Stay Hydrated: Essential Korean-style Skincare Routine for Autumn Season

As the summer season gives way to autumn and the mercury drops, so does the humidity. During these transitional periods, dryness, tenseness, redness and even flare-ups and sensitivity are some common skin concerns. But how can we combat summer-to-autumn seasonal skin conditions?

When you swap your summer wardrobe for hoodies and sweaters, consider doing the same for your skincare. If skin issues like dryness and sensitivity sound familiar to you, keep reading for a comprehensive guide on preparing your skin – and routine – for the colder seasons.

Why Should I Change Skincare Products in Different Seasons?

The hot sultry summer weather often leads to excess sebum production, increasing our need for oil-controlling products. But when summer cools into the drier autumn season, our favourite lightweight moisturisers and mattifying sunscreens might not be nourishing enough.

So when we head into the last season of the year, we should turn our skincare focus from 'refreshing' and 'lightweight' to more moisture-heavy items.

Common Autumn Skin Problem ① Dry, Tense, Flaky Skin

The drop in humidity in autumn will reduce our sebum secretion, which can endanger our skin's natural barrier function and accelerate moisture loss. This makes our skin more prone to flaking and dry, tense sensations.

Solutions:

1. Enhance Moisturisation

Light gels and emulsions for the summer season may not be sufficient in the autumn dryness, so consider switching up your collection for more hydrating formulas. When choosing a face serum, look for names like 'hyaluronic acid', 'squalane', or 'panthenol' (vitamin B5 ), as these humectants are dry season goodies that can help absorb and lock in moisture.

Moisturising Serum for Autumn ｜Torriden Dive In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Korea's No.1 moisturising serum has not only earned top spots on Olive Young rankings but stayed there. With a gentle, non-irritating formula, it sends 5 types of hyaluronic acids deep into your skin for quick hydration and soothing care – an absolute blessing for dehydrated sensitive skin.

Moisturising Serum for Autumn ｜ANUA PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum

At the heart of this nourishing and plumping serum is the trending ingredient PDRN. The salmon-derived component promotes collagen production and improves skin elasticity, while a whopping 11 layers of hyaluronic acid and hydrolysed collagen help to hydrate and rejuvenate. Delivering hydration in a nourishing yet thin and weightless texture, it sinks into skin instantly and alleviates dryness from the very first drop, sending moisture to every layer of your skin.

Moisturising Serum for Autumn ｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Matrixyl 10 Boosting Shot Ampoule

Introducing SKIN1004's latest drop – a sensitive skin-friendly microneedle serum! This spicule treatment delivers high concentrations of peptides and other actives deep into skin with microneedle ingredients smaller in size than pores, fully maximising anti-wrinkle and firming effects. The moisture-rich texture is infused with moisturising ingredients like panthenol and hyaluronic acid, as well as Madagascar Centella Asiatica extract for extra calming and repairing bonuses, to protect the skin from external irritation.

Moisturising Serum for Autumn ｜VT Hydrop Reedle Shot 100

The viral Reedle Shot often found sold out at Olive Young stores in South Korea, with accumulative sales having surpassed 3.3 million units! It promotes your skin’s absorption of active ingredients to improve metabolism and revitalize your skin, with an anti-aging and anti-wrinkle effect. The Reedle Shot comes in varying levels of intensity, from 50 to 1000, and with different functional ingredients, including collagen, cica and hydrating hyaluronic acid, to suit different needs and conditions.

Moisturising Serum for Autumn ｜S.Nature Aqua Squalane Serum

While known for their squalane moisturiser, S.Nature's serum offers equally satisfying and instant hydration that keeps your skin nourished throughout the day, visibly improving dry flaking skin. Free from fragrances, artificial colourings and alcohol, the formula boasts excellent moisture-retaining abilities. This serum is first aid in a bottle for sensitive and dry skin types.

