Spring Clean Your Skin Care!
The sun is shining, the temperatures are climbing and you’re shedding your winter coats. It’s also time to shed your winter skin care regimen. So, clean out your medicine cabinet and get your skin ready for Spring!
1. Lighten up on your moisturizer—Thick emollient moisturizers are great for protecting your skin against the bitter cold of winter, but as the temperatures rise, they can be too much. If you used a thick moisturizer over the winter, you’ll find that it your skin will start to look oily and might even experience a few breakouts. Lighten up and find a moisturizer that is lighter in texture. Instead of a cream, choose a lotion or serum. If you have oily skin, reach for one that is formulated for your skin type and you’ll be shine-free throughout the warmer months.
2. Get reacquainted with your sunscreen—I use sunscreen year round because I’m a pale redhead and I get sunburned when I open the fridge. But you should really start using your sunscreen regularly again. Reach for one that offers full-spectrum UVA and UVB rays. If you don’t want to use a separate moisturizer and sunscreen, many moisturizers come with a sunscreen. La Roche Posay’s Anthelios SX daily moisturizer contains a sunscreen that covers more UVA rays (the ones that cause aging) than any other sunscreen.
3. Get a pedicure—Your nappy, Neanderthal-like toes have been locked away in winter boots for months. Before you even think of slipping on your flip flops or visiting the beach, stop by a spa and get a pedicure. Fellow beach-goers will thank you.
4. Work on your (fake) tan—After months of winter, you’re paler than Casper the friendly Ghost. But don’t hit the tanning beds if you care about your skin and health. Sunless tanning has improved a lot over the years. Gone are the days of the tattle-tale orange hues of years past. Numerous men’s lines now offer fool-proof products for men like L’Oreal Men’s Expert, Nivea for Men, Biotherm Homme, Clarins Men, Anthony Logistics and many more. One word of advice: if you’re new to sunless tanning, reach for a “Build a Tan” style product and skip anything that says “Instant Bronzer” if you want a “natural” look. Build a tans appear over the course of 3 or 4 consecutive uses, so you are less likely to streak and you have more control over your color. Bronzers contain ingredients that literally dye your skin while the fake tan appears hours later. In my opinion, the instant bronzers look terrible and are prone to streaking.
5. Pick a new fragrance—Winter fragrances are usually stronger, muskier scents with hearty notes of wood or leather. In the spring and summer, those scents can be overpowering. So, try a fragrance with clean grassy and floral notes for a festive scent. Many companies release limited-edition fragrances that are lighter formulations of their winter offerings, so visit your fragrance counter to find one that works for you!
