Your Fall Skincare Refresh: A Guide to Hydrating Your Skin

Sep 24, 2025

by Bonnie Giangrande minute read

As the seasons change and the air turns cooler and drier, it's time to adapt your skincare routine. The lightweight products that worked for you in summer may not be enough to combat the dryness of fall. Now is the perfect time to adjust your regimen with richer, more hydrating options.

Step Up Your Hydration with a double Cleansing Routine and Moisturizer

Your skin's needs change with the weather. While a light cleanser and moisturizer may have been perfect for summer's humidity, you'll likely want to switch to more nourishing formulas for fall. Using our RE+NU Cleansing Oil + Gel Cleanser as a double cleanse removes makeup and impurities without stripping your skin. This process leaves your skin feeling clean, soft, and ready for your fall routine.

Consider a richer Moisturizer with key ingredients like ceramides, which are essential fatty acids that help replenish the skin's natural barrier in colder temperatures. For a natural alternative, our Nourishing Night Cream is formulated with citrus oils to moisturize without clogging pores. Our Repair Eye Cream is also a must-have, as this delicate area needs a concentrated formula to address signs of aging and stress.

While cleansing and moisturizing are crucial, they aren’t the only steps to a healthy fall routine.

Key Steps and Products to Add This Season

You don't need to completely overhaul your routine. Instead, focus on adding a few key steps to boost hydration.

Oxygen Mask for a Revitalizing Boost

A face mask can deliver a powerful surge of moisture and nutrients, and our Oxygen Mask with CoQ10 and Fruit Extracts provides a revitalizing boost. Adding this mask to your routine a few times a week will help prevent dryness and give your skin a smoother, softer, and more radiant look.

This unique formula works to unclog and decongest pores, allowing your other products to be absorbed more effectively. With a blend of fruit extracts and CoQ10, your skin will be left looking healthy and feeling refreshed.

Don't Skip Exfoliation (Just Do It Less) Exfoliation is still important for removing dead skin buildup, but your skin is more vulnerable to irritation in cooler weather. Cut back on exfoliating to once every two weeks with our gentle Hydra Whip Exfoliant. Follow with a serum and a moisturizer to protect your skin.

Switch to a Hydrating Toner While clarifying toners are great for summer, a hydrating toner is perfect for fall. Look for an alcohol-free formula that helps strengthen your skin's barrier and delivers hydration. Our Organic Rose Petal and Hibiscus Toner is rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants to hydrate and balance the skin, and to help minimize the appearance of pores.

Add a Serum to Your Routine Serums have smaller molecules and a higher concentration of active ingredients than moisturizers, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the skin for faster results. Adding a serum can address specific concerns like wrinkles, dark spots, and dehydration. Using a serum in conjunction with your moisturizer will lock in hydration and give you a smoother, healthier complexion. Consider our Vitamin C Serum with Matrixyl to brighten your skin and protect it from environmental stressors.

Will You Be Making These Changes?

Just as you adapt your wardrobe for the new season, your skincare routine needs to change, too. Protecting and hydrating your skin is key as the temperature drops. By swapping your cleansing routine, upgrading your moisturizer, and adding in a serum, mask, and eye cream, your skin will look brighter and more radiant all season long.

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How Skincare Ingredients Penetrate Your Skin (and Why It Matters)

May 13, 2025

by Bonnie Giangrande

minute read

Does Your Skincare Actually Sink In? The Truth About Product Penetration

Ever wondered if the skincare products you are investing in are actually being absorbed by your skin? Never mind the associated costs and the desired results, let's delve into the reality of ingredient penetration and absorption to deliver on those stated claims.

Let’s take a look at the function of the skin, our largest organ, and how it operates as our protective barrier.

The skin is made up of three layers:

The epidermis, known as the waterproof barrier, sits at the top. Within the epidermis is the stratum corneum, which is made up of dead skin cells arranged like tiles on a roof, overlapping one another and glued together with fatty acids.
The dermis is the middle layer of the skin and where elastin, collagen, connective tissue, blood vessels, hair follicles, and sweat glands reside.
And finally, the bottom layer of the skin is called the hypodermis, the innermost layer of the skin that comprises fat and connective tissue.

When talking about skincare products, it's important to note that skin is not a sponge. "Most topical skincare products work on the surface of the skin, in the epidermis (top layer), and only a small percentage of ingredients are absorbed deeper to reach the dermis," confirms board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss.

This is because the stratum corneum, with its tight network of cells and lipids, is designed to keep things out, acting as a formidable barrier against the outside world.

