Spring has finally arrived and with it comes warmer days and clearer skies. It’s the season of new beginnings and—for your skin—a time to reset, shedding off the heaviness of winter to give way to clean, fresh, and glowing skin. 

Your skin goes through many changes when a new season starts, especially when we’re transitioning from colder to warmer weather and vice versa. The best and healthiest thing you can do during this time is prepare: understand how your skin is reacting and give it the care it needs to calm down.

Spring is a beautiful season and we want you to bask in its glow with happy and healthy skin. Let’s discuss how spring can affect your skin, why it’s reacting that way, and what you can do to make sure your skin is ready for this warm season.

How spring affects your skin

A lot of factors contribute to how your skin reacts to a new season. It can be the shifting humidity levels, environment, weather, and temperatures. The changes you make in your habits, diet, and lifestyle once winter ends also have a hand in how your skin is affected. 

During spring, temperature and humidity levels increase. These factors lead to greasier skin since more oil and moisture get trapped on its surface—the complete opposite of what happens during winter. If you have acne-prone skin, you may have to anticipate and prepare for breakouts caused by this increase in oiliness. Individuals with skin conditions like psoriasis and rosacea are also likely to experience flare-ups due to the uptick of pollen and allergens in the environment.

Skincare tips: Preparing your skin for spring

It’s perfectly normal for your skin to experience negative changes as the seasons turn but that doesn’t mean your hands are tied. Here are our skincare tips to achieve bright, glowing, and healthy skin as we approach spring in full swing.

1. Spring clean your skincare and self-care essentials

Before everything else, do a quick scan of all your skincare and self-care products to check if there are any expired ones. Be ready to toss out those past their PAO (Period After Opening) since they may no longer be effective or may cause skin irritation and acne.

Make sure to also clean your beauty tools like sponges, loofahs, makeup brushes, etc. Give them a good wash, disinfect thoroughly, and dry all items before storing them to avoid any dirt or dust from building up.

2. Double down on the SPF

Using sunscreen every day should be a year-round habit but you need to step up the game since the chances of getting sunburn and sun damage are higher during spring. Now that the sun has made its comeback and the weather is warmer, we know that plans to go out have increased by a margin. Since spring isn’t as blisteringly hot as summer, you may also get a bit complacent when it comes to staying under the sun’s rays and soaking in some vitamin D. 

Sun protection also goes beyond maintaining looks—it’s essential to keeping your skin healthy. So, always remember: Start the day with sunscreen and re-apply every 2-3 hours.

3. Slough off the winter blues and dead skin cells

A great way to reset your skin and get that visible glow is by exfoliating once or twice a week. A consistent and regular exfoliation schedule will help you slough off dead skin cells and dirt build up caused by snow, rain, or the heavier skincare and makeup we used during winter.

Just remember that spring is not an excuse to overexfoliate. Avoid using multiple exfoliants at the same time, find the right ingredients for you, and do not exfoliate too many times within a week. Your skin can be brighter, happier, and healthier when you exfoliate according to what your skin can tolerate.

4. I scream, you scream, we all scream for EYE CREAM

We do love watching the clouds and soaking in the sun during spring. The brighter days can be a balm to the soul after winter but—you may not notice this—we tend to squint a lot more to adjust to the sun’s rays. This can cause premature fine lines and wrinkles so it’s best to get yourself some eye cream to moisturise and brighten your eye area. Opt for lightweight ones with antioxidants, green tea, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid.

5. Have a good morning with antioxidants

Start each spring day with a healthy dose of antioxidants to give your skin a healthy glow. Why? Antioxidants protect your skin against free radicals, sun damage, and environmental stress (and your skin is in a lot of stress at the start of a new season). They can help hydrate, brighten your complexion, even out skin tone, and prevent premature aging.

Vitamin C is one of the most recommended antioxidants and morning skincare essentials. However, it can be difficult to formulate and harsh on your skin. If you are looking for other skincare ingredients with antioxidant properties, you can try:

• Resveratrol
• Bakuchiol
• Green tea extract
• Niacinamide
• Ginseng
• Pomegranate
• Blueberry

6. Switch to a lighter moisturiser

As we transition to spring, your skin doesn’t really need the level of moisturising that winter demanded. Keeping the heavy and rich moisturisers can overburden your skin, leading to excessive oil, breakouts, and skin irritation. 

If you have oily skin, switch to a gel or gel-cream moisturiser to give your skin some room to breathe. For our dry-skinned friends, a lightweight yet nourishing cream is the way to go. We also recommend supplementing your moisturiser with light and refreshing hydrators like serums, essences, and mists for when you’re out and about.

7. Don’t sleep on serums and ampoules

Soft, glowing skin in spring needs a magic ingredient: hydration. Your “potions” are serums and ampoules, which are perfect for the season because they're packed with hydration and actives without weighing down your skin. Serums, in particular, are great additions to your daily skincare routine no matter your skin type or skin concern.

If your skin is having a hard time adjusting to the warmer weather, you can also layer in an ampoule at night—a drop or two once a week, depending on your skin and how much it can tolerate. Ampoules are supercharged with actives so it’s not recommended for everyday use.

8. Give your makeup kit a refresh

While light and pastel colours are wonderful for spring, this is not what we mean when we say refresh (you do you and wear makeup according to your style). Take stock of your foundations, BB creams, and other base makeup and switch to more lightweight ones to accommodate the humid and warmer weather.

9. Up the ante of your pore care

Pore care goes hand in hand with clear, healthy, and bright skin. Remember, we’re expecting a spike in sebum production during spring so unclogging your pores is important to head off potential acne breakouts.

To keep things light as your skin adjusts to spring weather, let’s stick to the basics of pore care and stay consistent:

• Double cleanse and apply sunscreen every day
• Exfoliate weekly
• Use a clarifying wash-off mask once or twice a week

💡 Retinol is a great addition with its ability to improve skin cell turnover, but make sure to be extra diligent with your sun protection since retinoids can sensitise your skin.

Above all else, we recommend that you be kind and patient with yourself and your skin as we enter spring. These tips aren't for perfection but skincare that can help your skin be happy, glowing, and healthy throughout the season.

Happy Spring! 💐