You know its Spring when the days get longer, the warmer weather creeps into the forecast and the flowers start blossoming. These are tell signs to bring out those flirty dresses from storage and swap out some skincare products in your vanity.
The appearance of your skin is part genetics and part environment. Therefore, your skin type won’t necessarily change with the seasons but your skin concerns will. Spring is known for not being too cold but also not too warm, it’s that beautiful equilibrium where we get to enjoy the best of both worlds, but what does this mean for your skin?
Kevin Khosa, Customer Service Manager and Skincare Expert at SKIN functional gets this question a lot from his customers: “What ingredients should I be using for my skin type in Spring?”
“As a general rule, you should replace products that are formulated primarily to be moisturising and hydrating with products containing more active ingredients like antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids, or retinoids. Here are 4 ingredient swaps to achieve this for the Spring Season,” added Khosa:
- Switch out your heavier products for lighter moisturisers. As the humidity rises, it can lead to increased oil production and in turn clog your pores. As a starting point, consider swopping out your Squalane serum for a hydrating Hyaluronic Acid.
- Our skin is better able to tolerate acids and stronger formulations of other active ingredients when it’s a bit warmer. Spring is a great time to exfoliate and brighten the dull skin that has accumulated during the winter. If you need something non-irritating, opt for a gentle AHA like a lactic or mandelic acid.
- Practice pro-ageing and consider Vitamin C as non-negotiable. This ingredient is vital in protecting the skin from environmental elements like pollution and UV damage (two of the biggest contributors to signs of ageing). Antioxidants can be used all year round but they may be particularly helpful during the Spring and Summer to avoid sun damage and hyperpigmentation.
- Level up your use of retinoids. Increasing the strength or frequency of retinol is often helpful, and more tolerable, in warmer weather to combat breakouts and boost anti-aging. Remember retinol should only be used at night and if you are increasing your retinol, you also need to use sunscreen during the day.
“SKIN functional is about Skinimalism™ and therefore our product range allows you to alter your routine for Spring without overwhelming you with too many products and a 30-minute long routine. Spring is about bright, healthy skin and you can achieve this by using products that have optimal concentrations™ of effective and trusted ingredients to restore the skin’s optimal functioning. SF products deliver potent treatments that bring you everything your skin needs with reproducible results™,” concluded Khosa.