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What Every Woman Needs to Know About Her Skin This Fall

Your essential guide to keeping your skin healthy and happy this season
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All year, we lust after radiant, sun-kissed summer skin. But come fall, we often resign ourselves to dry, colorless skin, hidden under layers of warm clothing. (But hey, at least we don't have to shave).

This fall, however, we're aiming for our sexiest skin season yet. We're talking touchable legs, glowy cheeks, soft lips and hydrated heels worthy of a foot-modeling contract. You with us?

To make sure we take care of our skin the right way this autumn, we spoke to four top dermatologists. They gave us the scoop on how to make our skin softer, healthier and prettier than it was all summer. Here, your ultimate guide to perfect fall skin.

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Exfoliate Everything
Your face, your feet, your lips -- they all need a scrub down. As colder weather approaches, it's important to "exfoliate away the dullness, so your skin will 'sparkle' through the holidays," says California dermatologist Dr. Annie Chiu, MD.

Here's why: "After months of sweat and a buildup of sunscreen and foundation, pores get clogged, which can lead to breakouts and dull, flaky skin," explains Dr. Roshini Raj, MD. The dry fall weather causes dead skin cells to build up on your body, as well.

To keep skin soft, use a scrub (or chemical exfoliator) to gently exfoliate your face and body twice a week. Do so "right after you get out of the shower, when your pores have been steamed and your face is clean," advises California dermatologist Dr. Douglas Wu, MD, PhD.

To keep your lips equally smooth, delicately scrub them with your toothbrush right after you brush your teeth. This will clear away flakiness and help prep lips for balm or color. As for dry, cracked heels, Washington DC dermatologist Dr. Tina West, MD, suggests applying a moisturizer with salicylic or lactic acid at night, and then putting on socks. "Use a pumice stone in the shower the next morning to gently encourage exfoliation," she says.

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Protect Skin With Moisture
"As the seasons change, so should your skin-care regimen," says West. The most crucial change? Introducing extra moisture into your routine.

"Look for specific ingredients in your fall moisturizer," she says. These include hyaluronic acid, which attracts moisture, as well as squalene and ceramides, which strengthen skin's barrier against environmental damage and water evaporation.

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Repair Skin With Vitamin C
We love summer just as much as any red-blooded human being. But the warm-weather seasons can be tough on skin -- and fall is the time to recover.

"Excessive sun exposure to the face, neck and your décolletage leads to uneven skin tone, sunspots and hyperpigmentation," says Raj. Repair your complexion by incorporating a vitamin C-packed brightening serum into your skin-care routine.

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Gently Fight Acne Flare-Ups
Sadly, acne does not go into hibernation for the winter. In fact, Chiu says the chilly temperatures and windy weather can irritate and inflame acne.

If you're one to reach for overdrying products to combat breakouts, such as over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide, you might want to reconsider. "Often excessive dryness can have the opposite effect on oil glands, as they get confused into increasing oil production to compensate," Chiu says.

This fall, switch to a non-drying, anti-inflammatory acne treatment gel containing dapsone. And even if you're not used to moisturizing before bed, opt for a grease-free night cream formulated for oily and combination skin.

SEP 24, 2015 | SHARES
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