5 Non-toxic Beauty Swaps for Fall

Well, we are well into the Fall Season, and that means re-evaluating our skincare. It’s important to adjust your routine in this season of drier air, cooler temps, and brisk winds. I was bundled up like a snowman this weekend, and my face still managed to get a little wind chapped. Yuck! So, to help you avoid this fate, I’ve rounded up five non-toxic beauty swaps for Fall. 🌬 🍂

As always I love to share my favorite products (affiliate links), but the real focus is on zeroing in on a category of product and finding something that you love that you can swap in to meet your skin’s needs during this persnickety season. Easy peasy.

Let’s get into it.

A brightening mask

In the Fall things lose their vibrancy, this includes your skin. We’re talking downright dull. So a brightening mask with a little exfoliation is a must. When looking for a brightening mask look for plant enzymes that remove dull, lackluster skin. Manual exfoliation would work as well, but you have to be very careful to find something that won’t damage your skin. Look for Lactic Acid, plant enzymes (AHAs &/or BHAs), or gentle manual exfoliation.

My Faves

True Botanicals Resurfacing Moisture Mask ($90, 50ml)- this gel-like mask is a like a facial in a jar. You only need to apply a thin layer of this gel-like mask, and the beautiful plant acids go to work to reveal smooth, glowing skin in no time. What I really like about this mask is that it is simultaneously very moisturizing. The key ingredients are lactic acid, avocado butter, and Astaxanthin; a fatty acid proven to improve skins elasticity and texture.

Ursa Major 3-min flash Mask ($44, 50ml)- this was my first love when it came to quick acid based masks. I first discovered it through my June Art of Organics Box, and I recommend it highly. It, like the True Botanicals mask, has a gel consistency that goes on clear and uses plant enzymes like pomegranate, hibiscus, and pineapple to provide gentle exfoliation. It also has alfalfa root which has a retinol-like effect on the skin. I recommend this mask if you have more sensitive skin as I find it isn’t as strong of an exfoliator as the True Botanicals mask, however, I can use it more frequently without any irritation. Also, I would keep this mask in my arsenal for the smell alone. It is divine.

OY-L Exfoliating Manuka Mask ($60, 103.5ml)- Ok, so this mask was introduced to me through a W.E.L.L. Summit Ambassador swag bag, and it blew my mind. This mask, which contains both manuka honey and raw honey, Abyssinian oil, organic rose petals, lavender buds, and loads of rich plant extracts is such a beautiful mask to add to your collection. Add a bit of water to emulsify and leave this mask on for 20mins and when you take it off your face will be glowy and soft and visibly brighter. This mask does use crushed plant matter for gentle manual exfoliation, so I find my face is a little pink after I wipe it off, but never for very long.

An oil or balm cleanser

Trade in your lightweight gel cleanser for a nourishing balm or oil formulation during this seasonal transition. If you prefer cream formulations, Fall is an excellent time to whip those out as well since they tend to be gentler on dry skin. But remember, it’s all about maximum hydration during this season.

My Faves

Beurre Céleste Recovery Mask Cleansing Baume ($70, 58ml) – I mean, this product sits happily on my holy grails list. I don’t even know if I need to say more. But for the sake of argument let me just say, this cleansing balm is everything. It smells of delicious raw Nebraskan honey and lemon myrtle, and the Kokum butter and Sea Buckthorn are antioxidant-rich and work together to help with cellular turnover. I love that you can use this balm on skin that is wet or dry, depending on how deep of a cleanse your face needs and a little goes a long way. If you want to read my swan song, a full review is here.

One Love Organics Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil ($42, 120ml) – This should not come as a surprise. I LOVE this oil cleanser. But if you’re still on the fence about oil cleansers, Fall/Winter is the perfect time to explore. This OLO Cleansing oil is also my favorite recommendation for newbies because it washes clean. No muss, no fuss. It is very light, doesn’t feel oily on the skin, and is a light exfoliator. I was using this regularly in the early spring as a part of my evening skincare routine, and in the Fall it definitely makes a comeback.

