Our Top 10 Spring Skincare Tips
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Incorporate Exfoliators & Moisturizers
With the skin’s reintroduction to warmer weather, you should stick with lighter-weight moisturizers. Whereas thicker creams and moisturizers provide an extra layer of protection against bitter cold temperatures, in the warmer months, they can cause the pores to become clogged.
Oil-free, non-comedogenic products and products with gel-based properties tend to be the more efficient alternative for spring skincare. “Non-comedogenic” essentially translates to products containing substances that “don’t lead to clogged pores.”
For especially dry, dull, and flaky skin, switching out for lighter products as well as exfoliating at least a few times per week will leave your skin feeling refreshed and smooth, allowing for your skincare products to absorb better as an added benefit. These lighter-weight components will ensure your skin is less likely to be irritated with the changing seasons and temperatures, especially when they are inconsistent. They will also prevent excess grease on the skin from thick layers of moisturizer used during the winter months.
For those with acne-prone skin, salicylic acid has been found to produce desirable results. Other ingredients to look out for when reading the labels on products include lactic acid, glycolic acid, and alpha or beta-hydroxy acids.
Aside from products and foods (our pro-skincare food recommendations can be found below), an abundance of water in the body allows toxins to be flushed out. This encourages a more natural glow.
Ensuring the skin is hydrated is not the same as the necessity for well-moisturized skin. While hydrating the skin ensures you are providing the layers with enough water to sustain themselves, following up with moisturizing ingredients allows the accumulated water to be retained.
Facial mists can be an added item to carry around, especially as it starts to get warmer. These not only help cool the skin in the summer months but help prevent excess sweat. By applying these mists to the skin throughout the day, your skin will steer clear of harmful bacteria and oils that can lead to breakouts or irritation.
When searching for anti-aging remedies on the skincare market, retinoids are typically at the top of the list for their proven results. When utilized in the winter, the strength of retinoids (also known as Vitamin A derivatives) works to increase cellular turnover, as well as numerous other improvements in the skin.
However, some users’ skin doesn’t react well to the strong properties of retinoids, sometimes experiencing irritation, dryness, or flakiness as a result. In contrast to the colder winter months, the transition to warmer weather in the spring allows skincare users to apply retinoid products more frequently, compared to one or two times per week in the winter.
If your skin isn’t tolerating retinoids, which require a doctor’s prescription to obtain, over-the-counter (OTC) retinol is often a recommended alternative. Retinol is a weaker form of retinoid which tends to be tolerated better by those with sensitive skin.
Everyone’s skin will react differently to these products and it’s best to listen to your skin and get professional opinions if you’re feeling unsure. The overall goal when it comes to retinoids is to be able to build up your skin’s tolerance to daily application, no matter the season. The more you apply these products to your skin, the more time your skin has to adjust to the effects. Some users find applying a moisturizer over retinoids, especially in colder months, can help with dry or sensitive skin.
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Apply Anti-Inflammatory Products To the Skin
If you have sensitive skin or are treating a consistent skin condition such as rosacea, incorporating products with anti-inflammatory properties into your routine will become your best friend. Common ingredients such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and Vitamin C all help in different areas of anti-aging. Some of these effects overlap, such as providing an extra protective barrier for the skin and decreasing wrinkles.
Lesser-discussed ingredients, including aloe and cucumber, are also worth experimenting with. Aloe Vera in particular is a natural moisturizer for the skin, its prevalent anti-inflammatory capabilities help to diminish blemishes and fine lines, as well as soothe dry and irritated skin. Cucumber, on the other hand, provides numerous anti-aging skin benefits, everything from hydration to fighting acne breakouts.
You might be tired of the sunscreen rule being drilled into your brain in every skincare article, but there’s an important reason for this reminder. In the winter, even the most diligent skincare users tend to fall out of their routine in applying sunscreen due to the frigid temperatures and weaker and less frequent amounts of sunlight.
