Switch-up Your Beauty Routine: 9 Hair, Makeup & Skincare Swaps for Spring

Has winter left your hair and skin looking a little lacklustre? We asked our beauty and skincare expert, Maizie, which beauty products she’ll be splurging on this spring. Here are her hair, skincare and makeup beauty bag essentials, guaranteed to get your spring routine off to a glowing start.

Just like the change in seasons, when thick, chunky knits are banished to the back of the wardrobe, so should some of the beauty products you invested in for winter. Beauty regimes are a whole different ball game come spring.

When the weather gets a little warmer, the heavy duty moisturisers and serums we rely on so much during the cold months no longer serve us like they did in winter. Spring calls for a whole new product switch. Want to know which ones we’ll be investing in this spring?

Our beauty expert, Maizie, gives her expert tips for switching up your spring beauty routine. Wave goodbye to your winter beauty buys, these are the spring beauty products your beauty bag is crying out for.

1. Ditch last year’s open sunscreen

Just like food, sunscreens can go bad and the ingredients can spoil. This can make the formula watery, and as a result, less effective, leaving your skin more susceptible to sunburn, sun damage, brown spots, and the risk of developing skin cancer.

As a general rule of thumb, sunscreen usually only lasts for one year, so even if you still have over half a bottle left, you should always replace it with a new one if you bought it a year prior.

Sunscreens contain preservatives, and when these preservatives are constantly exposed to the sun and/or heat, your cream will expire much quicker, making the SPF less effective. If it’s been exposed to a lot of heat – i.e if it’s been stored in a warm place like a car, on the beach, or in your handbag – you might even need to replace it every couple of months, just to make sure it’s still effective.

You should always test the consistency of your sunscreen before you use it. If it’s changed in texture, like clumping or pilling, or you notice that it has a funny smell, it’s most likely been contaminated with bacteria and it needs replacing.

Here are Maizie’s top spring sunscreen picks:

2. Disinfect your makeup brushes

Keep debris build up and bacteria at bay by regularly washing your makeup brushes. Dirty brushes can cause breakouts and irritation, so if you keep them sparkling clean, your complexion will be fresh and spring ready!

Use an antibacterial cleaner – hand soap works well – together with a brush cleaning mat. I never used to use one of these, but now it’s in my life, it’s something I’ll never be without. The MillaFresh Matt Brush Cleaner deep cleans your brushes, getting right into each bristle, so it will feel like you’re using a brand new brush every time.

3. Switch your body moisturiser for a gradual tan

Get your glow on! Waking up to smooth, bronzed skin will put a spring in anybody's step. Using gradual tan is pretty much foolproof – orange patches and streaks are not welcome here. Use every day, scrub your skin every couple of weeks, repeat!

These are Maizie’s favourites, for a gorgeous, natural colour without a ray of sunshine in sight.

4. Tame that mane!

What split ends? The dry atmosphere in winter means more split ends and breakage, so spring is a great time to nourish tired tresses with an extra hit of moisture. It’s important to pick products that won’t weigh down the hair, so go back to basics and focus on the hair care must-haves!

Moroccan oil is a favourite of mine – it’s lightweight and helps protect against UV rays (perfect for spring).

MooGoo’s scalp cream is another must-have; it repairs all that built-up winter dandruff damage, without weighing the hair down and making it greasy.

5. Revitalise your skincare regime with some Vitamin C

As you’ll be exposing your skin to more sun, try using a Vitamin C-infused product. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects skin cells from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure. Vitamin C also brightens and repairs the skin, leaving a youthful, glowing and healthy complexion.
It’s literally the perfect wake-up call for your skin.

There are a great range of products to choose from, including serums, moisturisers and eye creams. Not only do they brighten and revitalise, they also help protect against UV damage during the warmer and sunnier months. Use daily – we guarantee your skin will thank you for it.

Here are Maizie’s top Vitamin C picks below:

Vitamin C serums

 

Vitamin C moisturisers

Vitamin C eye creams

6. Upgrade the razor for waxing strips

Want smoother skin for longer? If you’re someone who uses a razor every day, switch it up and try waxing strips instead. You’ll find your skin is much softer to touch, and it won’t have that horrible ‘prickly’ feel that razors can cause. Not a fan of waxing strips? Opt for a hair removal cream instead.

These are Maizie’s favourites:

7. Invest in a carrot pot for the ultimate spring POP!

The perfect multitasker – the carrot pot collection from Ere Perez gives lips, cheeks and eyes a rush of colour during the spring season. This dewy balm is packed with antioxidants to keep the skin hydrated and moisturised all day long, so it not only looks good, it’s good for your skin too. The only hard part is picking the colour you want (I had to have them all because… well, just because!)

8. Reduce your foundation coverage to light/medium

Maizie’s top tip: If you can’t get your hands on a lightweight foundation or a tinted moisturiser, mix a dab of your moisturiser into your full coverage foundation to achieve a lighter, more subtle glow.

The Koéna Dermaceutical Moisturiser is the perfect consistency to mix in with a foundation. AND you can use it as your daily moisturiser too. Result! It’s the perfect multipurpose cream for your spring routine.

Another tip is to mix your concealer in with an eye cream to lighten the coverage. This will also give a nice, subtle glow under the eye

Maizie’s must-haves:

9. Edit your makeup bag

A spring clean is most definitely in order. If you’re unsure how old a product is, it's always best to apply the ‘out with the old and in with the new’ mentality. Particularly with eye products; bacteria can build up and sometimes cause painful infections. But infections aside, you can use it as another excuse to treat yourself. Go on, you deserve it.