24 Mar 2015

Skin Care Tips and Simple Recipes for Spring

Although you might feel energized by the warmer weather when spring comes around, your skin could be suffering. Here are some springtime skin care tips to help you prettify your skin. 

Get Rid of Winter in Your Spring Beauty Regimen  

Before you can focus on gorgeous spring beauty, you first need to get rid of any leftover skin issues from winter. One of the most common problems is that of dryness, which can easily be remedied with exfoliation. If you don’t exfoliate your skin regularly, the skin cells that die  accumulate on the surface of your skin, causing skin to look dry and dull. You can achieve skin that glows by exfoliating two to three times every week. Make a natural exfoliating scrub for your springtime skin care routine that’s healthy for your skin.

5 Springtime Skin Care Tips You Should Use

Soothing Spring Beauty Scrub

Adapted from Wellness Mama

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
Directions
  • Mix the ingredients together and apply the paste to your skin.
  • After a few minutes of gently rubbing the sugar scrub into your skin in circular movements, wash it off with warm water. Skin is instantly smoother! 

Also, change to a lighter moisturizer!

Continuing to use your thick winter moisturizer when spring arrives can result in clogged pores and breakouts. Use a light gel or lotion instead, but make sure it contains antioxidants such as vitamin C to keep your skin glowing with youth. You can also bring herbs into your springtime skin care regime as they can be powerfully nourishing.

Luxurious Herbs for Beautiful Skin

Herbs can be used in a variety of ways to protect your skin against issues (including bug bites or sunburn) that are common during the warmer months. Combine oats with herbs such as chamomile and lavender for a soothing oatmeal bath. Or, try a herbal steam to rejuvenate dry skin and boost your blood circulation so more nutrients and oxygen can nourish it.

Herbal Steam for Spring Beauty

Adapted from Michael J. Balick, PhD  

Ingredients
1/2 cup herbs – use your favorite ones (lavender, calendula, chamomile, peppermint, or rose petals are nice)
3-quart pot of boiling water
Directions
  • Set the pot of boiling water on the table.
  • Cover your head with a towel and hold your face over the steaming pot for a few minutes. Be careful not to get too close as the steam can burn your skin!
  • When you are done, wash your face with a cleanser and then rinse your skin with cool water to close your pores.

Note: If you suffer from broken capillaries, or have highly sensitive or very dry and damaged skin, you should avoid herbal steams as they can be too harsh. In such cases, always consult with your doctor before trying a facial steam.

Springtime Skin Care for Tackling Irritation  

If you follow an active lifestyle outdoors, you’ll want to provide extra care for your skin.

For starters, being under the sun for long periods at a time means you need to boost your skin’s defense against the harmful rays. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen (this means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays) to avoid sun damage that may lead to cancer, wrinkles, and discoloration.

If you experience redness on your skin, either after a workout, because you have sensitive skin, or just due to warmer temperatures outside, nip it in the bud with  skin care products that are safe for sensitive skin. These are great because they don’t cause any irritation. A good tip is to look for skin-protecting ingredients in beauty products, such as licorice and zinc, that will strengthen skin while hydrating it during the heat. You should also use organic products that contain herbal extracts to nourish your skin. An example is lavender for healing sunburns. 

You can make your own lavender face mask to soothe skin redness, especially after a day in the sun, and pamper yourself in the process. Try this natural recipe:

Calming Spring Beauty Face Mask

Adapted from Aimee Wood

Ingredients
        
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (this creates a nice creamy consistency)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
Directions
  • Mix the ingredients together well. 
  • Apply the mixture all over your face and neck. Let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. 

Skin Care Rules When You’re Away

Spring is the perfect time to get out more and maybe even travel. When you’re on the road, don’t neglect your skin!

If you’re flying to your destination, keep your skin beauty routine focused on extra hydration to deal with the dry air resulting from cabin pressure on planes. This can be done by drinking lots of water and applying a hydrating face mask to your skin the night before your flight.

Consider the place to which you are traveling before you pack your beauty bag. If it’s cold, you will need your winter moisturizer; if it’s hot and humid, then you will need lighter skin care items.

5 Springtime Skin Care Tips You Should Use

How to Zap Zits

When the weather heats up you may sweat more, resulting in a greater risk of breakouts from bacteria that get into your pores. Make sure you cleanse your skin twice daily to get rid of any impurities, sweat, and dirt that may irritate your skin. This is an important step in a springtime skin care routine. Wash your face with lukewarm water that’s gentle on skin (avoid cold or hot water as they can be too harsh), then use circular motions when applying the cleansing product to your face.

You want to pay more attention to areas that are prone to producing more oil. These include your hairline, forehead, and chin. Don’t wash the cleanser off too quickly – give it a chance to eliminate impurities by rubbing it in for about a minute.

Avoid cleansers that contain irritating ingredients such as alcohol, as these can be drying to skin. Always finish the cleansing step with a light moisturizer to make skin wonderfully smooth. When you apply moisturizer after cleansing your face, it’s always a good idea to do so when your skin is still a little damp. This enables the product to lock in moisture for longer.

To prevent breakouts, make your own anti-acne face wash with calendula. This herb has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties so it’s great for skin that’s prone to pimples.

Calendula Clear Complexion Face Wash

Adapted from Annie’s Remedy

Ingredients

1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon calendula flowers (either dried or fresh)
Clean cloth

Directions
  • Boil the cup of water and let it rest so that it cools a little.
  • Take the flowers and place them in the hot water. Let them soak for about 10 minutes.
  • Once the water has cooled, squeeze the flowers into the water to release any juice. 
  • Dab a cloth into the infusion and apply it to your skin.

Springtime skin care is all about achieving fresh-faced beauty and soft, youthful skin. Follow the above tips to achieve glorious skin this season! You can also click here to learn more about using herbs for beautiful skin in DIY recipes.  

5 Spring Skin Care Tips for Beautiful, Healthy Skin

REFERENCES

Balick, M. (2014). 7 Herbal Beauty Products You Can Make at Home. Retrieved from http://www.prevention.com/beauty/natural-beauty/7-herbal-beauty-products-you-can-make-home/simple-herbal-facial-steam

Hayes, R. (2013). 4 Gorgeous Skin Tips for Women Who Work out. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/workout-skin-tips

Nesvig, K. (2014). 9 Essential Beauty Tips for the Girl who Travels. Retrieved from http://thoughtcatalog.com/kara-nesvig/2014/03/9-essential-beauty-tips-for-the-girl-who-travels/

New Years Beauty Resolutions: What to Keep and What to Throw Out. (2014). Retrieved from http://bellezzaspa.com/our-blog/new-years-beauty-resolutions-what-to-keep-and-what-to-throw-out/

Tara Heath is a journalist who loves to write about health in any shape or form. With summer around the corner be sure to have all the right products to keep that summer skin glowing. She knows she will be outdoors and enjoying the summer sun, but knows the importance of skincare.