Beauty

Spring skin care maintenance

Ramp up your spring time skin care routine with our tips on what to toss, and what to add in your regimen.

by : Karen Kwan- Apr 11th, 2012

From the bold neon accessories and floral prints to the coral lipsticks and
winged eyeliner, there’s much to love about this spring when it comes to fashion and beauty. What we are not so fond of? The mayhem the weather is causing our skin. While the warm, sunny days are a glorious treat, when it’s summery one day and so blustery it chills us to the bone the next day, this can do a number on our skin. “Fluctuating temperatures and humidity are drying and irritating to the skin,” says dermatologist Benjamin Barankin, medical director of the Toronto Dermatology Centre.

And this irritation presents itself in very unwelcome ways. When that spring breeze is going strong? It dehydrates the skin and can cause windburn, which makes skin appear dull, more wrinkly, and it can become itchy, says Dr. Barankin.

What to do? At home, switch off the humidifiers, and then for your routine, here’s how to overhaul your regimen.

Skin care toss: Facial soap. The surfactants and detergents found in a soap can be harsh on your sensitive skin, especially when it’s contending with spring’s unpredictable conditions.

Skin care add: A facial cleanser. “It is more mild than soap, less dehydrating and less likely to cause eczema or itching on the face,” says Barankin.

Try: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser or Spectro Jel Cleanser.

Skin care toss: Body and face creams.

Skin care add: Lotion. In the spring and summer, Barankin suggests switching to a lotion (unless you have a dry skin condition, such as eczema; then you should stick with cream year round). Often, the terms cream and lotion are used interchangeably—if you’re confused about the difference, a cream is thicker and is better at preventing evaporation and treating dry skin, says Dr. Barankin. Lotion is thinner and feels nicer on the skin (“less sticky” he says) in hot and humid times.

Try: Nivea Pure & Natural Body Lotion or Vaseline Total Moisture for Dry Skin.
You can also test out our top picks for spring’s best tinted moisturizers.

Time to toss the low SPF and your regular facials from your skin care routine on the next page …

Spring toss: Makeup with low SPF.

Spring add: SPF 30 sunscreen or higher. If you tend to not wear sunscreen at all in winter (even though you should wear some year round), now’s the time to add it back to your skincare routine. The low SPF in your foundation or any other makeup you were is likely not sufficient protection. Dr. Barankin recommends applying SPF 30 sunscreen, and then reapplying it immediately. Why? “Most people only apply half of what they should be,” he explains. Instead of your daily moisturizer, he suggests using a sunscreen lotion; it’ll have similar moisturizing properties. “If it’s insufficiently moisturizing, choose a sunscreen cream,” he says.

Try: Ombrelle Face SPF 60 Ultra-Light Cream or Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50.

Spring BONUS add: Tretinoin/Retin-A products. Dermotologists often recommends to patients to reduce their usage of these types of products, says, Dr. Barankin, due to the fact they can be irritating to the skin when it’s already being exposed to the harsh winter elements. “But in the summer, people can return to more frequent use,” he says, and regain the anti-aging benefits these ingredients offer.

Spring toss: Your regular purifying or soothing facial.

Spring add: Microdermabrasion. If the spring weather is making your skin look particularly dull, you may want to switch (or alternate your usual facial) with a medical microdermabrasion treatment to remove dead skin cells, or an oxygen facial to brighten skin and get it glowing, says Dr. Barankin.

Try: SilkPeel Microdermabrasion, a microdermabrasion treatment, which also infused your skin with ingredients such as vitamin C for brightening.

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