I’ve been into skincare for a good chunk of my life and I have tried a number of brands to know which ones work for me and which don’t. Generally, I tend to go for watery, lighter-consistency formulas during warmer months and thicker, creamier-consistency formulas or oils during colder months. That seems to work in keeping moisture in and avoiding oily or dry skin in all types of weather since I have combination skin.
Here are the products I swap out of my summer/spring skincare routine as I transition into my fall/winter one. I’ll be listing a basic skincare routine with face wash/cleanser, moisturizer, serum, and sunscreen.
Face Cleanser
Ever since I tried Tatcha, there’s no way I’m going back. I’ve been stuck using the brand for about three years. I opted for the Deep Cleanse Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser because I lived in a country where the seasons were hot summer, slightly less-hot summer, and wet summer. So the scrub type actually worked for me. With the cold, cold winters of Massachusetts, it no longer works. It dries out my skin, so I switched to the Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser by Tatcha and things have never (I said never) been better.
left: Tatcha’s the Deep Cleanse Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, right: Tatcha’s Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser
Serum
With serum, I’ve always used FARSÁLI’s Unicorn Essence. I started because of the hype in 2016 or so, but again, it stops working its magic when it gets extremely cold. It also dries out my skin, even during the application, so I had to switch to an oily formula. I found Tarte’s Maracuja Oil through a mini value bundle, and it works wonders for dry patches on your skin. Any other oil formulas would do well, but I really love how it smells like some sort of medicine.
left: FARSÁLI’s Unicorn essence, right: Tarte’s Maracuja Oil
Moisturizer
Of course, this stage is a MUST for anyone, whether you’re super into skincare or not. I use Tatcha for face wash and moisturizer because it’s always easiest to pair and buy. Hotter/warmer weather calls for The Water Cream and when it gets cold, The Dewy Skin Cream makes you glow non-stop. I just switched it out here because of the consistency difference in these two products, with the one I use in winter being a bit thicker.
left: Tatcha’s The Water Cream, right: Tatcha’s The Dewy Skin Cream
Sunscreen
Some people may argue that sunscreen is not skincare, and others worship sunscreen for its many other benefits. I’m the latter. After my panda-eye incident the last time I went to the beach, I had to give this product a go. Incorporating sunscreen into the skincare routine lowers the risk of sunburn, skin cancer, and premature aging! The two sunscreens I switch out, depending on my skin condition, are Sunplay Baby Mild milky sunscreen by Rohto and Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen. The milky sunscreen works when you want a dewy finish, but the silicon-textured Supergoop works better when you want to layer it with foundation or any product in the makeup step. They both work for me no matter the weather.
left: Supergoop’s Unseen sunscreen, right: Sunplay Baby Mild sunscreen milk by Rohto
As stubborn as I used to be, if you are result-oriented and actually care about your skin, you definitely need to give your products a little review when the time comes. I definitely recommend taking another look at your skincare and see what swaps can be made for better results.
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