A simple fall skincare routine
Heating comes on, air dries out, and the summer routine stops working. Three steps in order cover most of it. This is product information from the brands, not medical advice; a skin condition is a question for a dermatologist.
Step 1: cleanse with a balm
A cleansing balm removes makeup and sunscreen without the tight feeling a foaming cleanser can leave in dry months.
- The ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm: warm a pea-sized amount between your fingers, massage for 60 seconds, remove with a damp cloth. ELEMIS says it doubles as a weekly mask.
- Mineral-oil-free, with elderberry, starflower and Optimega oils, in a 100 g (3.5 oz) jar.
- It is scented (lavender, chamomile, eucalyptus). Skip it if fragrance bothers your skin, and patch-test first if you are unsure.
Step 2: a hydrating serum
After cleansing, a hydrating serum goes on clean, slightly damp skin, before moisturizer.
- La Roche-Posay describes Hyalu B5 as a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 that suits sensitive skin. Smooth a few drops on, then follow with your moisturizer.
- If your skin reacts easily, patch-test on the jaw for a few days first.
- Skip it if you are trying to treat a condition (acne, rosacea, eczema): that is a dermatologist's call, not a serum's.
Step 3: lips at night
Lips dry out first in cold air. A thick balm at bedtime works as a mask; the same tube gives a sheer shine by day.
- Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm: shea and murumuru seed butters for moisture, vegan waxes for a soft shine, a sheer tint, 0.5 oz purse-size tube. Vanilla is the classic scent; the formula is vegan and cruelty-free, per Summer Fridays.
- Skip it if you want a matte lip or a plain unscented balm.
Order and timing
- Night: balm cleanse, rinse with a damp cloth, serum on damp skin, moisturizer, lip balm last.
- Morning: rinse or a gentle cleanse, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen; lip balm under lipstick.
- New product rule: add one product at a time and give it two weeks before judging it or adding the next.
- Keep the routine short. Three steps done nightly beat eight steps done twice.
The picks in one place
- ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, 100 g: first step of a nightly routine; skip it if you want fragrance-free.
- La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 serum: one simple hydrating serum; skip it for treating a condition.
- Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm: night mask and day shine; skip it if you want matte or unscented.
Every pick page says who it is for, what to check, and who should skip it. As an Amazon Associate, BuyRight Notes earns from qualifying purchases; using our links does not change the price you pay.
Updated September 26, 2026. Product descriptions are the brands' own; nothing here is medical advice.