A rich moisturizer

Fall is an excellent time to rotate in rich moisturizers. Just as with the cleansers, if you still on the fence about incorporating oil into your moisturizer routine, Fall is a great time to give them a try. I love to finish with an oil after using a balm to seal in all that moisture.

My Faves

Maya Chia The Super Blend ($105, 50ml) – I mean, I couldn’t not hit you with my other holy grail. Frankly, I use this stuff all the damn time, but it really lends itself to Fall & Winter skincare. It’s filled with antioxidants like astaxanthin, vitamin c, and supercritical chia blended in a base of babassu and kokum butter. The Super Blend helps to brighten, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and increase the look of skin resiliency. It’s my forever jam. Another holy grail, full review here.

Live Botanical Luna Renewing Concentrate ($60, 30ml)- Live Botanical does a lot of things right, and the Luna Renewing Concentrate is one of them. This concentrate is packed with rich botanicals like rose, chamomile, and lavender oils blended into a cold-pressed chia seed oil base. It’s creamy, moisturizing, and deeply nutritive; a perfect addition to your Fall/Winter skincare arsenal. For all the ingredient details, I have a full review here.

True Botanicals Renew Pure Radiance Oil ($110, 30ml) – This has quickly become my favorite oil moisturizers. This oil is packed with some of nature’s most restorative ingredients for aging (or dry) skin. Ingredients like chia seed, kiwi seed, passion fruit, and papaya seed oils, help strengthen the skins protective barrier while penetrating the skin quickly. Algae extract and astaxanthin provide essential fatty acids. This oil moisturizes, repairs damage, and makes skin glow.

A non-toxic retinol

Summer is gone, and the damage is done. Incorporating a non-toxic retinol into my skincare routine helps to repair some of the visible signs of too much sun. Fall is where I try to give sun spots and hyperpigmentation the boot! I’ve covered non-toxic retinol pretty extensively, and the two that I highly recommend are both safe while breastfeeding.

My Faves

African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil ($250, 30ml) – I know this is a spluuuurge. But this sh*t works. I don’t know how else to put it. This is vegetable based liposomal retinol preserved with rosemary extract. This formulation, which also includes CoQ10 and Vitamin C, allows the ingredients to be delivered directly into the skin cells through a lipid bilayer. So all that plant goodness is effective AF. I do not know what I’m going to do when I run out of this bottle– probably cry. Full review here.

Wabi Sabi Age Gracefully Targeted Treatment Serum ($59, 10ml) – This three-ingredient oil serum is potent. The shining star is Organic Cacay Oil; three times more potent than rosehip oil, this oil helps stimulate collagen production and is natural retinol. Acai Fruit Oil and Green Coffee oil are rich chlorophyll and antioxidants, respectively, and contribute to a plump moisturized face. Full review here. ⇒ Save 15% off your entire first wabisabibotanicals.com order with Code: FELIX15  ⇐

A healing balm

Last, but not certainly not least, you’ll want a healing balm on deck. During the Fall/Winter months dry, itchy skin is inevitable, so having something that can soothe and protect irritated skin is a must. I like something that is multi-purpose. Bonus points if it travels easily.

My Faves

8 Faces Boundless Solid Oil ($88, 50ml) – Another oldie but a goodie. You’ll come for the Amla Berry – A Vitamin C rich superfruit which boosts collagen and fights free radicals – but you’ll stay because of its versatility. This oil is shea and cocoa butter based with extracts of alma berry, tangerine oil, jojoba, baobab, and evening primrose flower oil, to name a few. It’s potent. It’s not greasy. And a little goes a long way. This works especially well for chapped faces. Review here.

BYBI Babe Balm ($40, 60ml) – I love Babe Balm for cuticles, rough patches, chapped lips, etc. This incredibly versatile tube of goodness is a perfect purse staple. Formulated with CoQ10, Calendula, and Hibiscus, this beautiful balm is a lifesaver in a pinch; scraped knees and ashy elbows included. Full review here.

Stay Glowy my friends

So there you have it; 5 non-toxic, clean beauty swaps for fall. How do you change your routine to ensure healthy happy skin during these cold, dry months?

Xo, Kimberly Fe'Lix