After a few months of basking in the sun, swimming in salty or chlorinated water, and sweating through SPF, your autumn skin might be showing signs of stress.

If your “sun kissed” glow now looks more “sun weary” you’re not alone.

Dullness, flaking, tightness, and breakouts are all part of the not-so-glamorous post-summer afterglow. Add in dehydration, inflammation, and hyperpigmentation, and your skin could use a seasonal refresh.

Let’s talk about how to leave the drying out, flaking and cracking to the falling autumn leaves and reset your autumn skin for the changing season and beyond with expert-backed, gentle skincare that works.

Pamela Friedman, owner and CEO of CV Skinlabs, is a cancer survivor and passionate advocate for healthy living, Pamela launched CV Skinlabs to provide safe, effective solutions for sensitive and compromised skin. She is widely recognized as a thought leader in the clean beauty space, working to raise awareness around the harmful chemicals often found in personal care products and championing natural alternatives that help consumers reclaim healthy, radiant skin.

Below, Pam shares her go-to Autumn Skin Reset routine to help restore balance, hydration, calm and glow,

Depending on how well it’s been tended throughout Summer, your skin may be:

Dehydrated: Sun, salt, chlorine, and A/C = a moisture massacre.
Hyperpigmented: Freckles and sunspots likely had a growth spurt.
Dull texture: Dead skin cells built up like sand in your beach bag.
Breaking out: Pores have been holding onto SPF, sweat, sand and grime like a grudge.
Red or irritated: Skin barrier = overwhelmed.
Flaky or tight: The “crispy” stage, especially around cheeks, nose, and lips and other sun exposed areas.

Here are Pamela’s Top Summer to Autumn Skin Care Reset Tips to help preserve radiance during season change:

>> Keep that summer glow and radiance: “If you’ve gotten a healthy glow this summer, you’ll probably hate the idea of losing it as the fall months come. Though it will fade eventually, you can still keep glowing. CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture calms redness, relieves dryness and boosts radiance! Missing your tan? Mix a drop of gradual self-tanner or bronzer with CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture to keep a warm glow—without damaging rays.
autumn skin Don’t forget your body. CV Skinlabs Body Repair Lotion will keep your skin supple, smooth and glowing with a nice radiant sheen into the fall and beyond.”

>> Soothe Sunburns or Inflammation, Fast: “If you’re nursing a lingering sunburn and your skin is crispy, red, tight and flaky, it’s time to restore the skin barrier. Rescue + Relief Spray – CV Skinlabs offers pH-balanced, cooling relief without clogging pores. With ingredients like water lily, comfrey, and valerian, it calms skin, reduces redness, restores pH balance, and supports healing fast.

>> Address the Damage “If the summer was a bit hard on your skin, particularly if you suffered from sun damage, it’s time to start addressing it. As summer recedes in the rear-view mirror, you may notice some skin damage that you accumulated over the summer. You may see hyperpigmentation, sun spots and dark areas you didn’t see before. There may be more visible fine lines and wrinkles too. Your skin may look dull and lackluster. This is the time to repair that damage.

>> Start with gentle exfoliation. Think fruit acids or retinol that will help slough away that outer layer. Stay away from gritty scrubs or scratchy ingredients, especially if you have sensitive skin, that might cause microtears in your skin and will cause more problems. Avoid over-exfoliating which can create tiny cracks in your skin barrier that will lead to more loss of hydration and inflammation.

If your skin feels reactive or you are experiencing redness or irritation post exfoliation, mist CV Skinlabs Rescue & Relief Spray to calm it down. It will instantly reduce redness and help keep the barrier balanced, healthy and intact – revealing clearer, brighter healthier skin.

