Dry lips, rough knuckles and cracked elbows are all casualties of winter’s war on your skin. Heavy night creams and retinols may have combated damage to your moisture barrier during the colder months, but no beauty arsenal should serve as a year-round remedy. As the cherry blossoms start to pop and temperatures begin to change, so should your skincare routine, says Lily Talakoub (aka “Dr. Lily”), a board certified cosmetic and medical dermatologist with McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center. Follow her on Instagram (@drlilyt) for more skincare tips.
1. Switch up your face wash.
Creamy cleansers are great for keeping skin hydrated during winter, but with spring’s higher humidity levels, it’s the right time of year to switch to a face wash that lathers. A gel cleanser will wash away impurities from sweat, sunscreen and makeup while keeping excess oil at bay.
2. Start using a Vitamin C + E serum. Â
“In the [spring and summer], your skin needs more antioxidants to protect against harmful UV rays,” Dr. Lily says. Vitamin C plays a vital role in skin reparation and collagen production, while vitamin E is crucial to protecting skin from sun damage. Morning and night, apply a liberal amount of vitamin C + E serum under your moisturizer for healthy, glowing skin.
3. Consider a microdermabrasion treatment. Â
In this procedure, an aesthetician uses a handheld, mechanical exfoliation tool to remove dead skin and stimulate cell renewal. Â The tool’s head contains exfoliating crystals that help to eliminate the appearance of dark spots, improve overall pigmentation and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Newly resurfaced skin is then treated with a masque or peel chosen to fit your skin’s specific needs of the season.
4. Apply an SPF of 50+Â every day.
According to Dr. Lily, the SPF component in your moisturizer or foundation probably doesn’t cut it. Apply an SPF with broad-spectrum coverage of 50+ daily (after your moisturizers sets) to protect against wrinkles, sun spots and skin cancer while you’re out on the trail, or sipping on rooftop cocktails and soaking up the sun.
5. Add an exfoliant to your routine. Â
Winter air is painfully dry, so scrubbing away at moisture-deprived skin with a grainy product can cause redness and irritation.  But with more moisture present in the spring air, it’s safe to use a light exfoliant two or three times a week to buff away dead skin cells. “As a general rule, exfoliate in the spring and summer and rehydrate in the winter months,” she advises. Exfoliators help to reveal a fresh layer of skin that’s brighter, smoother and healthier. If your skin is sensitive to gritty scrubs, then a chemical exfoliator like glycolic acid might be the answers to your prayers—just be sure to receive these treatments from a trained professional in a medical spa.
