Fall is more than tall boots and pumpkin spiced lattes? YES!
Skin
The change in seasons means you’ll have to switch things up in your beauty regimen to keep your skin looking fresh and radiant. Granted, you can still follow a simple skincare routine, but you’ll want to incorporate a few things to ensure that your skin stays hydrated through the transition to a fall beauty regimen. Cool, dry weather can wreak havoc on your skin which is why proper exfoliation (to remove toxins and dead skin cells) and moisturizing is key.
If you’re up for a little DIY, try mixing a tiny bit of lemon juice, brown sugar, and honey to create an exfoliating facial scrub that will leave your skin glowing! Go ahead and scrub your lips too, it tastes yummy and leaves them baby soft! Follow up with your favorite moisturizer (during the day) or a bit of aloe (at night) to moisturize and calm irritation. For an added bonus, incorporate organic jojoba oil into your regimen to keep your skin fresh and hydrated. It’s super lightweight and non comedogenic so it won’t clog your pores. (Jojoba oil is one of my best kept secrets!)
Hair
How do you feel about protective styling? I once shared a love-hate relationship with doing protective styles but now they are a great option for where I am in my hair journey. Keep in mind that the idea behind protective styling is that you are protecting your hair in effort to retain length, moisture, and overall health of your hair– which would ideally lead to hair growth. Your hair is up and out of the way so there is less manipulation, and less opportunity for tangles (just be sure to detangle before styling). When choosing a style, you want to aim for something that will compliment your lifestyle, not make it more difficult. Braids, flat twists, and buns are practical for me because they are simple to install, versatile to style, and make it easy to transition to other beautiful styles once taken down. I also love that they don’t cause stress or tension on my edges. Best of all, I know exactly how to care for my hair in these styles (spritzing with water, applying a bit of moisturizer or a little oil to seal) to keep it happy and healthy while it’s hibernating.
Protective styling may not be for you and I totally get that. I live in Florida and I absolutely understand the idea of wearing a wash and go year round. To that I will say two things — 1.) Why not try it? I firmly believe that incorporating some sort of protective style into my routine has only aided in my progress towards healthy hair growth. I cannot say that it caused my hair to grow, but I can attest to my hair seeing substantial results once I did. No need to keep your hair hidden away for the entire season. You can start slowly. I tend to alternate between protective and “out” styles for a happy balance. If at this point you are one hundred percent adamant and OPPOSED to any sort of protective styling, I would remind you to — 2.) Please please layer your products to keep your strands moisturized and sealed.
This logic actually applies to your fall/winter hair regimen in general– regardless of how you are wearing it. No, I don’t want you pouring buckets of oils and butters on your hair, or weighing it down to a hot greasy mess. Whether you adhere to the L.O.C, the L.C.O, or the WHATEVER ORDER YOU CHOOSE method, you want to seal your hair to keep moisture in the strands for longer. You may want to opt for creamier, heavier products, over products with humectants like glycerin, honey, and panthenol (to name a few). Humectants are great for warm temperatures because they can pull humidity from the air and add moisture to your hair, but will have adverse effects in cooler temperatures, as it pulls dry air and harsh elements, causing it to dry out your hair. If you plan on using an oil to “seal” the moisture into your hair, do your research to see which are best for sealing versus those that penetrate the hair shaft and will dry/evaporate quicker. My favorite sealing oils are jojoba oil and almond oil.
I don’t want assume that this goes without saying– DEEP CONDITION REGULARLY. Now more than ever, we want to establish (and consistently follow) this healthy hair practice to keep our hair hydrated, moisturized, and healthy. As a curly with low porosity hair, the optimal way to deep condition my hair is with heat; there’s no other way to go about it. I’ll admit that it’s hard to consciously sit down for 15 to 30 minutes with two littles and an overwhelming amount of responsibilities, but please believe me when I tell you it’s completely worth it. Since making this commitment to myself to do this every time I wash, I’ve noticed an immediate difference in the way my hair looks, feels, and performs. You owe this to yourself. DEEP CONDITION!
Now that we have those bases covered, smile big because we’re a step closer to conquering the hell out of this season. Happy fall ya’ll. I’m wishing you glowy skin and juicy curls. Don’t forget to share this post with a friend who you think could benefit from it too!
Share your fall beauty regimen and inspiration below! Xo.