2. Use a Thicker Moisturiser

More nourishing creams often contain ingredients like ceramides or shea butter. They offer stronger moisture-locking properties to keep your skin hydrated and your natural barrier protected.

Moisturising Cream for Autumn｜Aestura Atobarrier365 Hydro Soothing Cream

The lightly hydrating gel texture of this cream strikes the perfect balance between barrier-boosting moisture and breathability. Its moisturising dream team of ceramides plus hyaluronic acids offers hydration you can feel, instantly relieving rough, flaky, dry and itchy skin. The light texture is perfect for combination skin or skin that is oily outside and dry inside, all while promising gentle care suitable for sensitive skin.

Moisturising Cream for Autumn｜Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream

Bestseller of the traditional Korean Hanbang-inspired brand Beauty of Joseon, this cream fuses rice bran water with a variety of moisturising ingredients for an all-round hydrating formula you can't go wrong with. The light and spreadable texture glides like water on skin and instils a rich dose of nutrients and nourishment, keeping your natural barrier moisturised and strengthened. Quench your skin and let it glow with renewed health.

Moisturising Cream for Autumn｜Bonajour EGF Time Recovery Solution Cream

If you want top-notch, exquisite care, here it is. Bonajour's EGF cream is a moisturising, repairing, and anti-aging 3-in-1 formula richly concocted with nutritious components like premium EGF and black truffle extract – talk about indulgence. Its powerful repairing benefits work wonders on signs of aging, leaving skin rejuvenated, plump and glowing with vitality.

Moisturising Cream for Autumn｜ROUND LAB Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream

Birch sap has anti-inflammatory and purifying properties and is rich in amino acids, minerals and antioxidants. This all-purpose moisturising cream is free of alcohol, fragrances, preservatives and other irritating ingredients, providing only the minimal moisturisation your skin needs. It relieves dry, flaking skin and hydrates while fortifying your protective barrier, fully alleviating skin discomfort from the inside out.

Moisturising Cream for Autumn｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream

Nourishing with a smooth, rich texture, SKIN1004's Probio-Cica Cream is formulated with fermented centella asiatica, shea butter, and ceramides. It stimulates collagen production alongside intensive hydration, boosting skin plumpness and elasticity from the very bottom of your skin. Engineered with a commitment to clean formulas free from irritating ingredients, this cream is safe for all skin types and especially recommended for mature and extremely dry skin.

3. Hydrate with Oils

If you have extremely dry and dehydrated skin, one skincare tip is to add a few drops of face oil to your routine. Not only does this provide extra nourishment, but the oil also forms a protective layer that can help retain moisture.

Face Oil for Autumn ｜Trilogy Rosapene Bakuchiol Oil

The ultimate gentle anti-aging formula for dry, sensitive skin, safe even for pregnant women. It's concocted with 2% bakuchiol, which helps improve bounce and reduce fine lines, while nourishing with macadamia and tamanu oils to intensely hydrate, lock moisture in and repair your natural barrier. Find your skin restored to a smooth, bouncy and rejuvenated state after use.

Face Oil for Autumn ｜Farmstay Real Avocado Nutrition Oil Serum

A skin- and budget-friendly face oil with a lightweight, non-sticky texture. Rich in minerals, vitamins and amino acids, natural extracts like avocado and green tea deeply penetrate to nourish, adjust oil-water balance, and brighten dull complexions. The high-concentration nutritious formula forms a moisturising film to keep skin hydrated and boost defences.

Face Oil for Autumn ｜Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Firming Face Oil

This face oil is a must-have for dehydrated and mature skin. It nourishes with plant-based essential oils and botanicals, among which natural sea fennel extracts – also known as 'retinol of the sea' – boast great restorative power. The antioxidant formula helps to combat skin aging, smooth fine lines, and brighten dull skin tone.

4. Weekly Intensive Care

Pamper your skin with a face mask at least once a week for intensive moisturisation, which your everyday ordinary skincare may not suffice. Face masks supply for our skin more nutrients and moisture than ordinary skincare, leaving skin smoother, healthier and brighter.

