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Springtime Self-Care: Bask in the Sun With These Tips

July 21, 2020

Springtime Self-Care: Bask in the Sun With These Tips

The long, cold nights of winter have finally left, and the promise of the sun shining brightly is here. Springtime signals the beautiful start of the growing season when flowers blossom and leaves grow.

This season is long-awaited and for good reason as it is such a beautiful time of the year, but while there are many things to be happy and excited about in spring, the transition of the seasons can also cause anxiety as skin can experience some sudden, and often unwelcome changes.

It's important to set in place a proper self-care routine, otherwise, the sudden increase in pollen, erratic climate, and strong UV radiation can take a toll on your skin. If you dedicate yourself to adding in a few new self-care ritual behaviors for spring - this will make a significant difference! You'll ensure you're protected from the harmful swings of the climate and revive your skin’s natural radiance.

SPRING SKIN PROBLEMS

Your skin may have issues with a change in weather conditions. With the cold wind gone, hot and humid air takes its place and that can usher in a new set of skin problems. The rising humidity of spring is due to the weather changing from cold to warm, and this sudden change can lead skin to swing from dry to oily, and possibly experience certain types of allergies and even acne.

In addition to acne issues, there is a growing concern over spring sun as a lot of people stay outside during this season without actually thinking about sun protection. The sense of excitement to stay exposed likely comes from having missed the rays of sunshine during the winter season!

Also, the sun comes and goes in spring without people getting bothered by its heat and warmth as the sun is pleasant when paired together with chilly winds. No matter what the temperature is or whether it is sunny, cloudy, partly cloudy, windy or calm - you need to wear SPF if you're spending time outside!

While the change in season brings a lot of promising changes, many also associate it with several skin problems.

CONTACT DERMATITIS

Spring encourages us to stay outdoors, giving rise to the risk of getting contact dermatitis. This is a common type of rash that causes itching, redness, and sometimes small bumps. A rash like this can be triggered by contact with irritants like poison ivy, chemicals found in cosmetics or soaps, or even jewelry.

Contact dermatitis appears anywhere from several minutes after exposure to a few hours thereafter. Those who have had it can vouch just how itchy and uncomfortable this can be.

Treatment for contact dermatitis is something you can do at home.
  • The first step is to identify and then avoid the cause of the rash. Take off the jewelry, get away from the plant, or discontinue use of the product that triggered it.
  • To ease discomfort, you can add a few cups of oatmeal or a few teaspoons of aloe vera gel to a warm bath.
  • Be sure to pat dry after the bath as rubbing with a towel might further aggravate the rash and itching is to be avoided.
  • It is advised to leave the rash as exposed to air as possible to promote healing. 

TREAT & AVOID ACNE BREAKOUTS

Pimples happen all year long but many people are more prone to them when there's a change in season. The rising temperature is also a culprit in acne breakouts as many tend to spend more time outdoors engaging in activities. This causes more sweating that can lead to acne appearing in all places aside from the face. In fact, warmer months see a rise in people suffering from “bacne,” or back acne.

With spring causing an increase in pimples breaking out on your skin, it becomes necessary to use cleansers that are gentle, meaning they don't throw skin out of balance with chemicals that are too drying.

Try a gentle micellar water cleanser to get rid of skin impurities. Look for ingredients in a gentle cleanser that will further hydrate, purify, and offer potent antioxidants that can help prevent future eruptions.

Use a clarifying clay mask as a spot-treatment to soak up the excess oil and provide powerful, deep cleansing that is still gently working with your skin. 

SEASONAL ECZEMA

Also known as atopic dermatitis, seasonal eczema’s exact cause is not known in a lot of cases. However, there are individuals who have shown a link between flare-ups to changing seasons and vulnerability to several conditions.

Springtime escalates the risk of eczema irritants such as pollens, hot weather, mold and other fungi, increased perspiration, and high or low humidity. Using a hydrating, soothing moisturizerthat can strongly reinforce your skin's moisture barrier is important on these days when there are tons of irritants in the air. 

