Spring is at our doorsteps. We are starting to tackle the house for a deep spring cleaning. We cannot wait to get out of those heavy sweaters and pants and start wearing that cute little dress, skirt, light top and starting to move the winter blues out of our closet for the more cheery happy spring-summer colors clothes.

With all that cleaning have you given some thoughts to your skincare too? or makeup? With the bustle and hustle of our lives we never think that with the change of season, our skin needs pampering and our makeup a fresh update. The time is here to get our skin out of hibernation and into glow ready.

Skincare and body care.

In the winter our skin gets dull and dry more often because of the inside / outside temperature changes. Most likely, we also do not exfoliate our dead cells from our bodies as often either. After all who is going to see it? Unfortunately, dead cells, if they are not exfoliated, will accumulate giving you that grey look. Worse yet, deepening those fine lines. And of course, your moisturizer, face and body, will not work as well too. We keep nourishing with cream a cell that is dead.

Our daily cleanser cannot go that deep in exfoliation. We need to bring out the big guns for this one. However, you do not have to visit an expensive spa to have great skin. Incorporate a couple of masks for your skin type and you will not believe the results.

My mask routine is quite simple and it only takes 10 to 15 minutes every couple of days. I do have dry skin so to me exfoliating is very important. Twice a week I do a Detox Mask for tone and texture, followed by Radiance Mask for uneven skin and dullness. The combination of the two masks is unbelievable.

The Recharge Detox Mask is a charcoal mask. Deep cleaning your skin by drawing out all the impurities. Once removed you can really see your pores minimized and your skin feeling refreshed and radiant. Oily skin can use this mask too.

The Reverse Radiance Mask is gold in a tube. As soon as I apply it to my skin, my skin starts to smooth out. Once rinsed off, my skin is visibly smooth, and my texture more luminous. I do not even bother to apply the foundation to even out the skin tones when using this mask.

The advantages of masking are a few. First of all, it gives you a clear deeper cleaning of your skin and giving you a glow. Secondly, it will save you money on your daily moisturizer by removing all the superficial dead cells. Let’s not forget that a well-cleaned skin has less the risk for breaks out.

I started masking at an early age, and even when I travel I do sneak my masks in my luggage. It is a small luxury that I cannot live without.

Same treatment for my body even if 99% of it is hiding under thick clothing. Because it is hiding, I make sure that I do not let the routine fall through the cracks. I apply Fresh Brown Sugar Body scrub by Fresh all over my body twice a week. Enter the shower and with circular massages rinse off under the lukewarm water. Never use hot water as it dries you even more.

However, I do moisturize every day without missing a beat. And in the summer when my dry skin peaks, I live in the desert I can look like a prune faster than it takes to dry one, I add a couple of drops of Oil of Monoi to my moisturizer. A true lifesaver for me.

My Make up.

I go through every lipstick that I have not used in a while to make sure they do not smell. Smell = garbage. That simple.

Replace sunscreen from last summer with a fresh one. Sorry, even thou the date may say otherwise, think about this: A plastic tube that has had air exposure that sat all winter on a shelf. I never could mentally do it.

Replace the mascara if it is older than six months. A quick middle of the week visit to my favorite cosmetic counter for makeup application. Those ladies and gentlemen are trained with the new colors months before they come out and they will have had time to play with them. Look at magazines for the new in looks. Most seasons I add a new lipstick and a shadow and that is it.

Happy Spring!!

xoxo