Every September I sit down with clients and rebuild their routines for fall. The shift from summer to fall requires meaningful changes — not just swapping out a lighter moisturizer for a heavier one, but restructuring the entire active ingredient strategy to take advantage of the skin's most responsive season. Here's the exact protocol framework I use.
The Fall Morning Routine
Step one is a gentle cleanser — the Invigorate Cleanser for normal to dry skin, or the Salicylic + Enzyme Cleanser for oily and acne-prone skin. Follow immediately with your toner to restore pH balance and prime the skin for maximum serum absorption — the Epi-Balance Peptide Toner is the one I reach for every season.
Step two is your vitamin C serum. Fall is actually when vitamin C becomes most important — you're repairing summer damage while protecting against the continued (if reduced) UV exposure of early fall. The Advanced Vita CE Ferulic Acid Serum is non-negotiable in the morning routine, every morning, year-round.
Step three is moisturizer. As temperatures drop and air conditioning shifts to heating, skin loses moisture faster than in summer. The Moisture Infusion (The Porefect Moisturizer) with its three ceramides gives you hydration and barrier support in a lightweight formula that doesn't feel heavy under makeup. Finish with your SPF — always, even in fall.
The Fall Evening Routine
Cleanse again. Apply your toner. Then — and this is the heart of the fall protocol — your retinoid. Start with the .25% Triple Action Retinol if you're new to it, the .5% if you're adapted, or the 1% if you're experienced. A pea-sized amount. Let it absorb for 60 seconds.
Follow immediately with the Growth Factor Peptide Fusion Serum — this pairing of retinol-driven cell turnover with growth factor-driven collagen synthesis is one of the most powerful combinations in anti-aging skincare. Seal everything with your moisturizer. For the eye area, apply the Advanced Retinol Eye Cream gently around the orbital bone before your moisturizer.
Weekly Fall Treatments
Once weekly: the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask on an evening when you're not using retinol. This keeps cellular turnover accelerated between retinol nights without overlapping active ingredients. Twice weekly: the Texture + Pore Exfoliating Pads on alternate evenings for continued refinement without over-exfoliation.
This is the fall routine that delivers the holiday glow everyone asks about. Shop the Fall Skin Reset collection here and use code FALLRESET for 15% off.