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5 Fall Skin-Care Tips from Chrissy Teigen’s Facialist

Shani Darden makes the case for dry-weather peels.

Skin
5 Fall Skin-Care Tips from Chrissy Teigen’s Facialist
Renée Rodenkirchen
As a beauty editor, there’s one question that floods my inbox this time of year: “What moisturizer should I use for fall?” Anyone who works with skin care—beauty editors like myself, aestheticians, derms, and salespeople—will agree that this subject is on everyone’s mind once the autumnal winds start to blow. While I have my own tricks, such as retiring my drying anti-acne serums until spring and switching to a thicker eye cream, I figured it would be wise to get advice from a real pro. And L.A. facialist Shani Darden, who treats Chrissy Teigen, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, January Jones, Jessica Alba, and Emmy Rossum, among others, is the pro of pros, in my eyes. She’s also the formulator of a beloved retinol serum that frequents many a shelfie.

“When the weather switches and it’s a lot colder, people usually complain about being really dry,” she explains. “For some people with naturally dry skin, it’s just that you’re not producing enough of your own natural oils. But for someone oily who starts to feel dryness, it’s usually just because you’re using so many products that are harsh and your skin can’t hold its hydration.”

OK, so how do we get it right so we can start having glowy, dewy angel skin again? Here’s Darden’s best advice for transitioning your skin care for fall.

 

Add a Serum


“With truly dry skin, you can get away with a heavier moisturizer, but for everyone else—people with oily skin or people that have problems with their skin—there’s not a lot of heavy moisturizers that don’t clog your pores. I’m not a fan of oils, either; they almost always cause congestion. Instead, I like layering things. I would add a hyaluronic acid serum or aloe-based gel before your moisturizer. Always do thinnest to thickest, letting one product penetrate [the skin] before you put on the other. I love IS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum and Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Ampoules. The ampoules are more hydrating, but someone with oily skin would like the Hydra-Cool.”

Exfoliate!


“You might think an at-home peel will dry your skin more, but you’ll never get hydration in if your top layer is [dead] skin cells. I love Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads. You want to start out by doing it one or two times a week, but adjust according to how your skin reacts. You can also exfoliate by using gauze to cleanse skin, or the Foreo cleansing device, which isn’t as harsh. If you’re going to do a hydrating mask, always exfoliate first.”

But Don’t Overdo It


“You know you’ve over-exfoliated when your skin gets irritated and red, or you might start breaking out. Even putting on product, your skin will burn. So I also like to pull things away from the routine in the fall. Like if you’re already doing an at-home peel three times a week [in the summer], I’ll take it to one time a week.”

Get a Humidifier


“If you have a humidifier in your bedroom, it’s going to make such a difference! Always a humidifier. The Dyson Humidifier is a really great one that stays clean, which really matters to me.”

Stock Up


“For lips, Aquaphor is my go-to. Around the eyes, I always use a really good eye cream by IS: Clinical Youth Eye Complex. It’s always been the most hydrating, and it actually makes a difference. I also love Honest Beauty Magic Balm.”



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