By: Kristin Bugden
Kristin Bugden is a New Jersey-based mom and communications consultant. She loves to write, take barre classes, and believes in a good reality television binge-watching session. Here, she writes about prepping your skin for the warmer weather.
I love winter for the never-ending hot chocolate and holiday parties, but I think we can all agree that the season’s frigid weather is less than ideal for your skin’s health. Cold temperatures, lack of sunlight, and indoor heaters can leave your skin looking and feeling dull and dehydrated. Thankfully, those days are behind us – at least for now – since spring is officially here. Livelyreached out to a few skincare experts on their suggestions for prepping the skin for a warmer, more welcoming season. Here’s how to get your skin in tip-top shape from head to toe – literally.
Facials
Facials are a great way to get that dewy, fresh-faced look that accompanies hotter temps. “Any facial treatment that focuses on thorough exfoliation is a great way to kick off the spring season. These treatments can include microdermabrasion, which is a skin polisher with a vacuum-like suction that sucks up all the dead skin,” says Juliana Isaac, an esthetician at Pretty Please Skin Care Studio in N.Y.C. “Additionally, chemical or enzyme peels are other great exfoliating treatment options to look into. I recommend gentle chemical peels as they allow for fresh skin to come through without the harsh side effects and recovery time that can be associated with stronger versions. Enzyme peels are typically gentler on the skin and great for all skin types, especially sensitive skin.”
If you do decide to try out a new facial treatment for spring, be extra careful in terms of aftercare. “If you’re doing chemical peels and microdermabrasion without the correct aftercare and protection, they can do more harm than good to your skin. The sun is strong and should be respected. Be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen,” Annastazia Unce, owner of Kimeera Spa in Silver Spring, Maryland, tells Lively.
RELATED: An Esthetician's Tips for the Best At-Home Facial
Body Treatments
There are plenty of body treatments out there to consider trying post-winter as well. “For toning and firming treatments, dry brushing followed by a body wrap is the most beneficial for the body. Dry brushing removes the dead skin and prepares it for the wrap. In addition to flushing out toxins from the body, you can lose quite a bit of water weight from a 60-minute wrap treatment,” says Unce.
RELATED: How Knowing My Skin Type Helped Improve My Complexion
At-Home Skincare
Our experts also have some fabulous tips for at-home skin treatment as we transition from winter to spring. “As the weather starts to warm up, you’ll want to slowly edit your skincare arsenal depending on how your skin feels and is responding to your particular environment. If the richer moisturizers, balms and oils that you were using during winter are now making your skin feel heavy, I recommend switching to a lighter moisturizer. Look for ones with hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, which attracts moisture from the environment into your skin without the heaviness,” says Isaac. Regular exfoliation is also key to glowing skin.
“You can increase exfoliation to three times per week since the extra sweat and dirt from being outside more can cause pores to clog easier. Exfoliating more than that can compromise the skin's barrier and cause skin irritations,” she adds.
Diana Yerkes, lead esthetician at Rescue Spa in N.Y.C., suggests sheet masks to help restore radiance and hydration. They also happen to be great on-the-go skincare staples. “Try the 111Skin Bio Cellulose Treatment Mask. It contains arbutin to instantly brighten the complexion and silk amino acids to hydrate,” she says. “I also enjoy Masque PIGM400sheet masks by Biologique Recherche. Its formula contains a high concentration of brightening active ingredients and exceptional antioxidants.”
While you should be wearing SPF year-round, Yerkes recommends upping the SPF number in the spring. “I swap out my Environ SPF 25 for Jan Marini SPF 45 as the warmer weather approaches,” she says. “Make sure you are applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has zinc and titanium in it with an SPF of at least 30. The key is to reapply every three hours during the summer months, as sunscreen does not last all day!” adds Jennifer Kennedy, a dermatology RN at N.Y.C.'s Sadick Dermatology.
RELATED: What Is the Best SPF for Your Skin?
Restock Your Warm Weather Skincare Arsenal
If you’re ready to restock your skincare essentials for the sunny days ahead, our experts have some perfect suggestions. First up, serums!
“With the weather getting warmer and the sun getting stronger, antioxidant-based serums are a fantastic addition to your spring skincare routine. I like Vitamin C serums such as tried and true C E Ferulic by SkinCeuticals and Vitamin C Brightening Booster by 111Skin. Hyaluronic acid-based Crème Grand Millesime and Silk Plus by Biologique Recherche are other spring favorites,” says Yerkes.
Isaac suggests trying the Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate from Eminence Organic skincare: “It's a gel cream texture, so very lightweight. It contains lactic acid, so it gently exfoliates while promoting skin radiance and is great for sensitive skin.” Another product she likes from the Eminence line is the Stone Crop Mask. “Stone crop is a succulent similar to aloe vera – it's super healing for the skin and perfect during this time of year when your skin is exposed to the sun more,” she adds.
RELATED: The Skincare Products You Need (and the Ones You Can Ditch)
Kennedy is loving ISDIN Melatonix which contains Bakuchiol, “a buzzy ingredient that acts like a retinol without irritation,” she says. Kennedy tells Lively another favorite product for the warm weather is Alastin HydraTint Pro Mineral Tinted Sunscreen, which gives your complexion a “nice, dewy glow.”
Finally, Unce notes, “I try not to focus on products and brands too much because brands come and go. Instead, learn ingredients and know you skin type. For example, hyaluronic acid is universal and great for all skin types. It draws moisture in from the air and locks it into the skin, while also plumping and protecting it.”