Spring is a time of renewal: birds chirping, flowers blooming, and your skin emerging from a cocoon of intensive winter moisturizer and chapstick. After months of alternating between hot, dry indoor air and the temperamental cold outside, your skin is ready for a shift in seasonal skin care.

However, depending on where you’re from in Pakistan, winter may just seem like it’s still in force and for others, spring may have bloomed by now, surely, with the dreaded summer months ahead we have to take comfort in the air-conditioning, however this just means a more thorough skin care routine to battle the hot and cold changes.

Since spring is almost here, it is time to update your skin care routine and wake up your skin from its winter hibernation!

Changes in the skin during spring season:

The change from cold to warmer weather can cause a whole new set of skin issues for most of us. As your skin’s natural oils are returning back to balance after the dry winter, you may notice a sudden increase in oiliness which may result in uncalled for acne and breakouts. For some, spring flower pollen can cause skin allergies and may therefore make the skin more prone to flare ups and redness.

Why is it important to adjust your skincare routine?

The arrival of every season brings unique changes to everyone’s skin and hair, depending on their natural skin type – however, the transition from winter to spring requires more sensitivity when using skin care products, as in Pakistan, sometimes the swift transition from cold to warm weather can come way too fast. Increasing pollution is also a factor to add on to the skin care regime and diet changes are also very necessary. Set aside the winter skincare habits and create a new spring skincare routine with the right skin care products and techniques.

1. Exfoliate:

Winter weather can take its toll on our skin and leave a season – long buildup of dead skin cells. This causes the skin to become dry, flaky and dull. Since you are most likely to show skin in warmer months, shedding off your old skin cells should be a step to incorporate into your skincare even more so than is regularly done. Not only will this remove the top layer of the skin and the buildup of dead skin, but also help in getting the skin flow and looking youthful as the new spring season rolls in. Although we would recommend a normal exfoliator with gentle beads, preferably a natural scrub with no chemical peeling involved, in order to transition from the dullness to the more brighter look – we would recommend not only a natural product but one that you may not have thought of to work as an exfoliator. This product is no other than Conatural’s “Better than Ubtan” skin powder with invigorating oils ensuring your skin does not dry down with the exfoliation. Using this three times a week will bring an instant glow and help nurture your skin in the best way possible.

Normally, exfoliators work by getting rid of your skin buildup, improving skin texture and appearance, reducing your chances of breaking out and improving your skin’s ability to absorb other skincare products. Physical exfoliators like face scrubs show immediate results but they are not as effective as you think. These can only remove what’s on the topmost layer of your skin and most contain particles that are too coarse and jagged which can irritate the gentle skin on your face. This is why we recommend using a chemical exfoliator like a Glycolic Acid Peel or Salicylic Acid Peel. However, it is highly recommended that you visit a dermatologist before you decide on any invasive skin treatment!

2. Layer on LOTS of Sunscreen

During spring, we see more sunlight and increased temperature. You will have more beautiful days to spend outside! This increase in sun exposure means that SPF is even more important now than it was in the last couple of months. The sun is getting stronger and that just dries up and ruins the top layers of the sensitive face skin. If you want to keep skin healthy and youthful, wearing sunscreen daily is a must. It is key to always wear a 30 SPF moisturizer, even if you are wearing foundation or BB cream or tinted moisturiser, make sure it either has SPF in it or that you layer it on before your make-up. Up to 40% of the sun's UV rays still penetrate the clouds even on a completely cloudy day so don’t be complacent about your sun protection! Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays, if you want to go commercial but make sure you choose one that is non – comedogenic as some can clog your pores and cause breakouts. Our favourite is Conatural’s Essential Day Cream (available at Neco’s or online on their website) – this cream does not have the harmful chemicals most SPFs have but have organic oils which act as natural sunblock potions!

3. Moisturiser Transition

Spring weather means the start of the icky humidity so using the thick, heavy moisturizer that you used during winter can leave your skin slick and greasy looking. This is why you should switch to a lighter moisturizer that will help keep your skin healthy and hydrated, keeping it refreshed and not weighed down. You can also use mists and sprays handy in your handbag and spray them throughout the day: for this we recommend the rose water spray mist from Saeed Ghani – so effective and hydrating or primary skin care’s Jasmine Dew Face mist. If you like, you can keep both in the fridge so when you spray it also cools you down! For a light-weight moisturiser, we recommend something natural from the body shop, The Drops of Youth concentrate dropper and the Vitamin E Moisture cream which is water based and not oil based so it really brings out this glow in your skin without making it oily!

4. Take Care of Your Eyes!

As the warmer months approach, the sun is out longer and everything is a lot brighter. And you may not notice, but this actually takes its toll on the delicate skin around your eyes. Since you are more prone to squinting, the harmful UV rays of the sun speed up the signs of aging around the eye.

Spring skincare tip:

Have a pair of big sunglasses everywhere you go. Aside from making you look fabulous, they also protect your eyes from the glare of the sun. An eye cream or eye gel should also be in your spring skincare routine. If you don’t have it in your skincare routine yet, now is the perfect time to add one; your future skin will thank you! A really good one available locally, is Himalaya’s Under Eye Cream. Of course, more than creams, one should really take care of squinting your eyes or too much direct sun contact etc.

5. Tone that face up!

Toning is so important after your usual face washing / cleansing routine, it removes bacteria build up and most importantly gives your face skin an even tone and also removes extra oil but doesn’t dry up your skin. The perfect product we recommend for that is, Primary’s Glow Toner made of natural ingredients like Glycolic Acid, Chamomile, Witch Hazel, Aloe and Mint.

6. Try to have no make up days!

Your makeup has a lot to do with your skin health so choosing the right ones are very important. Too much makeup can clog your pores and cause breakouts especially now that it’s more humid out. Let your skin breathe and swap your liquid foundation for a light, face powder. They have lesser ingredients and are less likely to irritate your skin. You should also use products that are mineral based and are free of parabens. And of course, always take off your makeup before bedtime! The best make up removers and skin hydrators are oils, depending on what oil suits your skin, our favourite is Apricot Oil, because of its mild properties – our favourite local brand for Apricot Oil is Aura Crafts – available at Neco’s Natural Store.

Bonus: During winter, your body is exposed to harsh conditions — very low temperature, dry air, and cold winds. All these cause damage to your collagen levels which can seriously affect your hair, nails and skin health. Revitalize yourself this spring with a collagen supplement like natural collagen supplements or powder!