Planning to Use Acids or Retinol This Fall? A Cosmetologist Explains Where to Start

“Skin doesn’t read the calendar.” That is why autumn should not automatically signal the start of acids, retinol or more intensive treatments, says cosmetologist Karina Butkuvienė.

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Retinoids, acids and other active ingredients can be very effective, but tolerance depends not only on concentration. The starting condition of the skin, frequency of use, formulation and the rest of the routine all matter.

As temperatures fall, skin also faces wind, drier air indoors and sharper temperature changes. Butkuvienė, who has worked in beauty and skin care for 16 years, advises people to assess what their skin lacks rather than simply reaching for stronger products.

The skin barrier helps retain moisture and protect against outside irritants. Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids form an important part of that barrier. When the balance of these lipids is disrupted, skin can lose moisture more quickly and become more sensitive. Tightness, dryness, flaking, redness, warmth, burning and stinging from a product that once caused no problems can all signal a weakened barrier.

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Skin does not read the calendar. It reacts to a changed environment. So autumn is not a signal that it is time for acids. It is a signal to reassess the skin.

Acids and retinol are not necessarily enemies of the barrier, Butkuvienė says. Before introducing them, she recommends appropriate cleansing, moisturizing, a barrier-supporting cream and daily sun protection. She frequently recommends NOON Aesthetics Optimal Moisturizing Guardian, known as the OMG cream, because its formula contains ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, squalene, glycerin and antioxidants. She stresses that no single cream suits everyone.

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If the skin is using all its resources to defend itself, it is not logical to demand even more from it at the same time.