I'm 52 and test skin care for a living — these are my 6 anti-aging must-haves for fall

Retinol is one of the few skin care ingredients clinically proven to prevent and soften wrinkles, but it can be a bit harsh on your skin, especially at the start. Since I'm going back into retinol use after a summer without, I'm starting here. 

This gentle beginner’s retinol cream was developed by scientists in Philadelphia and combines retinol with bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative that boosts collagen with fewer side effects. Together, they deliver results without the typical irritation. In fact, research shows that bakuchiol can enhance the effectiveness of retinol while helping stabilize it. 

At a .1% retinol concentration, and with the addition of high-quality skin-nourishing ingredients like grape-seed oil, this affordable cream is an ideal skin-firming agent, and it's an especially good entry point for retinoid newbies. I'll use this for a few weeks before switching to my all-time favorite over-the-counter retinoid, Differin. 

Did you know your mouth gets drier as you age, and this includes your lips? Even though I literally wrote a guide to avoiding chapped lips last winter, if I don't plan ahead, I still find myself with a cracked, bone-dry pucker come winter and fall.

And, while I love my trusty Aquafor, I picked up this delightful salve at the grocery store a few weeks back and I may never use another lip treatment again. It's made of chamomile, calendula and sunflower seed oil. It's rich, moisturizing, soothing and just plain ol' effective and pleasant on your mouth. I would pay three times as much for this balm but am happy to report that it's just 7 bucks. 

Ask any dermatologist about an essential skin-care regimen post-40 and they're bound to mention vitamin C. And, as an antioxidant that specifically treats sun damage and brightens and evens skin tone, it's an especially effective ingredient for your skin right now. 

It's important to note that vitamin C is an extremely unstable molecule that degrades rapidly when exposed to elements like sunlight or heat. Because of this and because it requires careful formulating and packaging, you'd be hard-pressed to find an effective version that's under, say, $20. (Believe me, I've tried.)

Among the closest I've come is this one by Timeless. It's lightweight, absorbs quickly, is less sticky than C-Firma and contains the right percentage of the main ingredient, combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid. Timeless's version also boasts more than 6,000 exuberant 5-star reviews on Amazon, all repeating something along the lines of this one: "OMG!! Someone finally did Vitamin C RIGHT, and they’re NOT charging 100’s of $$ per ounce!!"

My one big skin care splurge for fall is this award-winning serum. It's an excellent foil for lingering-summer dark spots and melasma as it contains malassezin, a powerful antioxidant that targets pigmentation, as well as niacinamide to help even skin tone. 

My colleague Marie Lodi credits it with fading hyperpigmentation on her cheeks earlier this year and it was even used on the set of the most recent season of The White Lotus to keep the actors’ skin from developing further damage in the hot Thailand sun.