With Spring around the corner, this is the perfect time to prepare your skincare routine for the new season as your skin needs may change. Today I’m sharing 6 ways to switch up your skincare routine for Spring!

1. Spring Cleaning

In my household, Spring has always been the time to recycle and to clean out the items that no longer serve you. The same applies to your skincare collection. Take inventory of your products, check for expiration dates, and chuck old skincare. If there is anything that you haven't been using or you find didn't work for your skin type, consider re-purposing them.

A vitamin C serum that was too strong for your face may be perfect for getting rid of the darkness in other areas of the body. Otherwise, try giving them to a friend or family member.

It also helps to keep a running list of your products you have been using throughout the year to make this process so much easier. There are tons of skincare apps to choose from or even skincare journals. I use a bullet journal to help me keep track of all my skincare!

2. Irritable Skin 

Seasonal allergies are synonymous with Spring Season. During this time you may find your skin is more irritable than normal, may experience more redness, and looks a little dull.

When dealing with Irritable skin, you'll need to make two changes to your routine. 

1. Using gentler products

2. Simplify your routine

In the video, I partnered with Aprilskin featuring their Calendula Skincare Collection but you can use any gentle products that work for your skin!

See should your products be stinging?

3. More hydration

The Winter season is about moisture and lipids, but Spring is about hydration. Hydration plumps the skin giving you good texture, allows the skin to heal itself, and reduces inflammation. This of course includes drinking more water but also using more humectants in your routine. Try layering toners 3-7 times in place of a serum. Simple ingredient formulas that hydrate the skin. 

When you think about hydration, often exfoliation doesn't come to mind, but exfoliants, specifically chemical exfoliants can be helpful at hydrating the skin as well as prepping your skin to absorb moisture. AHA's for example, are often made from sugars: Mandalic, lactic these are all humectants. Don't go overboard though because you don’t want to over-exfoliate the skin, but if you're not using an exfoliating mask, you can layer a gentle exfoliating toner before going into your serum which will make them more effective.

TIP: If you do have extremely sensitive skin and you still want to exfoliate, you can use exfoliating toners like a mask. Put it on for 2 minutes and rinse off. You can do this with pretty much any active, if you have dry acne-prone skin and you still want the benefits of BHA leave it on for 2 minutes and rinse off. 

Then layer on your hydrating products and you'll find they absorb much better!

See layering skincare products

4. Pay attention to your actives  

To brighten the skin you'll want to use more Vitamin C if you can, both internal and topical. But strong Vitamin C serums can be a bit harsh and irritating during allergy season. Opt for a Niacinamide, or ingredients like Azelaic acid that will brighten, even tone but also give anti-inflammatory effects. Ingredients and serums that are multi-purpose, and work well with other ingredients will be your best friend.

You don't have to layer multiple serums, there are one's out there with these ingredients already in their formulations. If you are going to be layering serums/actives keep it at no more than 2.

Here are some options:

• Niacinamide - reduce the appearance of dark spots, control oil, heal, and reduce inflammation

• Tranexamic Acid - will helpful for fading and preventing hyperpigmentation and melasma, and it will help support the skin barrier

• Azelaic Acid - is amazing because it fights acne, brightens the skin, helps rosacea 

In terms of retinol, Continue using your retinol if you’ve been using them already but it’s not the time to start retinol. 

5. Light moisturizers

Dial it back just a bit. Lightweight, creamy, gel-like texture and water balms are your friends. You can even use an SPF moisturizer as a moisturizer to use less product. Just make sure you're wearing enough of course. 

6. Give the eye TLC

During this season, the eyes tend to be irritated, itchy, red, and dry. Allergy meds will help I just restocked mine. But using cooling or depuffing tools and products can be very helpful.

For depuffing hydrogel eye patches can help, Jade Rollers or Guasha can be helpful as well to drain fluids on Face and eyes. If you do facial massage around your nose or eyes this can be very helpful at reducing tension and nasal congestion as well.

You can also use frozen green tea, tea bags over the eyes as a DIY solution. If you have very dry eyelids, a thin layer of moisturizer or vaseline can be helpful.