Moisturising Mask for Autumn｜Sungboon Editor Deep Collagen Hyalu-B5 Hydrating Mask

Leading sales not just on Olive Young Global but also on Amazon US, Sungboon Editor’s collagen gel mask uses the hydrating and calming duo of panthenol and hyaluronic acid to fill skin with moisture, repair your skin barrier and leave you with a clarified, healthy glow. No more worrying about the perils of staying up late to your skin, because these masks will patch things up over the night and leave skin moist and bouncy by the time you wake up.

Moisturising Mask for Autumn｜BIODANCE Hydro Cera-nol Real Deep Mask

Claiming top spots on Olive Young rankings right after its launch, Biodance's collagen masks are selling out everywhere, both in Korea and globally. Each sheet is infused with an entire bottle's worth of serum to instantly boost skin elasticity and reduce fine lines. Its magic works in about 3 hours, though you can always keep it on overnight and enjoy the luxury of waking up to soft, clear and glowing skin and foundation that goes on perfectly.

Hydrating with low-molecular hyaluronic acid, ceramides, pure glacial water and other skin soothing agents, the blue mask instantly moisturises and calms red, sensitised skin.

Moisturising Mask for Autumn｜Anua Birch Moisture Sheet Mask

Experience instant skin-quenching hydration and lasting moisture with Anua's birch sap-infused hydrogel masks. It keeps moisture locked within to prevent dryness all day long, even when sitting under air conditioning, and revitalises with a nutritious formula rich in vitamins and minerals.

Moisturising Mask for Autumn｜ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Hydrating Water Gel Mask

A household name when it comes to moisturising sheet masks, Round Lab's 1025 Dokdo Mask features a patented formula of deep sea water drawn from 1500m deep in Ulleungdo, Korea. Its nourishing blend of 8 layers of hyaluronic acids and 8 types of amino acids moisturises and strengthens the skin barrier. If you're bothered by dry, sensitive and compromised skin in autumn, here is your skin health first aid kit.

Moisturising Mask for Autumn｜Rejuran Healer Skin Protection Mask Sheet

Not quite ready to try the Rejuran injection treatment? Then be sure to try Rejuran in a sheet – the Healer Skin Protection Mask! The patented high-purity PDRN formula promotes skin regeneration and repairs damage. Offering intense hydration, it strengthens skin barrier defences against external stimuli. Enjoy medical-grade cosmetic effects from the comfort of your own home!

Common Autumn Skin Problem ② Post-Summer Sun Hyperpigmentation

The skin's metabolic cycle of about 28 days makes this the approximate duration required between melanin synthesis and its journey to the skin surface. This is why sun exposure during summer, coupled with newly produced melanin in autumn, can result in a tan, or other kinds of UV-induced pigmentation, in autumn. To combat accumulated melanin from the summer sun and improve dull, uneven skin tones, brightening care is crucial in your autumn skincare regime.

Solutions:

1. Brightening Serums

Common brightening ingredients, such as vitamin C, niacinamide, or tranexamic acids, help inhibit melanin formation to maintain a radiant, clarified complexion. Antioxidants within these components also repair photodamage (skin damage caused by sunlight), boost the skin's own defences and slow down the skin aging process.

Brightening Serum for Autumn｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Niacinamide 10 Boosting Shot Ampoule

Sensitive skin? Think microneedle treatments are out of your league? SKIN1004 has just the right solution for you. This spicule treatment delivers niacinamide, tranexamic acid and other anti-aging and brightening actives deep into skin with microneedle ingredients smaller in size than pores. It brightens dull tones and evens out complexions with a pore-tightening effect, leaving you with smooth, glowing glass skin. It's also infused with Madagascar Centella Asiatica extract for extra calming bonuses to protect the skin from external irritation.

