At last, the days are finally getting longer. It’s now jacket (not coat) season, flowers are coming out to bloom and it feels like spring really is here to give us a fresh start. With loosened lockdown restrictions on the horizon, lots of us are starting to think about spring cleaning the house ready for long-awaited guests. And if you’re already on the spring cleaning hype, your skincare might need a fresh pair of eyes too. Here’s how to spring clean your skincare like a pro.

Switch to lighter skincare products

In winter, moisturiser is key in your routine. Colder air, reduced humidity and central heating dry out your skin, meaning that we opt for heavier moisturisers and layers of hydrating serums. As we head into spring, this is less of a factor – so you might want to swap to lighter products. Your winter moisturiser might soon start to feel too heavy for you (unless you have very dry skin), so you may want to try switching to a lighter texture. 

Throw out expired products

Yes, skincare and makeup expire. We’re sorry to say it, but that really does mean you should bin that lipstick from a decade ago, no matter how much you paid for it in duty free (remember duty free?). Makeup and skincare that’s over the expiration date can harbour bacteria, which is, needless to say, terrible for your skin. If they’re out of date, get rid of them.

You’ll find expiry dates on your products (look for the little symbol on the back with the number in it) but on average, here’s how long your skincare and makeup lasts:

Up that SPF

You’ll have heard us say this before, but you should be wearing sunscreen every day – no matter what the weather, or the season. However, if you were wearing SPF 30 or lower during the winter months, now is the time to consider jumping up to SPF 50. Always make sure your SPF is broad-spectrum, so that it protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. If you’re having trouble finding an SPF that works for you, you can find the best dermatologist-recommended SPFs here.

Wash your makeup brushes

Makeup brushes and sponges build up large amounts of bacteria with every use. Ideally, you should wash them once a week, but if you’ve been neglecting it over the colder months (or through lockdown) – now is the time to get it done. 

Add in an exfoliant

Skin ready for a fresh start this spring? Add a chemical exfoliant into your routine to sweep away the dead skin cells of the months gone by to make way for brighter skin. Exfoliants also make anything you apply afterwards more effective, as the dead cells that act as a barrier to the active ingredients in serums have been removed. If you’ve already got a gentle exfoliant as one of your active ingredients in your Skin + Me personalised solution, you’ll be all set.

Make sure you don’t overdo it and take it easy with chemical exfoliants, as some can be quite strong. Start just using them once a week, and you can gradually increase the frequency over time if you need to. And as always, make sure you apply SPF as the final step in your morning skincare routine everyday.