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It might be hard to tell from inside, but spring has arrived and the weather is finally starting to warm up around here, and that was desperately needed. Not only does it boost my mood to see the sun, even if it is only through the windows, but it also means that my skin gets a break from the damage central heating and cold winds have done.
Redness, dehydration, dry patches along with congestion and just a general tired look, my skin surely has seen better days. Which is why I switched up my routine, concentrating on layers of hydration with some antiaging sprinkled in for good measure.
Ready to follow along?
Cleanser
I will start with a shocking announcement here: I do not wash my face in the mornings right now. In fact I haven’t for the last three months and it hasnt done me any harm.
Instead I use a damp cloth to remove leftover mascara (and dried spit from the corners of my mouth, because apparently I am a drooler) and that’s it. With one proper cleanse at night and the cool temperatures that prevent sweating throughout the night I don’t feel like too much dirt has build up, so I keep my own oils in place to prevent further dehydration.
You can read my thoughts on Double Cleansing here – more info about the skins barrier function and what happens when it is damaged is here.
Toner
I still stand by my statement that a toner is not a necessity in a good skincare routine, but that doesn’t stop me from using it every morning. My current (and quite longstanding) favorite one is the pixi Milky Tonic that offers a light layer of hydration and helps me calm down my skin.
Serum
Easily my favorite part of the routine, and the step where I think your money should be spent before everything else. Might sound strange, seeing that I am going to present you with two very affordable options, but what is a rule without exceptions? Good skincare has become much more affordable over the years.
I will start with the Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum that combines hydration with beta arbutin for brightening. Next up is The Ordinary „Buffet“ + Copper Peptides (which I reviewed here) and that again adds hydration while claiming to firm the skin.
Eye Cream
Again probably not a necessity, but something I always use, if only to make my concealer sit smoother on my ageing under eye area. I have sung the praises of The Inkey Lists Caffeine Eye Cream numerous times before, and it is still my number one, but in order to offer you some variation I am going to talk about the Merumaya Intensely Youthful Eye Cream instead.
Hydrating, smoothing, nicely packaged, I honestly have no complaints. It has some plant extracts and essential oils that might bother some, but also peptides and several humectants that speak for it.
Moisturizer
Yes, you read right. I tend to skip day cream in favor of my SPF, but lately that hasn’t quite cut it anymore and I have been relying on an extra layer to keep in my moisture. Despite the fact that it is called „Sleeping Potion“ and marketed as night cream by Avon (read my full review here) I adore this lightweight yet hydrating gel that never pills and contains Niacinamide – one of my favorite ingredients.
Sunscreen
I am a huge advocate of daily broad spectrum sunscreen, and that doesn’t change throughout the year. A generous amount of lightweight sunscreen finishes my routine and has me set up for the day.
Now please do share – How does your routine change when spring arrives?