Autumn skincare for men: the 3 scares of cold weather (dry skin, zombie face and spots)
THE QUICK ANSWER
Your skin dries out in autumn because the air loses its moisture: cold, dry air outside, central heating at home and at work, and longer, hotter showers. Your skin loses water faster than it can hold on to it, and you get the tightness, the flaky bits and that grey tone the summer tan leaves behind.
An autumn routine fits into 4 steps: a gentle face cleanser (hand soap, out), a moisturiser with glycerin or hyaluronic acid and a bit more texture than in summer, a gentle exfoliation once or twice a week and sunscreen in the morning, because UVA rays are still around in October.
Breaking out? Hands off: salicylic acid, niacinamide or, if you fancy starting retinol, autumn is a good time.
October. The first bowl of hot soup, the scarf you left at the pub and a face that looks more like a Tim Burton character than a cologne ad.
Tight skin after the shower. Flaky bits round the sides of your nose. August's tan peeling off in patches, like the wallpaper in a rented flat. And a spot that turns up on the day of the date. Sound familiar?
Relax, it happens to almost everyone when the weather turns (and to blokes more, since half of us didn't even wear cream all summer). Today we explain why cold weather dries out your skin, the 3 scares autumn brings and the routine to make it to March without looking like an extra from The Walking Dead. Let's go.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Why does cold weather dry out your skin?
The outer layer of your skin works like a brick wall: the bricks are cells and the mortar is fats. That wall is what keeps the water inside.
When the air is dry, water escapes faster. In autumn and winter, three things pile up:
- Cold, low-humidity air outside. Scientific reviews on climate and skin conclude that low humidity and low temperatures weaken the skin barrier and make it more reactive to irritants.
- Central heating. It dries out the air at home, in the car and in the office even more.
- Longer, hotter showers. Very hot water washes away part of that mortar.
On top of that, skin produces less sebum in the cold months than in summer, so there's less natural oil acting as a lid. Result: tightness, itching, flaky bits and skin that gets irritated more easily.
Heads up: oily skin gets this too. Your forehead can be shining while your cheeks feel tight, because sebum is oil and hydration is water. If that's you, it's all explained in oily skin in men.
Scare #1: dry, tight skin
You step out at 8 in the morning and ten minutes later your face is drier than a self-assessment tax form. Then you get home and the heating on full blast finishes the job… Here's what works:
- Keep hand soap away from your face. Harsh soaps and shower gel are made for a different kind of skin, and in winter they strip what little is left (cue the Psycho violins 🔪). Go for a gentle face cleanser, the kind that doesn't leave you tight.
- Lukewarm showers, 5-10 minutes. We know that in November a scalding shower is the closest thing to a hug… but it's exactly what AAD dermatologists tell you to avoid if your skin is dry.
- Moisturise while your skin is still damp. Right after patting dry, no rubbing with the towel. The cream traps the water still on your skin.
- Go up a notch in texture. August's light little cream might not cut it in January.
- Don't forget the eye area. If the skin on your face is a credit card, the skin around your eyes is a sheet of paper: thinner, with fewer oil glands and the first to feel the cold.
- Lips: no oil glands there either, which is why they're the first to crack. Lip balm, and stop licking them, it dries them out even more.
What to look for in a moisturiser for dry skin in winter
| Type of ingredient | What it does | What it says on the label |
|---|---|---|
| Humectants | Attract water and hold it in the skin | Glycerin, hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), urea |
| Emollients | Fill the gaps in the mortar and smooth out the flaky bits | Ceramides, squalane, shea butter |
| Occlusives | Act as a lid so water can't escape | Petroleum jelly (petrolatum), waxes, dimethicone |
A good autumn moisturiser combines all three. The drier your skin, the more weight you give to emollients and occlusives.
So what do we use? If your skin is normal or dry and you want to look well from minute one, Handsomefyer Xtra: an all-in-one cream that hydrates, evens out your skin tone and covers pores with the dewiest finish in the range, the one that suits dry skin best. If your skin is oily or combination and you don't want any colour, Dragon Shot: a water-cream moisturiser with hyaluronic acid that doesn't leave a film. And for the eye area, Banzeye, an eye treatment with a flash effect that minimises dark circles, bags and crow's feet.
Scare #2: zombie face after summer
August's tan doesn't leave all at once. It goes in patches… the forehead one way, the cheeks another, and a greyish base tone that gives you the look of a Walking Dead extra queuing at the GP.
Why it happens: your skin renews itself, roughly every 4 weeks in a young adult and more slowly with age. The tanned cells shed at different rates and, meanwhile, dead cells build up on the surface. An uneven surface reflects light badly, and your face looks dull.
- Gentle exfoliation, once or twice a week. No scrubbing like you're getting burnt bits off a frying pan. With dry or sensitive skin, once is enough. The basics so you don't overdo it, in our exfoliation guide.
- Antioxidants in the morning. Vitamin C and friends help protect skin from environmental damage (sun, pollution) and, with regular use, improve the look of your skin tone. What each one does, in antioxidants for an ageless face.
- A face self-tanner that doesn't turn you orange (no orange, no sunbeds). We use Tan-Tan-Go, a day serum with a natural self-tan effect and antioxidant actives that evens out your skin tone. More on this in fake tan for blokes.
- And get outside in daylight. Outdoor exercise, your 8 hours of sleep (LOL) and fewer pints on a school night (haha).
Scare #3: spots at the worst possible moment
Friday the 13th, date at nine and, at seven… a spot appears on your chin with more screen time than Jason in the whole franchise.
Cold weather doesn't make spots on its own. But autumn brings a few things that don't help: skin irritated by dryness, scarves and roll necks rubbing your chin all day and the stress of being back at work. And your hands, which wander to your face on their own…
- Don't touch it. Not even with the buttery popcorn hands from the horror movie marathon. Squeezing inflames the pore and the mark lasts longer than the spot.
