Summer style is usually a bit more relaxed and carefree, and the same goes for your beauty routine. Which makes the warmer months prime time to do some damage to your skin. We’re talking sun damage, greasy products, buildup and general neglect. It’s time to get your skin balanced before the seasons change again.

Whatever you’ve done (or not done) to your skin this season, let us help you prepare for a fresh-faced fall with a few tips from Kiehl’s global spokesperson Cammie Cannella.

This summer you…

Ditched your beauty routine for a pared down regimen…

“People pare down their routine because they’re wanting to be outside or they’re feeling a little more casual, free and easy so they cut back a bit,” says Cannella. There’s no shame in stripping back your beauty routine for something a bit more streamlined this summer. (As long as you still apply daily SPF of course.) But to get your skin back to a healthy and hydrated place, it’s time to add a few steps back into your regime. Cannella recommends beefing up your routine with a mask a couple times a week. “As the weather gets a little cooler, you’re not out as much and hopefully spending a little more time on pampering. You’re going to get immediate benefits with a mask—which everybody’s looking for today.”

Did some sun damage…

So you forgot your daily SPF, or happened to get too much colour one day. “The first thing you’re going to want to do is help renew your skin,” says Cannella, “replenish it, help bring the new, healthy skin to the surface.” To do this try a scrub and mask combo. “You don’t want [good skin-care products] to sit on the surface of dead skin cells, so a scrub of some kind evens it and helps skin turn over more quickly.” Not to mention once you scrub, your skin is going to get the full benefits of whatever you put on it next.

Ole Henriksen Truth Sugar Glow Polishing Mask, $55, sephora.com.

Got greasy with summer products…

A scrub will help get rid of any build-up on your skin thanks to greasy products, dead skin cells and sweat. But instead of going back to heavy moisturizers try layering with lighter products like toners and serums. “Nobody wants greasy, heavy feeling products on their face,” says Cannella, “and layering is really just a method of applying doses of active ingredients in a comfortable way.” Remember to layer from lightest to heaviest (i.e. toner, serum, moisturizer) and to include a light moisturizer as a final step to lock in all those good-for-you ingredients.

Kiehl's Custom Preparations Serum, $110, kiehls.ca.

Tried too many products and your skin is reacting…

The struggle is real when you want to try all sorts of new products and treatments all at once. The result? Usually it’s inflamed and irritated skin. Too much of a good thing is still too much. “One of the biggest mistakes I’m seeing today is an overuse of alpha hydroxyl acids [chemical exfoliants],” says Cannella, “when you start putting them all on you can actually get the opposite of what you’re going for—flaky, irritated unbalanced skin.” Cannella recommends introducing anything new (especially anything with active ingredients) very slowly and focusing on hydration to combat any irritation caused by overuse of these sometimes harsh ingredients.

L'Occitane En Provence Gentle Toner, $28, sephora.ca.

Generally neglected your skin…

If you don’t know where to start or what’s causing your skin to feel lackluster, book a facial or assessment to get some tips from a pro. Cannella says it’s ideal to visit a professional every 4–6 weeks, but if that’s a bit much for you, try to do it every time the season changes instead. The point? To get a new perspective on a regimen that might not be working and suggestions from someone who knows their stuff. “It’s nice to think about what skin goals you have, what you are loving about your skin right now, what changes you’ve seen,” says Cannella, “those are worthwhile thoughts to have because they can change from day-to-day.”