Woot woot...Spring is in the Air!

One day you realise that it's not dark at 5pm. The days are getting longer and a few warmer breezes tickle your skin, you're not putting your wooly hat and gloves quite as often... and you suddenly think, hey, is Spring around the corner?

Yes it is. It’s officially here. Yayay! While you may get a few more cold snaps still to come, warmer weather is absolutely on it's way. Hooray! Goodbye Winter, Hello Gorgeous!

Here are some tips for transitioning from Winter skin to Spring skin.

1. Spring Clean!

Spring is a great time to declutter. Closets, shelves filled with half used, long forgotten prodcuts and makeup bags! Keep what you love and use, and toss what you dont. Throw it out... it'll do you good.

Any Image Consultant will tell you, if you haven't worn it for a year, get rid of it. The same rules kind of apply to skincare products and cosmetics.

Ask yourself:

How long has this been open?

If you can't recall buying or opening the product, and it's not part of your regular routine, you should probably toss it. Like food, skin care and cosmetics usually have an expiry date, even more so for natural products, which, while may well be preserved, usually have a shorter shelf life. If it's gone way beyond that. Whatever ingredients are in it have probably lost their efficacy and may actually be more harmful to you than benefit you. Check your dates and toss.

2. Lighten up Buttercup

While winter stil lingers, carry on using your winter products, but unless your skin is a dry type, then your skincare routine should start to lighten up in Spring. Reach for more lightweight lotions and potions. Dont skip on the moisturizer though, all skin types need a moisturizer. What you want is happy, balanced skin. A lightweight cleanser, a nice facial mist/toner, a hydrating serum, followed by your moisturizer and spf.

3. Exfoliate

I'm a big fan of exfoliation, provided it's done in moderation and correctly. In my book, exfoliation 1 x a week is plenty.

This is a perfect time of year to give yourself a good exfoliating treatment. Dry skin, consider an enzyme peel, whereas oily-normal skin can handle a mechanical exfoliator. But PLEASE, no shells and no microbead.

Here’s a simple homemade recipe.

1 teaspoon of honey.

1/2 teaspoon or soft brown sugar

A few squirts of lemon juice

1-3 drops of jojoba oil.

Mix it all up, take some in your fingers and massage GENTLY in circular motions for about 2 mins. Rinse off, pat to slightly damp and massage in a few drops of oil serum.

Silky smooth and nourished skin.

4. Book a facial

If you don't get facials once a month, then you should get one at least once a season. Just like the seasons transition, so does your skin. Your friendly Esthetician (me) can help you kickstart that with a deeper treatment that will put a spring in your step, and a glow on your face.

5. Detox

This is a great time of year to detox all the heavy comfort foods.

Consider a 3 day juice program to give your digestive system and other loaded organs a break. Your skin will thank you too!

Chin up, chest out, shoulders back, smiles wide! It’s Springtime Baby!