The second fall comes around, our skincare priorities usually tend to shift. We start reaching for richer face creams, adding extra hydration, and maybe finally remembering the lip balm at the bottom of our bag we bought last fall. But as for the skin from the neck down? Suddenly it's living under sweaters, leggings, and jeans and we forget it exists until spring hits.
A good fall body care routine does not need to add an extra 30 minutes to your night. As temperatures around us drop, the air becomes drier and a implementing few simple changes can help keep your body feeling smooth, hydrated, and cared for. Even when no one is seeing your legs for the next six months.
Why Does Body Skin Get Neglected in the Fall?
During summer, we naturally pay more attention to our bodies. Wearing clothing like shorts, swimsuits, tank tops, and sandals mean more of our skin is visible, making things like shaving, exfoliating and applying SPF a higher priority on the list.
Then sweater weather arrives.
Once we start covering up, it can become easy to fall into an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. At the same time, fall brings new environmental changes that can make proper body care even more important.
Cooler temperatures outside, lower humidity, indoor heating, and hot showers are all things that can contribute to the skin on your body feeling dry in autumn. Your skin may start feeling tighter, rougher, or flakier even though it's covered up by a few more layers.
That is why body skincare for autumn should focus less on getting your skin “prepped for summer” and more on keeping your skin barrier comfortable and supported throughout the cooler, drier months.
What Happens to Your Skin Under Heavier Layers?
Although sweaters and leggings are comfy and cozy, the skin underneath them has a slightly different experience.
Heavier or tighter fabrics can create unwanted friction against the skin, while sweat, oil, and dead skin can become trapped underneath that clothing. For some people, that combination can contribute to Keratosis Pilaris, texture, clogged pores, ingrown hairs, or body breakouts—especially in areas where clothing fits tightly.
At the same time, the colder air is pulling moisture from your skin. Throw a steaming hot shower after a freezing day into the mix, and your skin may have an even harder time holding onto hydration.
Now I'm not saying we shouldn't bundle up and treat ourselves to a warm shower when it gets cold. The goal is simply to adjust your routine to give the skin that gets affected most a little extra attention.
Which Areas Need the Most Attention in Fall?
Your elbows, knees, arms, and legs are amazing places to start because those areas tend to show dryness and rough texture easily. The backs of the arms may also develop Keratosis Pilaris bumps or uneven texture, while areas that are regularly shaved can become more prone to dryness and ingrown hairs.
Your back, chest, and booty all deserve some love too. These areas spend most of fall buried underneath layers where sweat and oil can buildup over time, especially if you work out in fitted clothing.
If you want to keep your legs smooth during fall, consistency will matter much more than waiting until the first warm day of spring and trying to undo months of neglect in one shower.
A little maintenance now saves your skin from playing an intense game of catch-up later.
How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Body?
Your ideal body exfoliation schedule should depend on your skin, the exfoliation method you use, and how your skin tolerates exfoliation.
For many people, exfoliating around one to two times per week is the perfect starting point. The goal should be to remove excess dead skin buildup and smooth rough texture while keeping the skin barrier healthy!
Physical exfoliation can be especially satisfying to perform on the body, but remember harder is not better. You shouldn't need to aggressively scrub your skin until it turns pink to feel like your exfoliation worked.
This is where a device like the Personal Microderm can easily fit into a body care routine. Microdermabrasion combines physical exfoliation and suction to efficiently remove dead skin buildup and improve the look and feel of texture. One of my favorite features about our Microderm devices is that they all have a body cap and an assortment of body discs which makes for simple but very effective exfoliation.
Another device that offers easy, customizable exfoliation is our Clean Body. Use the loofah attachment for gentle exfoliation, the body polisher to smooth rough texture, or rougher areas like the heels and feet. The relax massage attachment is an amazing bonus this device offers to use for relief from everyday body aches.
If your skin starts to feel unusually tight, tender, itchy, or irritated, take that as your sign to slow things down. Your exfoliation routine should leave your skin feeling smoother—not angry at you!
Don’t Forget to Moisturize
Exfoliation steals the spotlight because you can usually immediately notice the difference, but hydration is what helps maintain that soft, smooth feeling.
As you moisturize your body in cooler weather, look for rich formulas containing ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or squalane. These ingredients help attract moisture into the skin, and they work overtime to keep it there!
An easy trick to get an extra hydration boost is to apply your moisturizer shortly after cleansing while your skin is still slightly damp. Doing this helps lock in some of that extra moisture rather than applying when your skin feels completely dry to start.
And yes, you still need to moisturize your body even if your legs are going directly back into sweatpants.
Your 10-Minute Weekly Fall Body Care Routine
Your body care routine for fall really can be simple. Set aside a few extra minutes every a week to give the areas you've probably forgotten about a little extra attention.
Start with a warm, not scorching, shower to cleanse the skin. Next, using your preferred method, go ahead and exfoliate! If you use a body-safe microdermabrasion device, make sure you follow its specific instructions and avoid repeatedly exfoliating over the same area.
Afterward, apply a generous layer of your favorite body oil, lotion or moisturizer. Spend an extra few seconds working it into any particularly dry areas like the elbows, knees, heels, and lower legs.
On the days between exfoliation, keep your cleansing gentle and moisturize when your skin needs it. If you shave, it may be beneficial to plan your exfoliation around shaving days to avoid doing too much to the skin at once.
Keep Caring for the Skin You Can’t See
Covering up for fall does not mean your body care routine needs to disappear with your shorts!
A consistent fall body care routine built around gentle exfoliation, hydration, and barrier support can help keep your skin comfortable and smooth throughout seasonal change. Pay attention to how your skin acclimates with the season and adjust your routine accordingly. Some weeks may call for extra exfoliation, while others may need a little more hydration.
Your skin is still your skin whether it is in a swimsuit or buried under three layers and an oversized sweater. Give it a little extra love now, and it will thank you when shorts and sandals season makes its comeback!
