With fall weather finally here and winter weather rearing its head, your skin may be starting to change. It is very important to make changes to your skincare routine as the seasons change.

Although you may feel your current skin routine may be what works best, with colder temperatures comes different skin issues. Your skin is always exposed, so it is much more vulnerable to the elements and changes within the environment.

Consider these helpful tips for keeping your skin looking flawless during the colder seasons!

   1. Change your Cleanser!

This will probably be one of the most important changes you make to your skincare routine. With the colder weather, it’s time to take a much gentler approach than your summer cleanser.

If you feel like your summer cleanser is too harsh, try something that will leave your skin feeling more moisturized. I would recommend the Mad Hippie Cream Cleanser ($11.99, Ulta) or the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel ($14, Ulta).

If your skin feels comfortable and smooth afterward, you’ve found your new cleanser. If it feels tight, keep looking. That means the cleanser is leaving your skin far too dry, which should be avoided during colder months.

   2. Change your Moisturizer

You’ve probably heard how important it is to moisturize. With the colder weather, blasting heaters, and less water in the air, the hydration is being sucked out of your skin, leaving behind a dry, flaky surface.

Your skin tends to produce less oil in the fall and winter, which means your moisturization needs a serious upgrade. If you have oily skin, you might be fine sticking with your summer moisturizer. If you have normal/dry skin, make sure to get a deep penetrating moisturizer.

I would recommend the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream ($33.49, Olay.com) or the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion + ($28, Ulta).

3.EXFOLIATE!

Exfoliating is by far the best way to minimize the appearance of dark spots and smooth out your skin tone, and the colder months are the perfect time to give your exfoliation routine a little extra love.

Ideally, it’s best to cut down on how often you exfoliate compared to the summer, which could be roughly 3-4 times a week. Once to twice a week in the fall and winter is perfect, as you don’t want to overdo it. Don’t forget to exfoliate those lips too! You can use the same exfoliator that you use on your face, rinse it off after 2-3 minutes to keep those lips kissable this cuffing season.

I would recommend the Clinique Exfoliating Scrub ($22.50, Ulta) or the Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub ($26, Ulta).

   4. Bring out the water and hydrating masks

As I mentioned earlier with moisturizers, the fall and winter brings drier air, which completely robs your skin of a lot of it’s moisture, and changing your moisturizer alone may not be enough. During your weekly at-home spa day (and if you don’t do this, seriously consider adding it to your routine), I would recommend using a Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask ($18, Ulta) or TONYMOLY I’m Real Aloe Mask ($3.75, Ulta). If you’re like myself and enjoy making some DIY masks, try mixing honey and coconut oil. Honey is a natural humectant and coconut oil will leave your skin feeling nourished and smooth.

Make sure to keep these tips in mind during your next spa session and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to perfectly flawless skin.