Brightening Serum for Autumn｜Medicube TXA Niacinamide 15 Serum

To see brightening results that are not only visible but also quick, go for the Medicube TXA Niacinamide Serum! This clarifying serum leaves skin clear and healthy-looking in just 72 hours, with a lightweight, non-sticky texture and a highly potent formula of 15% tranexamic acid (TXA) and niacinamide that improves uneven skin tone, rough skin texture and dryness.

Brightening Serum for Autumn｜Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Care Serum

This Olive Young top-ranking brightening essence is the secret weapon of Korean girls against acne scars and blemishes. Formulated with fresh green tangerines, which are potent in antioxidants and have 10x more vitamin C than lemons, not only does this serum reduce blemishes, but it also brightens, evens skin tone and improves skin moisture retention.

Brightening Serum for Autumn｜Arencia Holy Hyssop Serum 30

Making a whopping 1 billion Korean won’s worth of sales in just 3 hours, Arencia’s buzzed-about 'cool tone' Holy Hyssop serum is more often out of stock than in stock at Olive Young stores for how fiercely coveted it is. Its main component being French Hyssop Extract, the cool tone serum is also rich in vitamins A, C and E and boasts pore-shrinking, spot-fading and brightening effects. It’s proven to improve dull yellow tones in just two weeks for a clarified, dewy and fair complexion.

Brightening Serum for Autumn｜Numbuzin No.5+ Vitamin Concentrated Serum

One of Olive Young's hero serums, this powerful, high-concentration antioxidant formula contains 98% pure glutathione, vitamin C, arbutin and other active brightening ingredients. It delivers all-round brightening care and combat spots, blemishes, uneven skin tone, and dullness. See your skin grow a shade brighter in just two weeks!

2. Don't Let Your Guard Down with Sunscreen!

While temperatures may have dropped slightly, the intensity of UV rays in autumn has not waned. This means sun protection isn't any less vital than in the summer season. Sunlight, coupled with the autumn dryness, calls for sun care formulas that can protect and moisturise at once.

Light Hydrating Sunscreen for Autumn｜Abib Sedum Hyaluron Sunscreen Watery Tube SPF50+ PA++++

Enjoy deep nourishment and lasting moisture-locking effects with this hyaluronic acid and humectant-rich formula! Its light, watery texture moisturises and wards off dryness with an airy, barely-there feel. Leaving no white cast or grease, the reef friendly formula is perfect for both everyday use and days out at the beach. If you could only use one sunscreen this autumn, this would be the one.

Light Hydrating Sunscreen for Autumn｜Cell Fusion C Laser UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA+++

Meet the sunscreen voted on Korean beauty websites as the 'smoothest, best-fitting sunscreen'! In addition to excellent SPF50+ UV protection, this powerful formula is also infused with collagen and antioxidants to support skin repair, preventing and mitigating skin aging caused by UV rays. With elasticity-boosting benefits, this sunscreen is a whole UV shield for mature skin.

Light Hydrating Sunscreen for Autumn｜Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

A purely physical sunscreen made from 100% zinc oxide. Hypoallergenic and with skin irritation tests completed, this tube provides for sensitive skin gentle, non-irritating, yet highly effective UV protection. The slightly tinted formula naturally brightens your complexion and adds a subtle hydrated glow with hyaluronic acid, leaving your skin tone radiant and healthy even with no makeup on.

Light Hydrating Sunscreen for Autumn｜Goodal Houttuynia Cordata Calming Moisture Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

Enriched with soothing Heartleaf (Houttuynia Cordata) extract from Jeju Island in South Korea, this K-beauty favourite shields against UVA and UVB damage while relieving redness and irritation, ideal for both sun care and post-sun care. The airy, lotion-like texture sinks into skin lightly with intense hydrating power and no white cast. If you have sensitive skin and are looking for a good solid daily sunscreen that doesn't irritate, reach for the green Goodal tube.