Factors Affecting Absorption:

While the skin's barrier function is a primary factor, other elements influence how well skincare products penetrate:

Molecule Size: Smaller molecules have a better chance of passing through the stratum corneum.
Lipophilicity: Ingredients that are "oil-loving" (lipophilic) can more easily integrate with the skin's lipid-rich environment.
Concentration: A higher concentration of an active ingredient may lead to increased penetration.
Formulation: The way a product is formulated (e.g., serum, cream, ointment) affects its ability to deliver ingredients.
Skin Condition: Compromised skin barriers (due to dryness, irritation, or conditions like eczema) may allow for greater penetration.
Application Technique: Gentle massage can sometimes enhance absorption by increasing blood flow and contact time.

Ingredients That Actually Penetrate:

While most ingredients stay on the surface, some have been shown to penetrate the stratum corneum to some extent. These include:

Small Molecular Weight Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid (in its smaller forms like hyaluronate), certain peptides, and some vitamins (like Vitamin C) can penetrate to a degree.
Vitamins: Other vitamins like Vitamin A derivatives (beyond just retinol, such as retinyl esters) and Vitamin E can also penetrate to some extent. Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), although primarily known for its barrier-strengthening properties, can also penetrate the stratum corneum.
Lipophilic Ingredients: Retinoids (like retinol) are oil-soluble and can effectively penetrate the skin.
Chemical Exfoliants: AHAs (like glycolic and lactic acid) and BHAs (like salicylic acid) work by loosening the bonds between skin cells, allowing for better penetration of other ingredients.
Enzymes: Certain enzymes, like papain or bromelain (derived from papaya and pineapple, respectively), can have exfoliating effects and potentially enhance the penetration of other ingredients by breaking down proteins in the upper layers of the skin.
Squalane: (From Olive Oil): A highly emollient lipid that is easily absorbed into the skin.
Glycolic Acid: Another AHA and a potent chemical exfoliant that penetrates the stratum corneum.
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil: (Tamanu): An oil known for its ability to penetrate the skin.
Essential Oils: Some essential oils contain compounds that may enhance penetration, like Lavender, Lemongrass and Citrus Oils.
Carrier Systems: Some formulations use "carrier systems" like liposomes or microencapsulation to help deliver ingredients deeper into the skin.

Tips for Maximizing Product Absorption:

While you can't drastically alter your skin's natural barrier, you can optimize your skincare routine to improve product absorption:

Cleanse Properly: Start with a clean base using Lactic Acid, An AHA that exfoliates and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients.to remove dirt, oil, and debris that can hinder absorption.
Exfoliate Regularly: Gentle exfoliation (physical or chemical) removes dead skin cells, allowing products to penetrate more effectively.
Apply Products in the Right Order: Apply thinnest to thickest. Serums with smaller molecules should generally go on before heavier creams.
Use Targeted Treatments: Serums and concentrates often have higher concentrations of active ingredients designed for better penetration.
Consider Occlusives: Applying a layer of an occlusive like the RE+NU Luxury Beauty Oil as the last step can help to seal in other products and enhance their absorption.
Be Patient and Consistent: Results take time. Consistent use of well-formulated products is key.

The Takeaway:

While your skin is a powerful barrier, certain ingredients and formulation techniques can help skincare products penetrate beyond the surface. Understanding the factors that affect absorption can help you make informed choices about your skincare routine and maximize the benefits of your products.

What are your favorite tips for maximizing skincare absorption? Share them in the comments below!

The Power of Exfoliation: Unlocking Radiant Skin ✨

Jun 17, 2024

by Bonnie Giangrande

minute read

Face exfoliation is an incredibly important step in a skincare routine anytime of year, but especially so in the summertime. When it comes to facial exfoliation, there are many benefits. From improving circulation, removing dead skin cells, improving the absorbency of subsequent skincare and makeup products, and so much more. Let's dive a little deeper into what exactly facial exfoliation is.

What is Face Exfoliation?

Face exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from your face. This is typically done with a grainy exfoliating product and even sometimes with the help of a facial exfoliation tool. It's important to use a quality exfoliation product that is gentle yet effective on your skin.

RENU Hydra Whip Exfoliant was formulated with walnut shell powder for an effective yet gentle exfoliation to cleanse your face while also polishing, buffing, and unclogging your pores.

5 Reasons Why You Should Exfoliate Your Face

Like we stated above, face exfoliation has MANY benefits. Let's dive deeper into some of the benefits you'll see when you regularly exfoliate using a gentle yet quality facial exfoliator.