During the transition to warmer weather in spring, it can be easy to fall victim to the sun’s ultraviolet rays coming back out to strike for the summer. To avoid any unwanted sunburns or skin-altering effects, it’s recommended to get back into your sunscreen routine early, with a formula of SPF 30 or above to ensure a protective barrier for your skin.
A great method so that you don’t forget your sunscreen before leaving the house is to acquire a moisturizer and sunscreen duo formula. A two-in-one product will not only leave your skin well-nourished and hydrated but ready for what the environment is going to throw at your skin throughout the day.
When searching for sunscreen, you should focus on those marketed as “physical” sunscreens rather than “chemical.” While both get the job done, physical sunscreen products contain active ingredients which they physically block the sun’s UV rays from attacking the skin. In contrast, chemical sunscreens absorb the sun’s harmful rays and are recommended for those looking to evade skin cancer rather than aging signs.
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Pick and Stick to a Skincare Routine
Maybe you adore your current skincare routine and don’t want to change a thing. Maybe there are different results you’re searching for with spring approaching and you want to try something new. Even if you’re relatively new to skincare, getting your body into a consistent skincare regimen is similar to keeping your body on a stable eating or sleep cycle. The more constant you are with your product application, the more your skin will get used to the ingredients.
If you are fresh to the skincare realm, it can be a lot of trial and error at first. Listening to your skin and giving it time to adapt to new products is a great activity to get involved in during spring as the weather gets warmer. By summer, you will be a pro and your skin will be ready for whatever tries to break those protective barriers.
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Maintain a Healthy Diet & Exercise Regiment
Our guide to antioxidant and collagen-rich foods will set you up for success if a healthier diet is on your list of resolutions for 2023. It’s easier than you think and you most likely incorporate some of these food groups into your diet already. The reason for many of these foods being recommended to consume regularly is for their hydration benefits, alongside other contributing factors.
Foods such as fruits and vegetables provide the skin, the body’s largest organ, with essential nutrients and vitamins, plus some friendly H2O, which maintains the skin’s elasticity over time.
It’s not just about your diet. Consistent exercise for at least 20 minutes a day is vital to your overall health. Working out your body helps to increase blood flow and maintain healthy skin cells over time. If you don’t consider yourself a gym rat or one to go on runs to work the joints, exercise can be different things for people.
Walking your dog, yoga, stretching, Pilates - whatever you enjoy that gets your body, mind, and blood flowing - your skin will also be reaping the benefits.
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Clean Your Makeup Brushes
With each application, excess grime or bacteria can build up on makeup brushes if not cleaned consistently. This can lead to that bacteria getting on your face, which is the last type of breakout you want just in time for the sun to appear and temperatures to increase.
All-natural cleansers are best suited to clean your brushes and should immediately be laid out flat to dry afterward. A 24-hour period should be sufficient before they can be used again.
Speaking of spring cleaning, it’s not a bad idea to go through that skincare cabinet and get it ready for new additions and changes of seasons. While old or expired products aren’t necessarily harmful to the skin, they aren’t as effective and may not provide the desired results you’re looking for. They can also cause breakouts or irritation in some users, so it may be best to not take chances if they are extremely out-of-date.
Whoever said “no” to more sleep? Well, now you’ll have an extra excuse to sleep in for a few more minutes. By providing your body and mind with enough shut-eye, you’re giving it time to repair itself and get ready for the day ahead. Overnight, the skin regenerates new cells while ridding itself of dead ones. Aside from skincare benefits, adequate sleep cycles also help to lower stress levels, which is another factor that contributes to aging signs.
After you’re done with the day and your skincare routine, treating yourself to a face mask at least once a week is always something relaxing to look forward to. Even better to unwind with a friend and make it an event. There are countless masks suited for different purposes, so it doesn’t hurt to cycle through various benefits. Not only do face masks contribute to overall skin health, but they can also help with decreasing stress levels.
Sheet masks tend to be the most effective at restoring the skin’s hydration levels. Though they are drier, clay masks are better for drawing out impurities on the skin, as well as reducing blemishes.
