ZARİF BEAUTY & SKIN — OCTOBER 2026
Preparing Your Skin for Winter
What to Begin, What to Change, What to Let Go of This Autumn?
Autumn is not simply the moment to switch to a richer moisturiser. After September, when we help the skin recover from summer, October is the ideal season of transition: a time to reorganise our routine and prepare the skin for the cold days ahead.
The air cools, humidity shifts and we spend more time indoors. Before long, radiators and other heating systems become part of daily life. Moving back and forth between the cool, cold air outside and the warm, dry air inside can increase the skin's water loss; a routine that served us perfectly well all summer may no longer be enough.
In October, the aim is not to fill the skin with products, but to add the right steps at the right time.
First, Get to Know Your Skin Again
As the season changes, so too can your skin's needs.
Where a light gel moisturiser sufficed in summer, by autumn a sense of tightness may creep in by the end of the day. A cleanser that never caused a problem may now feel too stripping. The lips, the sides of the nose and the eye area may dry out more quickly.
The first step is not to buy new products, but to read the signals your skin is sending.
Ask yourself:
Does my face feel tight after cleansing?
Does my make-up look drier than it used to?
Do my cheeks feel uncomfortable during the day?
Has dryness begun around my lips and nose?
Are my neck and hands drier than my face?
These small changes can be a sign that the time has come to move towards a winter routine.
Soften Your Cleansing in Autumn
As winter approaches, one of the first changes can be made at the cleansing step.
The aim is not to leave the skin "squeaky clean". A lingering feeling of tightness and discomfort after cleansing may suggest that the product, or how often you cleanse, is too much for your skin.
In the mornings, for some skin types, a simple rinse with water or a very gentle cleanser may be enough. In the evening, however, it matters to properly remove make-up, sunscreen and the residue gathered throughout the day.
Clean skin and over-stripped skin are not the same thing.
Hydrating Is Not Enough: Moisture Must Be Kept in the Skin
One of the key shifts in autumn skincare is not only drawing water into the skin, but reducing how much of it is lost.
Humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid help hold water in the upper layers of the skin, while ceramides, squalane and suitable lipids can help support the skin barrier.
That is why, as winter draws near, rather than relying on a "hydrating serum" alone, it may make more sense to follow it with a moisturiser suited to your skin type.
When the very light gel textures used in summer begin to fall short for some skin types, you can move to a product with a creamier texture.
Yet the richest cream is not always the best cream.
Good autumn skincare is not about giving the skin more than it needs; it is about giving it exactly what it needs, in the right way.
October: The Start of Retinoid Season
With autumn comes a phrase we often hear in the world of beauty:
"Retinol season has begun."
Retinoids are a broad family of vitamin A derivatives and are among the most researched active groups in skincare.
Used regularly and appropriately, they can help with a range of concerns, from the appearance of fine lines to skin texture, uneven pigmentation and acne.
But not all retinoids are the same.
RETINOL, RETINAL OR TRETINOIN?
Retinol
One of the vitamin A derivatives most frequently found in cosmetic products.
To become active within the skin, it must pass through several stages of conversion. Depending on the product's formula and concentration, it can be a more controlled starting option for those trying a retinoid for the first time.
Retinal — Retinaldehyde
Compared with retinol, it is one step further along the path of conversion to active retinoic acid.
For this reason, although it depends on the formulation, it can be effective even at low concentrations. It should not, however, be considered "definitely better than retinol" or more suitable for everyone.
Tretinoin
This is retinoic acid itself, and it is used as a medicine.
It should not be viewed in the same way as cosmetic retinol or retinal. Alongside its stronger effects, its potential for irritation may also be more pronounced, and its use may require an individual assessment by a doctor.
How to Begin with a Retinoid
There is no need to use it every evening from the very first night.
For a beginner, the guiding principle is:
START LOW · GO SLOW · WATCH YOUR SKIN
You might begin with a few nights a week, gradually increasing the frequency over time according to your skin's tolerance.
Retinoids are generally used in the evening routine. Choosing a simple routine rather than layering many products makes it easier, especially at the start, to understand what your skin is reacting to.
What Is the Sandwich Method?
For skin prone to dryness and sensitivity in particular, the following method may be preferred:
Moisturiser → Retinoid → Moisturiser
This approach can help reduce the irritation a retinoid causes on the skin.
