Fall skincare tips

NEW YORK - Fall is here, and along with swapping out your summer clothes, you should also change your skincare routine.

Board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin and Aesthetics Surgery of Manhattan, Dr Michelle Henry says, "The name of the game for transitioning your skin care is all about hydration, hydration, hydration, and gentle skin care to protect our skin during the cooler months."

With summer gone, that means less humidity in the air.

"The blanket rule, whatever you were using in the summer, should be a little richer in the winter," according to Dr. Henry.

And that’s especially true for eczema-prone skin, which is more common in African Americans.

"Ingredients like serums, it's really important to kind of waterproof the skin and hold the good things in and keep the bad things out," going on to say, "Hyaluronic acid really critical. I call this the miracle molecule because it holds about a thousand times its weight in water and really packs skin with hydration." Glycerin is also important.

Dr. Henry explains some products you can use daily. Starting with a gentle cleanser, like Cetaphil, which cost around $12, at your local pharmacy. "Use one to two pumps, create a nice lather, and gently rub into the skin, and gently rinse the skin."
Now, apply toner, which should hydrate, not strip your skin. Thayer’s Milky Hydrating Face Toner with Snow Mushroom and Hyaluronic Acid, which is packed with nutrients.

"This is a hydrating milky toner again, packed with hydration, packed with hyaluronic acid, just a little bit on a clean cotton round. You're just going to gently wipe that into the skin."

You can pick Thayer’s toner up at nearest retailer for around $15, depending on the size.

Pesky environmental pollutants can wreak havoc on your skin. Dr. Henry’s prescription, Vitamin C, by Drunk Elephant, which cost about $75 at Ulta and Sephora.

"I love Vitamin C. It's not only going to help to protect your collagen from those free radicals created from pollution in the environment," going on to say, "It's also going to help to lighten dark spots, even out the skin tone and texture, stimulate collagen."

After you apply vitamin c, it’s now time for your moisturizer. Dr Henry says, a little goes a long way, when it comes to La Roche-Posay oil-free double-repair moisturizer.

"It's going to hydrate, but also keep the skin from looking too oily."

And not break the bank, costing around $20.

Last but not least, sunscreen, which also cost $20 bucks depending on the size, and the brand you chose.

"It looks great on all skin types. It's great for skin of color, which also really needs sunscreen. That's a common myth."

Dr. Henry recommends the brand Supergoop.

As a woman of color, and dermatologist, Dr Henry teaches her students at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, the truth, about dark skin.

"Darker skin can be exquisitely sensitive because the effects that inflammation can lead to hyperpigmentation and longstanding scarring."

And the myth about Black skin not aging.

"There's a myth that black doesn't crack or Asian doesn't raisin. And that's not true, while our melanin is protective and we're not going to have photo aging, but it ages differently," adding, "So, I say that my Caucasian patients…are my wrinklers and my shrinkers, and my darker patients are my sinkers and my saggers." Going on to say, "So it's about assessing how we age to make sure that we can correct that in ways that makes everyone feel beautiful."

To save more money, all the products Dr. Henry recommended can be used at night. She also suggests investing in a humidifier to combat dry air in your home.