OVERCOMING SPRINGTIME SKIN CHALLENGES

There is so much to celebrate about the season, skin care problems shouldn't hold you back from enjoying everything wonderful about spring! The key is being be prepared with the best solutions to combat common skin problems. There are several self-care ways to keep your skin healthy and all set for springtime.

AMP UP YOUR SUN PROTECTION

Your springtime self-care routine must include stepping up the use of sunscreen. The temperature during this season may not be as intense as the summertime but it is important to get protection from the damaging sun rays. With the cooler weather fooling you about how much sun exposure you've had, you need to be vigilant about getting sufficient protection.

Experts recommend that the best defense is putting on sunscreen. Use at least SPF 30 and reapply every several hours. If you’re swimming outside or enjoying the great outdoors, reapplication must be done more often (try hourly to be sure, especially if you are doing something very active like surfing or swimming in the ocean). You should be cautious about what you put on your face and the rest of the body, and you may need different strengths of sunscreens for different body parts.

It will also help if you get other gear to protect yourself from the sun like wearing long-sleeved shirts. Wearing a hat is also good protection, and it's even better if you get one with a wide brim so your neck and ears are protected too.

SWITCH TO MORE BREATHABLE FORMULAS

Warmer months allow the skin to hold on to more water so there’s no need for the ultra-hydrating, thick creams you used to keep skin protected in winter. Those thick moisturizers now pose a potential threat to your skin, as using them when the weather is changing can result in clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. A lighter lotion or hydrating serum will be your skin's best friend in springtime. 

Try a moisturizing serum with hyaluronic acid for your springtime self-care routine. Hyaluronic acid promotes youthful-looking skin, plumping it up to minimize fine lines. It also helps boost skin’s natural moisture-retention process resulting in a healthy glow and increased elasticity.

Using a light moisturizer full of beneficial ingredients is also highly recommended; applying it every morning after cleansing will help to keep skin supple, soft and protected from environmental stressors.

EXFOLIATE AWAY DULL SKIN 

The winter season can leave your skin looking dull and patchy. The use of heavy products during chilly months can also lead to some leftover dead skin cells. To get a healthy glow back, you need to exfoliate!

Gently exfoliating can take away dull winter skin and unblock pores. Exfoliating can also make all your other products work faster as they're able to penetrate more deeply into skin's many layers. Exfoliation doesn't need to be physical, you can use a serum with vitamin C or products with natural hydroxy acids in them to promote natural exfoliation, which helps brighten skin from within. 

DEEPLY HYDRATE TO REPAIR

If you experience some dryness after switching to a lighter moisturizer (and if unpredictable spring weather happens to go from warm back to cold), consider using a deeply hydrating hyaluronic acid overnight mask once a week. This overnight treatment can rejuvenate your skin by saturating it with ingredients that help defend it against pollutants and oxidation. 

DEVELOP A RELIABLE SKINCARE RITUAL

Your self-care ritual during springtime can make a huge difference in how your skin will look. Develop a personalized beauty routine that can efficiently handle your skin's seasonal needs and treat yourself like royalty at the same time, because looking after yourself shouldn't feel like a chore, it should be fun!

  1. Drinking lots of water is one easy thing that you can do to help achieve a better complexion.
  2. Allow your skin to breathe by doing away with heavy makeup as often as possible, try a minimal makeup routine and simple touch-ups to highlight your best features instead of a full face of makeup every day.
  3. Indulge in hydrating baths and follow them up with an application of high quality body care products to keep skin nourished all over.
  4. Use a spray toner to soothe the skin, which is a great choice to freshen up skin or for on-the-go toning as needed during the day.
  5. Using products packed with antioxidants can preserve your youthful appearance and facilitate the absorption of the other products in your routine.
  6. Sun protection needs to be a high priority - so a handy tip for spring is to have a light tote bag pre-packed with layers of clothing that you can keep in your car and bring with you on outings. Items to include: long-sleeve shirt or light cardigan, a big scarf, a lightweight umbrella, hat with a full brim (so that your neck and ears aren't neglected as they would be with a baseball cap), and, of course, your sunscreen

Soak in all the glory, beauty, and fun that springtime offers, just be sure to give your skin a little extra TLC this time of the year!

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