Fall is a transitional time for a lot of things, including our skin. Personally, I tend to experience more dryness and irritation in fall while my skin and I are getting used to the colder weather and the increased use of heat. Thus, my fall skincare routine tends to be quite gentle, with a focus on hydrating, moisturizing, and soothing. My favorite products this season are all about ingredients that do these three things! Some of the ingredient I’m loving right now are niacinamide, centella asiatica, ferments, prebiotics, oils, and hyaluronic acid This year, I’m also focusing a little more on anti-aging so you’ll also notice some of my favorite products contain gentle anti-aging ingredients such as peptides and antioxidants. And of course — even though the days are getting shorter — I’m still using one of my favorite sunscreens!
Insta Natural Niacinamide Serum*
Review: This niacinamide serum comes out as a milky, white liquid, almost like an emulsion. In addition to niacinamide, it contains some other awesome ingredients including hyaluronic acid, avocado oil, vitamin E, aloe, and centella asiatica. It is both hydrating and moisturizing and seems to layer well with other products in my routine (this can be an issue with some niacinamide serums). It’s also relatively affordable and comes in a decently large (2 oz) bottle. While this serum might be a bit heavy for oily skin, it’s a great choice for normal to dry skin types. Even oily skin may be able to use it in the cooler weather. I really don’t have anything bad to say about this product, except that I cut myself on the bottle. The metal part of the dropper top is sharp, so please be careful when opening it. However, I did reach out to the brand and they shared that they are in the process of changing the packaging due to this issue.
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Insta Natural ($18)
Belif Moisturizing Bomb*
Review: I have been using the Belif Aqua Bomb for a while now, and I really enjoy the soothing gel texture. However, my main issue with the Aqua Bomb is that it’s a little too lightweight for my skin in the cooler seasons. I only really use it in the summer. Then, I finally tried the Moisturizing Bomb and — it’s actually perfect. The texture is much creamier than the Aqua Bomb, but it still has a beautiful soothing feel and refreshing scent. It’s just a richer and more moisturizing version of the Aqua Bomb. It contains macadamia seed oil, glycerin, oat kernel extract, panthenol, and a few different fermented ingredients (you know I love ferments – read more about that here). This has quickly become one of my favorite daytime moisturizers this fall. The price is a little higher than I’d like, but I will probably repurchase it anyway if it continues working for me.
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Sephora ($38)
Boscia MakeUp BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil
Review: I forgot I had this cleansing oil until I rediscovered it this fall. I’ve really been liking it. The texture is slightly runny, and it spreads easily across my face. It emulsifies and rinses of cleanly. I haven’t used it on heavy makeup, but it does remove my sunscreen and light makeup very well. It contains some really nice oils: olive oil, rosehip oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, and jojoba oil. It also contains a number of plant extracts, including green tea, a great antioxidant. The oil itself has a light green tint, I’m guessing it’s from the green tea, though I’m not sure. Overall, I would recommend this oil — the main drawback of this product is just the price. It’s hard for me to justify spending so much on a product that is washed off. I purchased is on sale at TJMaxx so I’m not sure if I would want to pay the full price for this.
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: Sephora ($32), Ulta ($32)
Acaderma Equilibria Stabilizing Toner*
Review: Acaderma is a new brand with a really interesting science-based clean beauty approach. I really love their concept and I love this toner too. This is a lightweight, watery toner that still feels incredibly hydrating. I really enjoy using this because it makes my skin feel so hydrated and soft. It also contains some really cool ingredients, including a prebiotic complex, that should help harness the good bacteria living in your skin. Hyaluronic acid draws water to the skin and MSM (a bioavailable form of sulfur) boosts collagen production. I want to give this product a 5/5 because I love it so much, but there are two things that are holding me back. Firstly, I do find the price, $30, to be a bit high for a toner, although I could excuse that because this is such a good one. However, the bigger issue is that the Period After Opening (PAO) for this product is only 3 months. This is a very short PAO, and it would be very difficult for me to use this up in 3 months.
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: Acaderma ($30)
Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drops
Review: This is a very light watery serum with a beautiful blue color. It contains peptides which have been shown to help fight fine lines and wrinkles. It also contains blueberry extract and guaiazulene. The ingredients list is quite minimal, and only contains 16 items, which could make this a good choice for sensitive skin types looking for anti-aging products. I enjoy how the lightweight texture makes it so easy to incorporate into my routine. And I only need a small amount because it spreads so easily. I cannot vouch for the anti-aging properties though because I am mostly using this preventatively. And besides anti-aging, this serum doesn’t really offer any other benefits; it’s a targeted product which isn’t necessarily good or bad, it just depends on what you’re looking for.
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: Wishtrend ($30), YesStyle ($30)
Save Skincare Hydrating Facial Cleanser*
Review: This is a new brand to me, and so far I’ve been pretty impressed. They specialize in simple, gentle products that will work even for sensitive skin. This gel cleanser is incredibly gentle and hydrating. It is non foaming and does not strip the skin at all. Rather, it leaves my skin feeling clean, soft, and hydrated. My skin even looks brighter and slightly glowy after using this. This contains several ferments (which my skin LOVES), as well as trehalose and glycerin to hydrate. I would highly recommend this cleanser, especially for those with dry skin. This might actually be my new favorite cleanser!
Rating: 5/5
Where to Buy: Save Skincare ($20)
d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum*
Review: This is a bi-phase mist, meaning it contains both oil and water-based ingredients. Before applying, you need to shake up the bottle to temporarily mix the oil and water. The benefit of bi-phase mists is that they are refreshing and hydrating and they also contain moisturizing oils that can help lock in that hydration. Some of the star ingredients this contains are niacinamide, avocado oil, bifida ferment lysate, white truffle extract, oat kernel extract, and a number of other plant extracts. As some have wondered — no, this doesn’t smell like truffles, rather it has a light, fresh fragrance. I enjoy using this right after washing my face or throughout the day if I notice my skin starting to get dry.
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: StyleKorean, YesStyle, Jolse
Purito Centella Green Level Safe Sun
Review: Check out my previous review here. Hopefully you’re not sick of hearing me talk about this sunscreen by now. The price point is just so good, and the moisturizing, slightly dewy finish makes it perfect for Fall.
Rating: 5/5
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Review: Check out my previous review here. This is another product that I can’t shut up about. I’ve tried a few other lip masks, but I just keep coming back to this one. It works so well, and the variety of flavors guarantees that I never get tired of it. In cooler weather, lip masks are an essential for me unless I want to wake up with super chapped lips. So this mask has been a key part of my fall skincare routine and I’ve been reaching for this every night.
Rating: 5/5
Where to Buy: StyleKorean, Jolse, Sephora
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My Rating System:
5 – Holy Grail, I love this product and would repurchase it forever.
4 – Great product, I will repurchase it unless I find something better.
3 – Good product, I might consider repurchasing it, but probably not.
2 – Poor product, just didn’t work for me and I won’t repurchase.
1 – Awful product, you couldn’t pay me to put it on my face.
Disclaimer: This Site contains both non-affiliate and affiliate links, and I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Some products marked by (*) were gifted to me for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own honest opinions. I am not an expert, these are just my personal experiences, and what works for me might not work for you.
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