To fade sun spots, hyperpigmentation, and encourage cell turnover, try a gentle retinol. Apply at night a few times a week, and layer with soothing products like Calming Moisture to buffer sensitivity. It can help reverse summer damage and reveal clearer, brighter and healthier skin. Use Calming Moisture to help keep skin moisturized, boost collagen production, repair, strengthen and protect the skin barrier to keep skin in optimal glowing health”

>> Summer Wounds “Summer weather brings more time outdoors, and can leave skin with bites, minor scrapes, cuts, rashes and more. Restorative Skin Balm – CV Skinlabs promotes wound healing and speedy recovery. It’s a multitasking soothing and hypoallergenic ointment that quickly heals injured skin. I helps repair any areas that are dry, cracked and where skin is traumatized. From cuts, burns, eczema, post-procedures and more – it hydrates, smooths and protects the skin barrier. It can also help lighten dark spots and smooth scars with regular use. And as the weather cools, it’s particularly helpful for chapped dry lips.

autumn skin

>> Get ready for the cold. Replenish with Moisture—Every Day “Too much sun can leave your skin feeling dull, dry and off, and as the weather begins to change, it means more dry, itchy autumn skin. It can also trigger eczema flare-ups, acne outbreaks, and the development of atopic dermatitis. One of the best ways to combat this is to keep your skin well moisturized.

CV Skinlabs’ Calming Moisture and Body Repair Lotion are rich in antioxidants, essential and healthy fatty acids like ceramides and beta-glucan a moisture boosting humectant similar to hyaluronic acid – to restore hydration and calm inflammation. These products work year-round to support the skin’s barrier and soothe even the most sensitive, irritated skin. When your skin is in crisis mode, Calming Moisture can help rejuvenate, protect and deliver the moisture that your skin needs and help you to hold onto the moisture it has that keeps skin looking plump and radiant.

autumn skin

Pro Tip: Feeling dry midday? Spritz on Rescue & Relief Spray—a refreshing mist that instantly boosts moisture, soothes, and even works over makeup for an instant glow-up for your autumn skin.

All CV Skinlabs’ products contain our proprietary Tri-Rescue Complex (antioxidants + anti-inflammatories) to deeply nourish and protect.”

>> Don’t forget your Body. “You may not have worried about applying moisture to your body through the summer months, but in the fall and winter that skin may start to feel dry, itchy and dull looking. You may start to notice flakiness and patches of dryness. After every shower, apply Body Repair Lotion to lock in hydration and protect against dry, itchy, flaky and dull looking skin.

CV Skinlabs Body Repair Lotion has fatty acids that penetrate and keep skin feeling comfortable and soft. It helps skin retain hydration with skin quenching moisture and provides a protective barrier.”

>> Change up your diet. Eat for Autumn Skin Health: “Take advantage of foods that are in season that can benefit your skin. Apples and grapes give you damage-busting antioxidants. Pumpkin is a good source of beta-carotene, which converts to Vitamin A, necessary for healthy skin cells. Pomegranates help boost collagen and provide an anti-inflammatory action. Cranberries also deliver soothing action. A luminous complexion begins with hydration.

Water rich foods like cucumber, watermelon and celery are great choices. They also contain antioxidants and vitamins that can help with elasticity.

Omega-3’s found in foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and wild salmon can help skin look smoother.

We use turmeric in our formulas for its potent anti-inflammatory benefits and support of skin health and elasticity, but you can also get the benefits from the inside out by adding turmeric to your food.

And finally, I always say healthy gut, healthy radiant skin. The gut microbiome impacts skin clarity, barrier function and overall skin health. Try Kefir or take pre-and pro-biotics to support your microbiome – and your glow.”

>> Declutter Your Beauty Cabinet: Swap out summer products and check expiration dates:

Toss mascara older than 3 months.
Ditch eyeshadows older than 6 months.
Clean all brushes and sponges (yes, all of them).>> Hydrate Your Environment (and Wear SPF!): Running a humidifier at night adds moisture back to the air—and your autumn skin. And yes, you still need sunscreen in fall. UVA rays don’t take the season off, and neither should your SPF.

About Pamela Friedman:

Pamela Friedman is an entrepreneur and seasoned beauty industry executive with over 20 years of experience in building and repositioning brands, leading startups, and driving strategic marketing, sales, and product development. As the CEO and owner of CV Skinlabs, she combines her deep industry expertise with a mission-driven commitment to clean, non-toxic skincare. A cancer survivor and passionate advocate for healthy living, Pamela launched CV Skinlabs to provide safe, effective solutions for sensitive and compromised skin. She is widely recognized as a thought leader in the clean beauty space, working to raise awareness around the harmful chemicals often found in personal care products and championing natural alternatives that help consumers reclaim healthy, radiant skin.