How to transition your skin care routine from winter to spring

Step # 1 Change Your Moisturizer

Did you slather on a thick cream in the winter to stay moisturized? If it helped your skin to stay hydrated, great! However, you need a different moisturizer come springtime, as your skin will have different needs. Try to find a moisturizer with a thinner consistency so that your skin can breathe with the arrival of warmer weather. During the day, use a product like Garnier SkinActive’s Moisture Rescue Actively Hydrating Daily Lotion with SPF 15. It’s lightweight, fragrance-free, and has the most important ingredient you need for your skin — SPF. You should always be wearing SPF every single day, but especially since the sun will start to shine more frequently. If you’re exposed to the sun for longer periods of time, you may want to up the SPF to factor 30 or higher depending on your skin tone.

At night we suggest Garnier’s Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream which hydrates without being sticky. This will prevent your skin from not being able to breathe under a thick cream.

Step #2 Exfoliate but Not Too Much

We’re huge proponents of exfoliating in the winter — dry, dead skin cells can wreak havoc on your complexion as they can clog your pores and prevent products from working on the surface of your skin. When the weather gets warmer and there is more humidity in the air your pores are more open and receptive to products and their effects. It’s okay to exfoliate a little less because of this.

Avoid products with sand or crystals as they can cause small tears in your skin. Instead use an exfoliator with fruit beads or fruit enzymes such as Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+ Balancing Exfoliator which is infused with antioxidants, such as grapefruit and pomegranate to slough off excess surface skin cells, revealing a smoother and softer complexion.

Step #3 Get as Much H2O as Possible

As the temperatures start to rise, we try to keep our bodies as hydrated as possible. There are two ways to do this: bathing and drinking lots of water.

We know that you’re thinking bathing can dry skin out , but not if you do it right. With the right bath water temperature, filled with Epsom salts and bath oils you can slough off dead skin cells, which then allows your products to work with maximum efficacy. The steam from the bath water will also open your pores. This is a great time to apply a mask for added skin benefits.

Very important: once you get out of the bath do not let more than a few minutes elapse to apply moisturizer. If your skin is still slightly damp the product will lock in water particles, which can provide more hydration.

Another way to ensure great springtime skin is by drinking plenty of water, as well as getting hydration through fruits and vegetables.

An excellent way to make sure your immune system is in good shape and ensure you’re hydrated is to start the day with a glass of lukewarm water with some lemon squeezed into it. You will quench your thirst after a good night’s sleep and also up your Vitamin C intake.

Step #4 Lighten Up on the Foundation

Similar to your moisturizer, you can go lighter with your make up in warmer temperatures. If you wear a foundation in the winter, you can switch to a tinted moisturizer or a BB cream so skin can breathe. Go for an SPF, non-comedogenic product. Garnier SkinActive’s 5-in-1 Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream comes in a variety of colors and for various skin types. It has SPF of 15 and when you apply it, it will brighten, renew and even out your complexion . It’s the perfect product for your skin to shine.