Skincare Tips for Spring

Warm weather is upon us and if you live in San Diego it means that it already feels like summer. You all know by now that I don't like hot weather, but since there is really nothing that I can do about the weather I just have to step up my skincare routine. I wrote a blog post about my winter skin essentials a few months ago and now it's time for me to share with you some tips and products for the warmer months ahead. I've teamed up with Bellus Academy's esthetics experts to bring you these warm weather skin tips to help defend your skin while you're out and about under the sun.

In my winter essentials I spoke about the importance of exfoliating but since then I've upgraded from a facial brush to a Clarisonic Mia 2. Exfoliating is just as important in spring and summer because it helps remove previous sun damage and keep your skin looking fresh and rejuvenated.

Recommended products: Yves Rocher Sebo Végétal Purifying Scrub* (review coming up soon!) and the Clarisonic Mia 2

Applying sunscreen is a must year round but especially during the warmer months! When choosing this crucial skincare product make sure to choose one that is at least SPF 15 if you have a medium to deep complexion or SPF 30 if you have a lighter complexion. As you can see I use SPF 50+ because I tend to get sunburned really easily. Also make sure your sunscreen is water resistant and also protects against UVA rays because those are the rays that penetrate below the skin. In case you're wondering about your sunburn, you have UVB rays to thank for that but you can avoid sunburns all together by wearing a sunscreen. One last tip is that sunscreen has a short shelf life so make sure to replace it once a year because an old sunscreen won't protect your skin.

Recommended products: For the body I love the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 45 (although I sometimes buy SPF 100). For my face I've been using Avène Very High Protection Emulsion with SPF 50+.

My mom taught me this tip because as a person who's out in the sun playing tennis multiple days a week, she wouldn't be caught dead without a mist. Spritzing water on your face will help moisturize and calm the skin from the heat. It will also help prevent facial sunburns and of course there's no denying that it feels very nice on your skin.

Recommended products: The Avène Thermal Spring Water or the Evian Mineral Water Spray

Your lips are part of your skin and they must be protected from the sun as well. Make sure to apply a lip balm often to keep your lips from getting a sunburn and cracking. Many lip balms now have SPF so if you can find one that you like start carrying that along with you. Lip gloss just can't replace the power of a good ol' lip balm because the gloss actually attracts the UV rays instead of repelling them.

Recommended products: Korres Lip Butter, Wild Violetta Organic Shea Butter Lip Balm, Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm, and Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 with SPF 4.

There's nothing I hate more than the feeling of a thick and heavy foundation while it's hot. In the spring and summer try switching your foundation for something lighter like a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, or mineral foundation. Tinted moisturizers, BB creams, and CC creams will keep your skin soft and provide light/medium coverage. My foundation of choice is currently the BareMinerals Matte foundation which has SPF 15 and gives you light/medium coverage. If you have normal or dry skin then I would recommend the normal version.

Recommended products: BareMinerals Matte Foundation and the L'Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder

I'm definitely not a fan of tanning because I tend to get red instead of tan and I really don't want premature wrinkles or skin cancer. Instead of lying out in the sun to achieve the perfect tan, use a bronzer or sunless tanner to get the same look. These products will give you a similar look while being safe and not sitting out in the sun for hours. I'm a complete noob when it comes to sunless tanners but this CC Cream gives you a natural looking tan without having to worry about streak marks. Also when it comes to bronzer it can get tricky choosing the right shade but I have a blog post all about bronzers for fair skin so you can check that out for more options.

Recommended products: Bourjois Délice de Poudre Bronzing Powder and the Karora CC Cream (review coming soon)

For more information on Bellus Academy, please visit www.bellusacademy.edu.

What are your spring/summer skincare tips? Let me know in the comments below.

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterisk have been sent for me to review. All other products have been purchased with my own money. This post is in collaboration with Bellus Academy.