Spring clean your skincare

Spring Clean Your Skincare

Nothing cheers us up more than the weather turning warm after months tackling dry, ashy skin through the cold winter conditions.  With the start of spring, it is a good time to revamp your skincare.  Spring is a beautiful time, and you should feel beautiful too.  

Cleanse
In the warmer months, the best thing we can do for our complexion is to keep it as clean as possible.  Switch to a gel facial cleanser, which goes deeper than the lotion you may have previously been using.  I like Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser or Pier Auge Piera Pure Cleansing Gel.

Exfoliate  
After winter, our primary skin care focus switches from moisturisation to exfoliation.  Exfoliation is the way in which dead skin cells, which cause dullness, blotchiness, and variations in skin tone, are gently removed to allow the fresh new skin underneath to be exposed.  I use Dermalogica Age Smart Thermafoliant.  If you are not ready to use anti-aging products just yet you could try Simplicite Exfoliating Face Treatment.

Tone
Breakout levels are higher in spring and summer months so you will need a toner to wipe away pore-clogging oil.  A great toner will not only balance the ph (acid) levels in the skin, it will also close the pores that were opened by cleansing.  Toner can also add moisture to the face while having a cooling effect, which is always a nice break from the heat.  I prefer Dermalogica Age Smart Antioxidant Hydramist or MD Formulations Moisture Defense Antioxidant Spray.

Moisturise
The heavy moisturising cream that you used in the winter months may be a little too heavy for spring.  Switch to a lighter, oil-free formula instead.  Look for a moisturizer containing SPF to ward off the sun's rays during the day, such as Simplcite Great Outdoors Sunscreen SPF15.  For night care, use a moisturiser like Priori Idebenone Moisturizing Facial Cream with AHAs to slough off any flaky patches.

Body
Body care is important too.  Exfoliate from head to toe to do away with dead skin cells and rejuvenate your dull complexion.  I use a rich all-over body scrub such as ASAP Revitalising Body Scrub.

Feet
Don’t forget your tootsies have been hiding all winter long but now it's time to break out the sandals, so you will need to get them into top shape.  Use a pumice stone to remove extra rough patches and if you have dry, cracked heels, invest in some MD Formulations Pedicreme.

Hydrate
Finally, the last step is to ensure you hydrate from the inside out.  It is important in the spring and summer to increase the amount of water that you drink.  If you skin is well hydrated, it is able to continually replace itself and shed old, dead cells.