- Salicylic acid: dissolves in oil, gets into the pore and unclogs it from the inside. Niacinamide: helps with oil and redness. Clay: as a mask, soaks up oil.
- Wash your scarf. That wool scarf hasn't seen the washing machine since the clocks went back.
- Think about retinol. Autumn is a good time to start: fewer hours of sun and it's easier to get your skin used to it. At night, little by little, with sunscreen during the day. Wow Young is our night cream-gel with 0.3 % retinol, the EU maximum for face cosmetics: it minimises wrinkles and expression lines and helps with breakouts. Everything on how to start, in retinol, myths busted.
The autumn skincare routine in 4 steps
What changes from summer, at a glance:
| Summer | Autumn and winter | |
|---|---|---|
| Cleansing | Face cleanser, more than once if you sweat | Gentle cleanser, morning and night; no hand soap |
| Moisturiser | Light gel or water-cream | A notch more texture, on still-damp skin |
| Exfoliation | 2-3 times a week if you have oily skin | 1-2 times a week, gently |
| Sunscreen | Yes, every day | Still every day: UVA is still there |
| Shower | Whatever you like | Lukewarm, 5-10 minutes |
-
Cleanse without drying out (morning and night)
A gentle face cleanser that takes away the dirt without leaving you tight. Splash Foam Party is a foam you use in the shower, so no excuses.
-
Moisturise on still-damp skin
Right after drying off. With humectants (glycerin, hyaluronic acid) and a bit more texture than in summer if you feel tight.
-
Exfoliate once or twice a week, at night
Gently, no scrubbing. If you're starting retinol, don't use them on the same night until your skin gets used to it.
-
Sunscreen in the morning, in October too
UVA rays go through clouds and windows and are there all year round. If you want SPF 50 with a matte finish and a well-rested look, Handsomefyer Sun.
When is it a job for a dermatologist?
Cosmetics help with ordinary winter dryness. Book an appointment if you notice any of these:
- Cracks that bleed, or dryness that doesn't improve after about 2 weeks of moisturiser and good habits.
- Red, very itchy patches, which could be eczema.
- Greasy flaking and redness on the eyebrows, the sides of the nose or the beard area, which tends to get worse in winter.
- Deep, painful spots or spots that leave marks.
The cold leaves in March. Your face stays
Autumn's scares pass, the way the Ghostface mask goes from the wardrobe to the loft. Your skin, on the other hand, you wear all year round, so better it reaches spring without cracks, without patches and without brand-new spots.
Let the zombies stay in the film you're streaming,
your face gets through winter with no one screaming.
And if you want our very biased opinion… yes, we know we go on a bit, but this is what we use when the temperature drops:
€25.99
Splash Foam Party
Foaming face cleanser. Takes away dirt and unclogs pores without leaving your skin tight.
- Shower-friendly foam
- Cleans without drying
- Unclogs pores
- Morning and night
€34.99
Handsomefyer Xtra
All-in-one cream with extra coverage and a "Have you had something done?" effect. The dewy finish dry skin asks for.
- Hydrates and evens out skin tone
- Covers pores and wrinkles
- Dewy finish, for dry skin
- Vegan
€44.99
Tan-Tan-Go
Day serum with a natural self-tan effect for the face that turns grey once the tan is gone.
- Natural self-tan effect
- Antioxidant actives
- Evens out skin tone
- No orange effect
P.S. this post is sponsored by Handsomefyer Xtra: an all-in-one cream that hydrates, evens out your skin tone and covers pores with the dewiest finish in the range, the one dry skin appreciates when the cold bites. Put it on, head out and someone asks "Have you had something done?" 😏
FAQ
Why does my skin get dry in autumn?
Because the air holds less moisture: cold and dry outside, central heating indoors. Your skin loses water faster than it can hold on to it, and hot showers wash away part of its protective fats. On top of that, skin produces less sebum in the cold.
What moisturiser should I use for dry skin in winter?
One that combines humectants (glycerin, hyaluronic acid), emollients (ceramides, squalane) and some occlusive (petroleum jelly, waxes or dimethicone), with a bit more texture than your summer one. Apply it on still-damp skin, right after your shower.
Do I need sunscreen in autumn and winter?
Yes. UVA rays are present all year round and go through clouds and windows. If you also use retinol or exfoliants, your skin is more sensitive to the sun.
How often should I exfoliate my face in autumn?
Once or twice a week, gently and at night. With dry or sensitive skin, once is enough. If you're starting retinol, don't use it on the same night as your exfoliant.
Why does my face look dull after summer?
Because the tan fades in patches while your skin renews itself (roughly every 4 weeks) and dead cells build up on the surface. Gentle exfoliation, antioxidants in the morning and, if you want some colour, a face self-tanner help even out your skin tone.
Is autumn a good time to start using retinol?
Yes. There are fewer hours of sun and it's easier to get your skin used to it. Use it at night, start with a few applications a week and wear sunscreen in the morning.
Why do my lips crack in the cold?
Because lips have no oil glands and lose water very quickly in dry air. Use lip balm several times a day and avoid licking them, which dries them out even more.
Keep reading
- Matte finish or dewy finish: which finish suits your face and how to tell your skin type.
- Oily skin in men: why your forehead shines and which moisturiser to use.
- Antioxidants for an ageless face: vitamin C and friends, explained.
- Retinol, myths busted: how to start without irritation.
- Autumn hair loss: what telogen effluvium is and when to worry.
Not sure what skin type you have?
Look at your forehead mid-afternoon in natural light and in ten seconds you'll know if you're matte or dewy. Then you know what to ask from your winter moisturiser.
Siwon
We do cool right!