Light Hydrating Sunscreen for Autumn｜Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++

Beauty of Joseon may be known for its Relief Sun line, but that's not the only sunscreen the brand has to offer. This mild, plant-based formula, safe even for pregnant women, fully shields skin from risks of tanning, redness, photo-aging and even sunburn. Supporting your skin with a concoction of saponin-rich ginseng extract, it hydrates, moisturises, and keeps your water-oil levels balanced to strengthen your skin's natural defences, leaving skin healthier and stronger.

Common Autumn Skin Problem ③ Increased Skin Sensitivity

Unstable weather during seasonal changes can compromise our skin barrier, leaving skin in a vulnerable period of fragility and lowered resistance against external stimuli. Skin can then become prone to redness, flare-ups and discomfort. When nurturing fragile skin, minimalist skincare and a focus on repair is key. Avoid potentially irritating products containing alcohol, fragrances, and high concentrations of acids; instead, prioritise formulas that contain restorative ingredients like madecassoside, asiaticoside, panthenol, and squalane.

Solutions:

1. Choose Gentle, Hydrating Cleansers

Over-cleansing can strip our faces of essential oils and remove the skin's natural protective barrier layer. To protect vulnerable skin in autumn, go for mild, amino-acid based cleansing formulas. Lather the solution into a rich foam in your hands to reduce friction before using on your face, and try not to rub with force.

Gentle Cleanser for Autumn｜Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam

This foaming cleanser refreshes pores and whisks away old dead skin cells with rich, soft foam and a comforting formula of 33% Heartleaf extract and proprietary oil-controlling ingredients. Ideal for sensitive and oily skin, it leaves skin clean but not stripped and your pores clear and breathable.

Gentle Cleanser for Autumn｜ANUA Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder

Meet Anua's take on the viral mochi cleanser! You can lather this multi-purpose cleanser into a foam like a normal face wash – or add some water to switch things up. Water transforms the mixture into a smooth, stretchy texture that gently blankets your skin and rolls away dead skin cells and pore-clogging impurities like a wash-off mask, leaving your skin soft and your skin tone clear and even without stripping.

Gentle Cleanser for Autumn｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam

Cleansing gently with coconut-based surfactants, the rich, fine foam seeps through each crack and crevice in your skin to get rid of old dead cells and facilitate skin metabolism. The addition of centella asiatica also soothes sensitivity and stabilises skin conditions. Nourishing with a skin-friendly subacidic pH 5.5 formula, a pH value close to that of the skin's natural barrier, this cleanser doesn't strip, damage skin surface lipids, or sting the eye area. Skin is left soft and smooth with no tightness.

Gentle Cleanser for Autumn｜Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk Cleanser

A moisturising cleansing lotion rich in Yam Root, which is rich in amino acids and soothes sensitised skin. The hypoallergenic and vegan formula offers utmost comfort in a delicate foamy texture that eliminates impurities and leaves skin pure and pristine. Dewy and smooth, your skin will feel as if you were using a lotion and not a cleanser.

Gentle Cleanser for Autumn｜CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (For Normal to Dry Skin)

Developed with dermatologists for dry sensitive skin, CeraVe's signature 3 Essential Ceramides formula repairs your natural barrier and strengthens resistance against external aggression. This blend of hyaluronic acids with amino acid-based cleansing agents promise an extremely gentle cleanse that keeps the skin's stratum corneum moisturised.

2. Soothe with Skincare

Rapid and unstable temperature changes tend to irritate our skin and cause discomfort. Reach for products containing centella asiatica, Houttuynia cordata (heartleaf) or tea tree, as these are botanicals excellent in calming flare-ups and relieving redness and inflammation.

Soothing Skincare for Autumn｜ROUND LAB Pine Calming Cica Ampoule

Designed for sensitive acne-prone skin, ROUND LAB's calming ampoule fuses pine leaf extract and 5 centella asiatica ingredients to quickly relieve skin discomfort and soothe redness caused by acne or inflammation. Delivering instant calming care in a delightfully watery and absorbable texture, you'd want to keep a bottle handy and take a few drops whenever your skin needs a patch-up. Whether for daily skincare or a quick fix, this formula proves itself extremely versatile.