1.) Removes Dead Skin Cells & Promotes Cell Turnover

Face exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells from your face and also helps to remove age spots that were dead skin cells with pigmentation.

When your skin is freshly exfoliated, it is then exposed which helps promote the production of new cells.

2.) Improves Circulation

Facial exfoliation helps to improve circulation because when you are exfoliating your face, you are stimulating the blood vessels that lie beneath your skin. When you stimulate these blood vessels, you are improving the circulation which then gives each cell more oxygen and nutrients.

3.) Unclogs Your Pores

Exfoliating your face can help to unclog pores and dead skin buildup from the surface of your skin. When you exfoliate and remove the dead layer of skin away, you're helping to prevent getting clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads, and even acne.

4.) Allows For Better Product Absorption

If you're using other subsequent skincare products or applying makeup, face exfoliation will help to remove those dead skin cells and allows other products to penetrate the skin and work more effectively, or allows makeup to apply smoother and look better!

5.) Brightens Your Complexion

Overall, face exfoliation will help to brighten your overall complexion because of everything listed above! It will help to remove dead skin cells and promote cell turnover, improve your circulation, unclog your pores, and allow for better absorption of other skincare products and make makeup application easier.

5 FAQ's About Face Exfoliation

There are many questions around face exfoliation, so let's dive into some common questions we get surrounding exfoliating your face and more!

Q: Is it OK to Exfoliate Your Face Daily?

We do not recommend exfoliating your face daily. Face exfoliation should be done no more than 2-3 times per week with a gentle exfoliator. The reason for this is over exfoliating your face can damage your skins natural barrier. In some people, this can lead to irritation among other symptoms.

Q: Is it Better to Exfoliate at Night or in The Morning?

Truthfully, the answer to this question will vary on your skin and what your routine looks like.

While exfoliating at night will allow your skin to repair itself while you sleep, if you use more potent ingredients such as retinol in your nightly skincare, it may be best to exfoliate in the morning. Check out our "Is Natural Enough? How Actives Increase Efficiency In Your Skincare Products" to see more on the benefits of retinol and other active ingredients in skincare!

If you have more oily skin, then you may wish to exfoliate in the morning so you can start your day with clear and refreshed skin and can better apply your other products and makeup if desired.

Q: Should I Moisturize After Exfoliating?

Yes! Moisturizing after exfoliating is recommended and part of our simple 4 step skincare routine. After you exfoliate with a gentle exfoliator, it is recommended to follow up with a moisturizer to help replenish the skin and protect it.

Q: What Happens if You Don't Exfoliate Your Face?

If you don't exfoliate your face, over time you may start to notice that your complexion looks dull, you may notice an uneven skin tone or dark spots, and your pores may look or become clogged. This will lead to black heads over time and you may even experience acne.

Exfoliating really helps to polish and buff your skin to remove any trapped dirt or oils to give you a brighter and clearer complexion.

Q: Do You Use Face Wash or Scrub First?

The first step in your skincare routine should always be to use a gentle facial cleanser! Even when you are using an exfoliator, we recommend washing your face with the cleanser first.

This will help to cleanse your skin and prep it for exfoliation, which is another step to really get what's trapped in your skin out, and having a smoother and cleanser surface to work with will help the facial exfoliator to be more effective.

How to Exfoliate Your Face in 3 Easy Steps

Now that we've gone into what face exfoliation is, the benefits, and answered some frequently asked questions, let's go into HOW to exfoliate your face for the best results.

Step 1: Scoop out the product into the palm of damp hands and blend it into a mousse like consistency.

Step 2: Apply to your wet face. You'll want to start at your cheeks and move into a circular motion, moving up towards your nose and forehead.

Step 3: Rinse your face with warm water (not hot), and gently wash away the product. You can repeat this 2-3 times a week after cleansing your face with a cleanser.

Will You Be Incorporating Face Exfoliation Into Your Skincare Routine?

We hope that you start to exfoliate your face so you can reap the benefits that it has to offer. Make sure to check out our "The Benefits of a Morning Skincare Routine" and "A Step-by-Step Nighttime Skincare Routine" for help in setting a consistent morning and night routine for your skin!

You'll also love our most recent drop of Cucumber Drench Body Lotion which is perfect for summer so you can drench your skin in hydrating goodness! Have questions in the meantime? Reach out to us and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have, or follow us over on Instagram for more!

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