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Spring Skin Prep – Yes, It's That Time Again!

Spring Skin Prep – Yes, It's That Time Again!

Because it's almost time to wave winter goodbye and welcome the season of sunshine and glowy skin. 

Good news, people: you and your skin have made it through winter and spring is officially in the air.

So what should you do to ensure you’re doing the best for your skin as the weather changes and the temperatures rise? Well, we believe that a great skincare routine should, first and foremost, be as consistent as possible. Do you have a darling cleanser you could not live without? Then stick with it. Love your night cream more than life itself? Then you keep doing you. However, as the year passes and the weather transitions from winter to spring, there might be certain products in your routine that, while might have worked great in the colder months, suddenly feel a bit much.

Crazy rich moisturizers and heavy treatment masks, for example, are all great when dry, cold temps outdoors combine with dry, warm air indoors, sucking all the life and moisture from your skin. But do you really need them once humidity increases and the mercury rises? Probably not.

Instead, here are five important ways to get your skin (and your skincare routine) ready for spring…

1. Exfoliate More Regularly

Exfoliation often takes a bit of a back seat in the winter when the thought of exacerbating dryness and upsetting your skin’s barrier function far outweighs the potential benefits of exfoliation. And we get that. Dry, cold weather dehydrates your skin and can even cause irritation, so why on earth would you want to mess with that by overusing facial scrubs or exfoliating acids?

In the spring, however, humidity levels increase which offers up more natural moisture for your skin to soak up and hydrate itself with. This means skin becomes more resilient and is able to tolerate regular, albeit gentle exfoliation to boost cell turnover and freshen it up for sunnier days ahead. Also, if your skin is anything like ours, by the end of winter it definitely could do with a little radiance boost.

We recommend our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant which is non-abrasive and a gentle way to exfoliate your skin. But don't get us wrong, it still packs a good enough punch to boost sluggish skin turnover and wake up your collagen supplies. Depending on your skin type, you can use this exfoliating lotion every day but always patch test first, and if you have super sensitive skin, try it just two or three times a week.

2. Lighten Up Your Moisturizing Regime

There’s no better feeling than smothering your face and neck with a rich moisturizer in the winter months. But as the weather gets better and your skin starts to hydrate itself more efficiently (and maybe sweat a little more)? Not so much.

Spring and summertime are when lighter moisturizers come into their own. Unless you have very dry skin all year round, now’s the time to move away from heavy, occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter and mineral oils in favor of lighter, hydrating humectants and emollients. Humectants, which include the likes of glycerin and hyaluronic acid, draw water into the skin’s top layers while emollients like jojoba oil and squalane help to lock moisture into your skin without clogging up your pores.

Feel like lightening up for spring? Our favorite moisturizer for this time of year is our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer which also contains an added glow-getting boost of vitamin C. Speaking of which…

3. Embrace The Benefits Of Vitamin C

It’s wise to go easy on potent, active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C and glycolic acid in the winter when your skin is drier, more dehydrated and easily irritated by strong ingredients. However, as humidity levels rise your skin becomes way more tolerant to powerful ingredients.

That’s why we believe spring is the best time to introduce some topical actives into your routine. And what better than vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a freakin’ amazing antioxidant, making it the perfect choice when you’re spending more time in the great outdoors. Because, sun damage. What’s more, it also helps your skin tone remain even and bright by keeping melanin production under control.

We have a whole bunch of winning vitamin C formulas but for the most powerful boost try our Vitamin C Super Serum + two or three nights a week under moisturizer. You could even alternate it with our classic Vitamin C Facial Serum if that floats your boat. We don’t think you’ll regret it.

4. Breathe Life Back Into Your Pores

All those heavy moisturizers and weighty makeup choices can sure weigh down your pores, so now’s a great time to give your skin a detox. Or a spring clean, if you will.

Cleansing in the winter can be a real juggling game because skin becomes very needy in the moisture department during those cold, dry months. However, come spring you can afford to introduce deeper cleansing ingredients into your routine – if that’s what your skin needs, of course.

Don’t fall into the trap of over-cleansing your skin with a routine that’s packed with chemicals, however. This will dry out your skin and fool your sebaceous glands into thinking your skin needs more oil. And the more oil your skin produces, the more likely it is to bind itself to bacteria, dirt and makeup, stretching your pores and asking for trouble, aka breakouts.

Instead, choose gentle, effective cleansing products that harness balancing ingredients like tea tree oil, coconut charcoal and kaolin. Wash your face in lukewarm, never hot water, and use a light massaging technique to thoroughly cleanse your skin without over-stimulating your pores. Try our Tea Tree Super Cleanser + to help kick-start dreary, end-of-winter skin.

5. Be Extra Vigilant With SPF

Of course, you’ve been routinely applying your SPF all winter long, right? RIGHT? Well, if you haven’t, then a) shame and you and b) best you rectify that right now.

While UVA rays are able to penetrate through clouds and are present all year long – rain or shine – the intensity of UVB rays increases in the warmer months when the earth is closer to the sun. Of course, they’re at their peak during summer, but if ever there was a time to start being more strict with your SPF, spring is it. Start now and it’ll become a habit before you even know it.

We recommend applying SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C every morning as an absolute must. Even if you hate the feeling of sunscreen on your skin, this sheer, lightweight formulation is sure to win you over.

 

More About This Article

Georgia Gould

Georgia Gould

Georgia is an award-winning beauty writer who has been in the business for over 20 years. British-born, she began her career as a magazine beauty editor in London before moving to San Francisco, CA in 2012 where she now continues her love as a freelance writer and editor. As well as her editorial work, Georgia has created content for many high-profile beauty brands, including Clarins, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Simple and TRESemmé. Her passions include retinol (obviously), golfing, skiing and walking her beloved Schnauzer, Dave.

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