As temperatures rise, we bid farewell to dry, itchy skin from the cold winter months and turn our attention to protecting ourselves from the sun.
The change in season often means a change in skincare routine. While a complete overhaul isn’t necessary, there are some adjustments to make when it comes to products to use.
“We don't need our heavy, thick moisturizers that we needed in winter, but we are not quite ready to transition to a really lightweight product that we favor in the summertime,” said Dr. Randa Khoury, a dermatologist with Kaiser Permanente.
She says when it comes to spring skincare, moisturizers are still needed, even if it's not as cold or as dry out anymore.
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“We still want to think about protecting our skin barrier, and good choices for this time period are to look for moisturizers that say ‘oil free’ or ‘non-comedogenic,’ which means it won't clog the pores,” Khoury said.
Khoury says to always use sunscreen with SPF 30 to 50. She prefers mineral sunscreens, which come in a range of tints and colors or clear.
“You still need a sunscreen every day, even if you're not spending as much time outside doing winter sports, for which sunscreen is super important,” she said. “As we transition to the warmer months, we do start to spend more time out in sun exposed areas, and we definitely need sunscreen even more.”
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And if using anti-aging products like retinol, she says it’s okay to keep using it during the warmer months, but with added protection from the sun.
“If you've already found something fabulous that works for you, by all means keep using it,” Khoury said. “But if it is something that contains a retinol or something that contains an acid that can make your skin a little more sensitive to sun, remembering to take proper precautions using sun protective clothing and appropriate sunscreens.”
She also suggested using acid-based products in the daytime rather than the nighttime.
And when it comes to the order of layering products on skin, here’s what dermatologists recommend:
“No. 1: your cleanser," she said. "You want to start with washing your face. No. 2: your actives, and actives are going to be the things that we're using to change the way our skin looks, feels and behaves. So, if you're using a retinol, if you're using a glycolic acid, a vitamin C, anything that we would consider an active that goes on clean skin, that goes on second. And then the final step, step No. 3, is going to be your sunscreen moisturizer. So, I love a combo product for the springtime. That's a two-in-one. It's going to give your skin some of that barrier protection and also give you fabulous sun protection. Now, if you're a splitter instead of a grouper and you like to use a separate moisturizer and sunscreen, that's the order: moisturizer first followed by sunscreen.”
Khoury tells patients to look for products that are water-based rather than oil-based in a more humid environment so it won’t clog pores.
If there are any skin concerns, be sure to talk to a dermatologist to come up with a personalized treatment plan.
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