Springtime brings words like “renewal”, “life”, “radiance”, and “change” to mind. Our lead esthetician Viktoria, along with ambassadors from some of our favorite brands, swear by these as words to live by when tweaking one’s skincare routine for the new season. Spoiler alert: the importance of exfoliation in the spring will become abundantly clear to you, if it’s not already!
Now that the weather’s getting warmer and you may be spending more time outside under the sun, you should re-commit to defending your skin against sun damage and other environmental stressors, while always keeping winter’s focus on plumping and hydration in the back of your mind.
Another reason for switching up your skincare routine for each season is the change of temperature and humidity levels, which can also cause irritation and other aggravating problems to the skin. With all the vegetation in bloom, this time of year can be heavy on allergens, contributing to itchy eyes and a runny nose. When you rub your eyes and touch your skin too frequently, it can end up clogging your pores, lead to breakouts, and even cause fine lines. For best results, apply skincare products all over your face, neck and décolleté and gently massage in upward strokes. Make sure to never rub your eye cream in. Instead, dab it gently onto damp skin with your ring finger and tap around the eye area.
Here, Viktoria’s tips for putting a spring in your [springtime] skincare routine:
- Start with Exfoliating Away the Winter Layers. “Get rid of dull winter skin and get it ready for warm, sunny spring weather. Exfoliation will also help skin to absorb hydration and other skin-loving ingredients. While improving your skin’s complexion, exfoliation helps boost circulation and stimulates the production of new skin cells. Here comes the renewal!”
- Spray Mist is Life! “Spring is the perfect time for a little refresher. I can’t live without it: I mist morning, night, and throughout the day. A mist is also the carrier for all the good serums, oils and creams, helping them to spread more easily and absorb deeper. The right spray mist/toner can be a gamechanger for your beauty routine, enhancing radiance, hydration, and the skin’s pH balance. And when it smells divine, it makes my day that much better!”
- Hydrate on All Levels…and Layers! “Switch to a lighter version of your daily moisturizer and opt to layer hydration using mists, serums, and facial oils underneath. You’ll probably spend more time outdoors, which means exposure to dust and allergens and likely more sweat. By layering hydration, you create a lighter moisture barrier that is just as effective as heavier moisturizers. Keep yourself hydrated from within and make vitamin-rich food choices. Trust me: it will show, diminishing fine lines and plumping your skin.”
- Anti-Aging Sun Protection (aka SPF) is Non-Negotiable. “Protecting your skin from the sun’s rays helps maintain healthy skin and prevent premature aging. Enough said.”
- Include a Weekly Mask. “An extra boost never goes unnoticed! Multifunctional masks keep your skin looking radiant, supple, and firm.”
We know that in addition to hearing from our incredible estheticians, you also love to know what our brand founders and educators have to say about how to incorporate their products into your routine. So here’s a little bonus from three of them on adding a bit of oomph to your spring skincare routine:
Tammy Fender, founder of Tammy Fender
“For me, getting in sync with the spring season means a cycle of deep cleansing. I love to
reawaken the skin, first with detoxification, then with restoration. I rely on our Epi-Peel for its deep cleansing, and on Manual Lymph Drainage techniques and Gua Sha to detoxify the underlying tissues. Then I follow with a nutrient rich serum, like Quintessential Serum or Plant Milk Serum.”
STEP 1: POLISH
Gently exfoliate the complexion with Epi-Peel, using circular motions with the fingertips. Allow
to set for 10 minutes, as a mask, for extra-deep cleansing.
STEP 2: ILLUMINATE
Massage in your favorite serum, Quintessential Serum or Plant Milk Serum, or use a Gua Sha
tool to reawaken the body’s natural cleansing process, allowing the formula to absorb deeply
and to illuminate your complexion.
Erin Barlow, our Head of R&D & Education at Emma Lewisham
“As the springtime hits and we venture into the outdoors, our skin faces challenges that we’d cocooned it away from over the colder months. Our skin is exposed to more of those environmental aggressors, like UV and pollution, along with some of us reuniting with some seasonal allergens. This can result in an increase in collagen breakdown and, for those of us with allergies, redness and irritation. We can help to protect our skin by fortifying our skin barrier to help to keep moisture in and irritants out, while boosting those antioxidants to help maintain that precious collagen. Our barrier-protecting and non-stripping Illuminating Oil Cleanser is the perfect Spring companion, along with the antioxidant-rich hydrating hero Brighten Your Day Crème. What’s more, this cream is lightweight but features the 72-hour signature moisture lock so that lightening your daywear doesn’t mean losing your hydration.
Of course, while a good SPF should be used all year round, this time of year’s also a great reminder for making sure this staple is in your daily skincare wardrobe.”
Annee de Mamiel, founder of de Mamiel
“When seasonal changes start to emerge, our skin is faced with various different challenges.
Significant temperature variations can often take a toll on our skin unless we learn to adapt to them. It may be instantly hot and humid, so if your skin has been dry in the winter you suddenly find you are having oiliness and acne, or even an allergy and sensitivities that start in the spring with the first burst of sun exposure. Fortunately, skin responds well to kindness! Key to me are circulation, exfoliation, and moisturization.
- As things tend to stagnate in the winter, we need to get it moving in the springtime, so facial massage is great. Use small circles from the center outwards to drain lymph, which will reduce puffiness and deliver fresh nutrients and oxygen to the cells. This will give you a radiance and color back in your face.
- Exfoliating at this time of year is essential and gentle is always best. This will get rid of the dullness in your skin, but also allow the ingredients in your products to be absorbed.
- Getting the right level of moisture is essential, as dryness can lead to sensitivities in the skin and not correcting it quickly may set up a cycle. We need to move to a lighter level of moisturization: I love using oils, as they deliver the essential nutrients–vitamins and fatty acids–to the deeper layers of the skin. I especially like to mix our Skin Recovery with Spring Oil
I am a huge fan of a warm water with lemon drink first thing to eliminate toxins, it really gives your liver a kick start and the spring is Liver time.
Get your internal fire started with a shot of orange, ginger, lemon, and turmeric juice; try making a batch and freeze in a cube mould; use one cube and dilute with hot water and raw honey to kick start your day.
Here’s a lovely recipe
1 small orange; 2 small lemons; 1/4 cup chopped fresh turmeric; 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger; ⅛ tsp fresh black pepper.
Morning shake out: find the most uplifting track you can (a happy one) and get your body shaking for 5 minutes, arms and shoulders, then bounce on your toes. This has a fantastic benefit for your whole body.
Don’t forget your body in the spring as dry body brushing helps a sluggish lymphatic system, exfoliate with sugar scrubs, I prefer the salt ones in winter and moisturize – use a balm on the elbows and knees so it goes a proper does of moisture this will ensure your whole body is glowing!