Although the worst of the winter weather has been and gone, it’s still important to look after your skin as we head into spring. But how can you do this?
Luckily, it’s not as complicated as you’d think to shake up your skincare routine for the springtime; there are some super simple changes you can make to easily look after your skin.
With that in mind, here are five simple ways to look after your skin in the spring:
Related: 7 ways to make your skincare routine sustainable
1. Keep moisturising regularly
Moisturising is never going to stop being vital for keeping your skin healthy and happy! Young or old, we all need to regularly lotion up to help lock-in moisture and protect our skin from any dryness and damage.
However, you’re going to be looking for slightly different things in a springtime moisturiser that you did in a winter one.
During the winter, it’s important to use a rich moisturiser to keep those moisture levels topped up while the weather is cold and dry. We’re talking oil-based and specially formulated; ones using rich ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil and argan oil are the best.
With the arrival of spring just around the corner, you’re going to want to lighten up your moisturiser a bit. Spring weather is notoriously damp (April showers, anyone?) and warmer than winter, so using a thick, heavy moisturiser at this time will leave your skin feeling clogged up and oily, and looking shiny.
Instead, use a lightweight lotion that will help your skin to breathe and help you to feel your best. It’ll also avoid overloading your skin with excess oils which will keep your pores clear and prevent breakouts.
2. Remember to exfoliate too
Exfoliation is important all year round: it helps to get rid of excess dead skin and unclog pores, which will prevent skin irritation and breakouts of spots. It even helps to boost blood flow, leaving your skin looking glowing and healthy.
Without regular exfoliation, your skin can look dull, flaky and dry. However, you don’t want to buff that skin too much; excessive exfoliating will strip even more moisture from your skin, leaving it looking irritated, dry and sore.
It’s best to keep exfoliation to around twice a week to keep your skin smooth and supple. Use an exfoliating mitt in the shower and apply a scrub that is suitable for your skin type; there are plenty of gentle, natural scrubs out there that will suit your skin, even if it’s particularly sensitive or acne-prone.
The end result? Nourished skin and a brighter, youthful-looking complexion.
3. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water
We all know that drinking plenty of water has lots of health benefits, from improving memory and mood to helping us to maintain a healthy weight, and keeping digestion regular. But did you know that staying hydrated has benefits for your skin as well?
Drinking water is a very simple way of looking after your skin — it helps to keep your cells nourished and flush out the toxins, improving your complexion.
Drinking lots of water is even thought to reduce the appearance of ageing, such as wrinkles and sagging. This is because keeping your hydration levels high means that enough water is getting to your skin cells (as well as the rest of your body), which makes them look ‘plumper’ — increases skin elasticity and smoothness.
If you’re struggling to drink enough water during the day (experts recommend drinking between six to eight glasses of fluid a day) because you find it boring, then there are plenty of things you can do to make it taste more interesting. Add citrus fruits like lemon or lime to your glass or bottle to jazz up the flavour, or try out cucumber and mint.
All of these ingredients are amazing for your skin as well as making your water taste delicious: lemons are rich in antioxidant vitamin C to boost skin health, cucumber hydrates for supple skin, and mint is a soothing anti-inflammatory — great if you’re acne-prone.
4. Make sure you apply sunscreen
Ah yes, sunscreen. You might not think it’s time for sunscreen yet — after all, spring is only just on its way, and the temperatures are still cool.
However, if you’re going to be spending any time outside, then you need to protect your skin from the sun. It’s such a simple way to look after your skin, but something that many of us leave until the height of summer, or when we’re experiencing a heatwave.
But actually, the sun can damage your skin at any time of the year. In fact, some research says you’re actually more likely to get sunburnt during spring. Harmful UV rays can still cause sunburn and skin damage, even through springtime clouds.
Adding a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to your spring skincare regime can protect your skin from the sun and help you to maintain good skin health.
5. Turn the temperature down on your showers
This might sound like a bit of a weird one, but hear us out — just turning down the temperature of your baths or showers is a really simple way of looking after your skin.
Washing in water that is too hot is actually pretty detrimental to your skin’s health — hot water is harsh on skin, stripping away important natural oils. Without these oils, the moisture levels of your skin are disrupted, causing dryness and itchiness (and, of course, exacerbating skin conditions such as eczema).
Just turning down the temperature of your shower to make it slightly cooler will protect your skin and help you to avoid irritation. But how can you tell whether your shower is too hot or not?
Well, a good indication that your shower temperature is too hot is if your skin is flushed and red when you step out. If you notice this, then it’s probably a good idea to cool it down.
These are just five simple ways to look after your skin this spring — follow them and you’ll notice that your skin is healthier and happier.
Scott McDougall (MPharm) is the co-founder and registered manager of The Independent Pharmacy, one of the UK’s leading independent online pharmacies. For more healthcare and treatment advice, visit their website.
