand cream and cotton gloves to sleep in - you can also treat feet to the same indulgent moisturizing routine.

For Hair:

Hair often looks limper, flatter and duller than it did in summer once September hits. Pump up volume with a spray-in volumizer or body-building shampoo/conditioner combo. You can also ask your stylist for shorter layers around your crown, which helps lift hair from the root creating tons of extra volume.

Add a revitalizing hair mask or deep conditioner to your routine once or twice a week. They nourish moisture-starved strands to replenish hair's natural shine and bounce. If your hair is thin and a deep conditioner weighs it down too much, try a lighter leave-in conditioner spray that adds a mist of moisture without adding weight.

Heat styling also depletes hair's moisture, so skip the flat iron or blow drying when you can. To achieve easy styling without the heat tools, try pinning longer hair in loose curls on top of your head and air-drying for loose, glamour waves, or spraying short strands with a texturizing spray and finger-combing and tousling it into a messy shag.

As the temp lowers, static flyaways are inevitable. Tame them by spraying your comb or brush with anti-static spray, then running through your hair. Then apply a shine serum or smoothing balm to help keep them in their place.

Back