Man, I already miss summer. I thrive in the humid heat, and while I love autumn’s cooler weather, I’m really not ready for it. I’m already feeling nostalgic for long weekends spent in the sun—and it shows.
Although I’m an advocate of wearing sunscreen from head-to-toe every time you leave the house, I still managed to get burned by the sun in more ways than one over the last few months. Heading into fall, I’m sporting a brand-new set of freckles across my nose (they’re kinda cute, though) and fresh melasma patches, which have taken root on my forehead by my temples.
So I plan on incorporating a few new ingredients and treatments into my fall routine:
1. Add niacinamide: I typically rely on vitamin C-based serums (like SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic) to target dark spots like my melasma. But over the last couple of years, skin-care brands have started pumping out products with another great antioxidant that offers similar benefits: niacinamide. The free radical-fighting ingredient also helps prevent hyperpigmentation and smooth skin texture at the same time. I’ll just have to put it to the test with La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum and see for myself.
- Exfoliate: I’m not big on physically sloughing my face, but I do love a good chemical exfoliator. I typically swap out my prescription Tretinoin twice a week for a lactic acid-based serum (my ultimate favorite is Mara Flower Acid Algae Serum), but I think this season I’ll be upping that number to three.
3. Book a laser appointment: Unfortunately for me and my melasma, there’s not much I can do topically to rid my skin of my new light brown patches. They’re hormonal and require a trip to the dermatologist for an in-office laser appointment. Nonablative lasers, like Fraxel Clear + Brilliant or Picosecond, are great for zapping away sun damage.
