Spring-Clean Your Beauty Routine
By Jennifer Tzeses
Now that the last traces of winter are gone for good, you can pack away your cold-weather beauty regimen too (well, at least for the next six months!). Warmer temps and the changes in climate call for a few tweaks to your daily routine. Here, advice from the pros for updating your skin, hair and makeup to welcome the season.
Hydrate Strands
Rescue your winter-parched hair from months of bouncing back and forth between icy outdoor air and drying indoor heat, says Matrix artistic director Nick Stenson, owner of Chicago's Caviar Salon. A conditioning mask can rejuvenate dry hair by restoring shine and vitality, says Stenson. Try Oscar Blandi Trattamento di Jasmine Smoothing Hair Treatment ($26; OscarBlandi.com). It repairs damaged hair by delivering intense moisture, resulting in a silky-soft and shiny mane.
Trim Your Tresses
Even if you're not ready for a whole new 'do, a good trim can bring your hairstyle back to life, says Stenson. "On average, hair grows at a rate of about a half-inch per month. That winter outgrowth has been subjected to regular wear and tear as well as the ravages of wind and changing weather," he says. Getting rid of that last inch or so will make your mane look healthier and fuller. Use a product like MATRIX Sleek.look Sealing Serum ($15; Matrix.com for salon locations) to protect against future damage without weighing hair down.
Brighten Up Your Locks
After months of gray days, "mimic what the sun does naturally by adding dimensional highlights to your hair," says Stenson. "Even a few well-placed foils around the face will brighten up your complexion and accentuate eyes and cheekbones," he says. If you're a bit shy about color, ask your stylist to try a demi-permanent color, which is ammonia-free and gentler on your hair, to add subtle tones. Or try an at-home highlighting kit, like L'Oréal Paris Touch-On Highlights ($12.99; Drugstore.com). It comes with a small fine-tooth plastic brush that fits right on your fingertip, so you can easily control where you put the highlighting mixture.
Discover other ways you can update your hairstyle for spring.
Give Your Hair a Chance to Breathe
Stop fighting the weather and let your hair dry naturally, says stylist and curl expert Ouidad. "When you let your hair air-dry, the scalp's natural oils have a chance to penetrate strands to help nourish any damage caused by hot tools," she says. But when it gets warmer, there's more humidity in the air, which means more frizz. The best way to control curly or coarse hair that dries au naturel is to use a product that repels humidity, like Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel ($19.80; Ouidad.com). The formula blocks out excess humidity that creates frizz and flyaways by protecting the hair shaft and preventing strands from expanding.
Create a Lighter Canvas
Just as you change your wardrobe for warmer weather, your skin needs a lighter coating of makeup too, says celebrity makeup artist Jackie Gomez, whose clients include Beyoncé and Marisa Miller. Instead of sticking with foundation, which is great for winter months but too heavy for springtime, add a tinted moisturizer to your daily routine. "These formulas are sheer but still hydrating enough to provide your skin with an even tone and fresh look," says Gomez. "They balance your complexion and make you look dewy rather than cakey or greasy," she says. Try Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($14.99; Drugstore.com). It's made with light diffusers that brighten and smooth your skin tone.
Get a Creamy Flush
Cream blushes tend to last longer than powder formulas when your skin gets warmer, says Gomez. A brighter color, like a pop of pink or peach on the apples of your cheeks, "will make you look more fresh and youthful," she says. Try Laura Geller Air Whipped Mousse Cheek Color ($26; QVC.com). It's sheer, lightweight, loaded with vitamins A, C and E, and all you need to do is swipe it on your cheeks with your fingertips.
Go for Gilded Shades
Bronze and gold hues in eyeshadow, lipgloss and bronzer are flattering on every skin tone, says Gomez. The beauty of these shades is that they evoke the look of a tan without your having to step out in the sun. Nervous about the shimmery shades? Gold shadow doesn't have to be bold. If you wear a subtle swipe across the lid, it can be sophisticated enough for the office. Try Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer, Blush and Eyeshadow in Vegas Strip ($11.99; Drugstore.com). It has everything you need for a pretty look in one compact.
Slough Away Dead Skin
Spring is the perfect time to get rid of dull winter skin and increase cell turnover to make way for a fresh, radiant complexion, says Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, director of Ethnic Skin Care at the University of Miami. Gently exfoliate the skin with a product that's not too harsh or irritating. Try Specific Beauty Exfoliating Cleansing Cloths ($6.99; SpecificBeauty.com). They contain aloe, green tea and vitamin E, and have textured beads on one side to gingerly exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin.
Forgo Heavy Face Cream
Switch from a heavy winter face cream to a lighter lotion so you don't clog pores in warmer weather, says Dr. Woolery-Lloyd. Since the temperature is more humid, you won't have to worry about your complexion getting as dry. Try Neutrogena Healthy Defense Liquid Moisturizer SPF 50 with Helioplex ($14; Neutrogena.com). This lightweight daily moisturizer is noncomedogenic, so it won't cause breakouts, and it provides a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from harsh UVA and UVB rays.
Clean Your Skin More Thoroughly
As the mercury rises, your skin naturally produces more oil. This means you'll need to cleanse away sweat and grime more deeply than you would in the winter, says Dr. Woolery-Lloyd. Skin can handle a more penetrating cleaning in spring and summer because there's more humidity in the air, so your complexion is less likely to dry out. Try Clean & Clear Advantage 3-in-1 Foaming Acne Wash ($6.49; Drugstore.com). Ingredients like salicylic acid help prevent future breakouts while a special complex dissolves surface oil.
Original article appeared on WomansDay.com
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