Tips For Your Spring Skincare Routine
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The first signs of spring are always a welcome sight after months of cold, (often grey and wet) weather and so much time spent indoors. It can inspire us for a fresh start in different areas of our lives: spring cleaning our homes and purging unused items; shifting from rich and heavy “comfort food” to lighter, more refreshing fare like salads; adjusting our wardrobes from winter to spring (goodbye puffy coat, hello jean jacket); and last but not least, taking a fresh new look at our skincare routines.
The basics of good skin care will always apply, no matter the season. The principles that keep our bodies healthy on the inside keep our skin healthy and glowing on the outside too. Drink lots of water, get as much sleep as you can, eat good food with lots of healthy fats and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. But as things get warmer and brighter you may want to make a few adjustments to your routine.
Exfoliation
The first step in spring skincare is to start with a fresh surface by gently exfoliating your dry, winter skin from head to toe. A sugar scrub can be a nice way to slough off that winter skin on your body. You can look for different ready-made options or try a DIY by combining olive oil, white or brown sugar, and some drops of essential oils in a jar. Using an exfoliating mitt (with or without the sugar scrub) can also help to leave your body smooth and polished and ready for a nourishing body oil and/or lotion to lock in moisture. Apply oil or lotion to slightly damp skin for soft skin that lasts all day.
Exfoliating your face calls for a much gentler approach. Micro exfoliants are fabulous for removing the old surface layer and any dry flakes or rough patches, leaving your skin brighter, smoother, and fresher. For an even gentler way to exfoliate, look for AHA fruit acids. These can be applied like a toner and have no abrasion whatsoever, yet they gently renew the skin’s surface. One thing to avoid in exfoliants is “microbeads” which can be harmful for the environment, especially sea life.
Try a Facial Mask
Treating your face to a face mask weekly or up to a few times per week can be a great step in your skin care routine. There are many varieties to address different skin concerns, whether your skin is oil-prone, dry, sensitive, or just in need of a deep infusion of moisturizing nutrients. You can also make your own using what you have in your kitchen, such as honey, avocado, or yogurt.
Moisturizer
Keeping your skin hydrated is important year-round but you may want to shift to a lighter moisturizer in spring and summer. There are a few reasons for that:
1. Warmer weather and less wind means there is more moisture present in the air.
2. Spending less time indoors with heating systems means your skin will be less prone to drying out.
3. Warmer temperatures and increased physical activity can lead to skin perspiring and producing more oil.
Since everyone’s skin is different, you’ll know what’s best for you. Acne-prone skin will often do better with a water-based moisturizer, while mature or dry skin can benefit from oils and rich emollients.
Sun Protection
Getting some sun exposure daily has great health benefits, including giving you an important dose of natural Vitamin D, but too much of a good thing can cause sunburn or premature aging of the skin. That’s where sun protection comes in, but keep in mind many commercial sunscreen products contain ingredients that may be harmful to your health—so we strongly recommend finding a natural version that works for you.
Makeup
If you wear makeup, you’ll probably feel like the change in seasons calls for some adjustments to your cosmetics. A healthy sun-kissed glow can reduce the need for bronzer and may mean that your winter concealers or foundations will need to shift to a shade darker. Lighter lip colours and less makeup in general usually feels right as the weather warms, especially on hot days when your natural glow is shining through. When it comes to what we put on our skin, natural ingredients are safest and there are many excellent natural cosmetics available.
Spring is an excellent time of year to treat yourself to some additional skincare treatments such as exfoliation, masks, and moisturizers, and to take inventory of what you’re currently using to see where you might be able to swap in some more natural versions. Whether you want to go the full DIY route with natural clays, essential oils, and/or ingredients from your kitchen, or want to take an in-between path by picking up some of the beautiful, all-natural, locally made skin care products we’re so lucky to have available to us these days, there are endless possibilities. A springtime skincare reset will get you glowing and give you a revitalized sense of a new beginning, perfectly in tune with the cycles of nature.