Soothing Skincare for Autumn｜Abib Heartleaf TECA Capsule Serum Calming Drop

Each green dot in this solution is a concentrated centella asiatica capsule that can calm redness and stabilise skin. Heartleaf is also added to help control sebum production and reduce acne marks, closed comedones and blackheads. Minimalist and fragrance-free, this serum is suitable for sensitive skin and ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.

Soothing Skincare for Autumn｜Dr.G Red Blemish Clear Soothing Cream

This soothing moisturiser has long topped Olive Young's rankings. A potent fusion of 10 centella asiatica complexes, it offers deep repair for all kinds of compromised skin, whether after sun exposure, medical aesthetics treatments, or regular itching, redness, and stinging. It hydrates with ultra-fine moisture particles smaller than pores to leave skin tender and radiant.

Soothing Skincare for Autumn｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule

Featuring top-quality Centella from Madagascar, SKIN1004’s flagship ampoule is a holy grail for sensitive skin, thanks to its excellent restorative and soothing properties. It rapidly relieves skin sensitivity and restores skin to a healthy, radiant state by strengthening its natural barrier, balancing water-oil levels and combating other skin concerns.

Soothing Skincare for Autumn｜PURITO Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented

A gentle serum designed for sensitive skin with high concentrations of centella asiatica extract to instantly soothe sensitive skin discomfort, while an addition of allantoin and peptides help moisturise and strengthen the skin barrier. Nurtures sensitive skin with a lightly moist and comfortable texture and no added fragrances and alcohol.

3. Nurture with Restorative Formulas

Skincare containing ceramides or snail mucin have restorative benefits that can form a protective film to heal injured and inflamed skin.

Restoring Skincare for Autumn｜Anua 7 Rice Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum

Fusing rice bran water with rice extracts, Anua's own Rice Water complex is 3 times more effective in brightening compared to ordinary rice bran water. Working in tandem with ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, this rice formula mends compromised skin barriers and keeps your skin hydrated and sebum production balanced. The natural and mild formula is free of artificial fragrances so that damaged and sensitive skin types can use it with confidence.

Restoring Skincare for Autumn｜COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Snail Mucin is rich in collagen and elastin, and can soothe, firm and hydrate all at once. COSRX's iconic Snail Mucin Power Essence is formulated with a rich 96.3% Snail Mucin content, delivering nourishment you can feel. The essence penetrates skin for deep repair and restore, fortifying your natural barrier and alleviating flare-ups for healthy luminosity from within.

Restoring Skincare for Autumn｜Bonajour Rose Stemcell Ampoule

Containing high-grade rose ingredients for your skin to drink up, this premium serum is concocted with 56% rosa centifolia flower water to deliver endless moisture and a slew of nutrients deep into your skin. Complete brightening and anti-wrinkle care with just one bottle to always let your skin stay in top shape!

Restoring Skincare for Autumn｜Dr.Althea 147 Barrier Cream

Just like the 345 Cream, the name of this moisturiser is derived from its formula of 1 barrier-strengthening ingredient, 4 types of ceramides and 7 types of hyaluronic acid. This cream's arsenal of benefits doesn't just stop at the basics like hydration and barrier care; armed with antioxidants, it also helps with anti-aging and improving skin elasticity, leaving even dry, sensitive skin plump and moisturised.

Restoring Skincare for Autumn｜Aestura Atobarrier 365 Lotion

Made with damaged and sensitive skin in mind, this golden repair formula combines ceramides and fatty acids to deeply moisturise, soothe and firm while strengthening skin's moisture barrier. The fresh yet hydrating texture spreads smoothly and absorbs effortlessly into any skin type, thanks to a clean and safe formula free from 7 irritating ingredients.