Your Spring Skincare SOS Plan

Follow our resident Beauty Expert's step-by-step Spring Skincare SOS guide.

How did you go with your winter skin routine? Recalcitrant, at best? Well, you’re not alone. For many, winter and its cold and windy weather mean an excuse to rug up from top to toe, and rarely reveal the skin on any of our limbs.
With spring on our doorstop, now is the time to get cracking on bringing your skin back up to speed. Here’s my 4-Step Spring Skincare SOS plan. Start now. Thank me later!

Step 1: EXTEND YOUR EXFOLIATION: FROM FACE TO FEET.
Skin can become very dehydrated due to the colder temperatures and cover-all clothes. This lack of moisture slows the rate of natural shedding rate and cell turnover of the skin, which makes skin look – and feel – dry. So, arm yourself with some serious exfoliation ammunition right about now.
For the face, go for a gentle cream cleanser – rather than anything too active like AHA’s – to ease your skin into a rebooted cell-renewal cycle. For the body, step into the shower and grab an oil based granulated body scrub to work from toes to torso in circular motions upward.
For heels, elbows and the back, you may have to call in the heavy hitters (loofahs, pumice stones, dry brushes) to really take dry skin to task.

Tip: A great all over exfoliant is Bi-Carb Soda mixed with water. Mush up into a past and use all over the body. And clean the shower whilst you’re at it!

Step 2: OIL UP
Once you have exfoliated yourself to the ‘enth degree, pat skin dry with a warm towel. Don’t run off moisture as you want to trap as much in your skin as possible and the oil-based body scrub will ensure ‘beading’ occurs on the skin, which is a great sign water content is still lingering.
Then – and this is my favourite part – oil up. Get some gorgeous rose hip, almond or jojoba face and body oil and pat on the face (first) and into the entire body.

Tip: If you are on the hop, just use coconut-cooking oil - and steer clear of the deep fryer.

Step 3: GET FRESH AND FISHY
I do hope you’ve cancelled date night, as the only clothes you are donning after Step 1 and 2 are loose and daggy...(think tracksuit, robe or oversized Garfield T-Shirt). You want skin to breath; so don’t put on any tight or restrictive clothes.

Now, pop that fish oil or Krill Tablet and down with a glass of warm lemon water. You need to boost your Omega-3 Fatty Acids internally to get your skin health up to speed this spring, and as a new habit, warm water with a dash of lemon each morning helps to get metabolism going, which is always good for skin glow.

Step 4: TAN BEFORE TOMORROW
Rather than tan with a product that gives me only one (yet to be determined) shade of orange skin, I like to dial up my golden glow slowly, so I use moisturisers with a tanning agent in them, so I can layer over three days to get my perfect sun kissed hue.

So, I advise you apply the first layer within an hour of oiling up so that skin is still moist and receptive to product. Sleep on it and repeat Step 2, 3 and 4 tomorrow and Step 1 weekly throughout September for your best spring skin ever.