And one important distinction:
Mild dryness or changes in tolerance during the early weeks may occur; but severe burning, intense redness, cracking and marked irritation do not mean "the product is working really well".
What Not to Use on a Retinoid Night
One of the most common mistakes in skincare is bringing together every active thought to be beneficial in the same routine.
When you are new to retinoids, layering strong AHA/BHA exfoliants, peel products or other irritating actives on the same night can cause unnecessary irritation in some skin types.
The goal here is not to use as many actives as possible, but to build a sustainable routine your skin can tolerate.
Vitamin C in the Morning, Retinoid in the Evening
For those who don't want a complicated routine, a very practical rhythm can be established.
MORNING
Vitamin C or a suitable antioxidant treatment.
EVENING
Retinoid.
This does not mean the two ingredients must strictly be used at different times. But especially for beginners, keeping the routine simple makes it easier to reduce the chance of irritation and to track how each product is working.
The October Actives Calendar
A Sample Rhythm for Retinoid Beginners
Monday
Retinoid night
Tuesday
Rest + hydration and barrier support
Wednesday
Simple care
Thursday
Retinoid night
Friday
Rest + hydration
Saturday
Simple care
Sunday
Hydration and barrier night
This is not a medical prescription, but a sample routine to help a beginner move away from the idea that "I must use an active every night".
As the skin adjusts, the frequency can be changed according to the product used and the individual's tolerance.
Where Do Acids Fit In?
Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid and other exfoliants can each be used for different purposes.
However, in the period when you are just starting a retinoid, a more controlled approach is to first see how your skin responds to the retinoid, rather than adding several strong actives at once.
Later, if needed, exfoliation can be given a night of its own.
Not every night has to be an "actives night".
Nights when the skin is simply cleansed and moisturised, with no strong actives at all, are also part of good skincare.
Don't Put Your Sunscreen Away
One of the most common skincare mistakes once summer ends is abandoning sunscreen.
Yet UVA rays can reach the skin all year round. For anyone concerned about pigmentation, or using retinoids and exfoliants, sun protection remains a cornerstone of autumn and winter skincare too.
A cloudy October morning does not mean "UV no longer matters".
Your Face Is Ready for Winter; But What About Your Neck and Hands?
The care we lavish on our faces all too often stops at the jawline.
Yet the neck, décolletage and hands are areas constantly exposed to environmental stressors.
The essentials of the routine you build for your face in October can be adapted for these areas too: gentle care, moisture and sun protection.
Particular care is needed with actives such as retinoids, however. It should not be assumed that a product your face tolerates will be tolerated in the same way on the neck and décolletage.
These areas may call for less product, lower frequency and more careful use.
WHAT DOES YOUR SKIN REALLY NEED IN OCTOBER?
MORNING
1. Gentle cleansing
According to your skin's needs.
2. Antioxidant support
Vitamin C if suitable, or another antioxidant of your choice.
3. Moisture
A moisturiser suited to your skin type.
4. Sun protection
A broad-spectrum sunscreen suitable for daily use.
EVENING
1. Cleansing
Removing make-up and sunscreen from the skin.
2. A chosen active
Not everything at once. If using a retinoid, in a controlled, gradual way.
3. Moisture and barrier support
A moisturiser suited to your skin type, especially as the weather turns cold.
7 CHANGES BEFORE WINTER ARRIVES
1. Reconsider any cleanser that leaves your skin feeling tight.
2. If your skin now finds your light summer moisturiser insufficient, consider changing it.
3. If you would like to use a retinoid, begin without rushing.
4. Don't introduce several strong actives into your routine at the same time.
5. Include your lips, neck, décolletage and hands in your routine.
6. Don't abandon sunscreen in autumn.
7. Don't wait until November and December to prepare your skin for winter.
WHEN TO STOP?
Skincare products should not have to cause discomfort.
If intense burning, marked redness, cracking, swelling or persistent sensitivity develops, it is wiser to simplify your routine rather than increase your actives and, where necessary, to consult a dermatologist.
Retinoids should also not be used during pregnancy; if you are planning a pregnancy, breastfeeding, have a dermatological condition or are on prescription treatment, your personal skincare plan should be reviewed with a healthcare professional.