Who doesn’t love spring time? Longer, brighter days ahead with the promise of warmth, summer and sunshine! It’s the perfect time of the year to detox and refresh our routines after the colder winter months.
Pamela Hamilton, skincare advisor at Irish beauty e-tailer Millies.ie explains, “Just like we change and update our wardrobe seasonally, each year we should be spring-cleaning our skincare. You don’t necessarily need to change your whole regime but it is important to check in on your skin and see if it requires different products and ingredients during the spring and summer months. We are encouraging the skin to blossom this spring by celebrating the change in season and freeing it from the hibernation of the winter months. A new season is the ideal time to take a step back and reassess our regimes and find out what's working and what's not!”
Pamela’s top tips for Spring Cleaning our skincare routines!
Swap winter for spring
Lower temperatures and humidity during winter climates can cause the skin to tighten and dry out, making many people turn to thicker and heavier moisturisers. Now we can look at lighter textures for spring that protect our skin from the brighter and longer days. As we spend more time outdoors, it’s important to protect our skin against the environment, pollution and external aggressors. This spring, we love this lightweight serum from ASAP containing Niacinamide Vitamin B3, Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid, Red Clover Flower and Licorice Extract.
SPF is non-negotiable
If you’re serious about your skincare routine and protecting the skin from harmful aggressors, a broad-spectrum SPF Moisturiser is non-negotiable all year round, but especially important as the warmer months creep in. It’s vital that your SPF says broad spectrum. This means protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
UVA rays are present at all times during daylight hours, and while you might not see or feel their effects, they are powerful. They can even penetrate through glass. They cause long term damage on our skin such as premature ageing, fine line and wrinkles. About 95% of the UV rays that reach the ground are UVA. UVB rays have higher energy levels and damage the outer layers of our skin. In very simple terms, these rays cause sunburn.. They also directly damage our DNA and are the cause of most skin cancers. We love the IMAGE Prevention Daily Matte for everyday wear. As it is matte, it sits beautifully under make-up.
Look at product expiry dates
Remember to look at expiration dates on your skincare products. Bacteria can build up quickly on your skincare and makeup. If you notice a change in consistency, texture or odour it's probably best to throw it out. We generally advise to discard anything over 6 Months old. Most skincare containers have a tiny image of an open jar with a number on it and this refers to the number of months you can use a product after you’ve opened it up.
When it comes to skincare with active ingredients, most products should be used within 3 months, as when we open products they start to oxidise and gradually lose its active level. Thankfully, a lot of active products are now in air tight containers which allow the product to stay fully active in the jar.
Introduce Vitamin C
The human system does not create or store Vitamin C, therefore we must rely on our diet and topical application of this miracle ingredient. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and it plays a key role in our skincare stimulating collagen production, hydration and brightening for a more even skin tone. A Vitamin C serum, like Skinceuticals C E Ferulic, is an easy way to boost the skin’s firmness and brighten the overall complexion.
Are you protected from free radicals?
Antioxidants are molecules that fight and protect our skin from free radicals. Here’s a simple example - if you slice an apple up and leave it out, you will see it turn brown after a short while. This is oxidation, and this is caused by free radicals. Antioxidants in our skincare help prevent sun damage, help skin repair the itself and help brighten skin tone. Antioxidants can be found in food and Skincare such as Vitamin A (Retinol), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Niacinamide(B3). We love Dermalogica’s Antioxidant Hydramist for protection on all levels this spring.
Are you taking advantage of Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a phenomenal molecule that is known to deliver a number of incredible benefits to the skin and is widely considered one of the most important ingredients because it is the only molecule that has been scientifically proven to assist in reprogramming cells. This wonder ingredient assists in the healthy production of collagen and elastin, it speeds up healing and prevents breakouts resulting in healthier looking and more radiant skin. Our advice when it comes to Vitamin A is to start slow and as you go on in your skin care journey you can increase to higher levels as your skin becomes accustomed to it. The Environ step-up system is a firm favourite in Millies but new clients must have a skincare consultation before use.
