How to Spring Clean Your Beauty Routine

Photography courtesy of Fine Feather.

The beginning of a spring is an excellent time to reassess your cosmetic and beauty routine. Skin can change seasonally, and products that might have been perfect for dry, winter skin might not be as well suited to warmer months that tend to be a bit more humid. Plus, as we spend more time in the sun, a good SPF regimen becomes paramount. To help us “spring clean” our beauty products, we turned to four scouted beauty experts for advice on what to toss, switch out, and add to our collections. Here, they discuss how to keep your skincare routine seasonally on track.

Toss any old or expired products. All beauty products and cosmetics have a shelf life, explains Kelli DeRieux, founder and owner of The Beauty MRKT in Knoxville, Tennessee. Most products have a recommended expiration date after opening, commonly six to 12 months, so look for the recommendation on the packaging. Chelsea Shea Hodges, makeup artist and owner of Chelsea Shea in Charleston, South Carolina, notes that eye makeup can expire—and collect bacteria—in as little as three months. Additionally, DeRieux recommends that anything that has an unusual odor, has undergone a change in formula, or has become discolored should be tossed.

Assess your SPF needs. Entering into the spring and summer months generally equals more time spent in the sun, which means it’s time to up your SPF game. DeRieux notes that products containing SPF tend to have a year-long shelf life or less, so it’s a good idea to toss anything you purchased last spring and start fresh. For those looking for a replacement, she suggests Larkly’s mineral powder sunscreen because “it’s great for the whole family and is perfect for travel and applying in all those hard-to-reach places.” As a rule, Hodges always uses a higher SPF daily in the spring and summer months on all the areas that will regularly be exposed to the sun.

Treat your skin to some extra TLC. After a long winter, our skin tends to dry out. To rejuvenate the skin on arms and legs that will get more exposure come spring, Wendy Vaughan, owner of Wood & Rose in Austin, Texas, recommends utilizing a good exfoliator and hydrating product. She swears by Olverum products for bath and body, especially their luxurious bath oil and body polish for gentle exfoliation and renewed luster, while her go-to daytime body hydration product is Body Melk.

Lighten up your palette. DeRieux recommends embracing the light-and-bright feel of spring and summer by replacing rich, wintry lip and cheek colors with subtle, warming hues. “This is the time of year to add a bronzer to your routine to create some warmth on your face,” DeRieux adds, noting that Ilia’s Multi Sticks for both cheek and lip are a favorite. Hodges says that in addition to blush and all manner of pastels being big for the season, color is also having a moment, so watch for statement eyes making a comeback with the use of colored eyeliner and bright eyeshadows.

Update your foundation/concealer. Spring is a great time to take stock and update your products, especially foundation and concealer, says Diana Wang, owner of Fine Feather in Columbus, Ohio. She notes that now is an excellent time for an in-person makeup consultation to shade-match and to find the perfect product that works with your lifestyle. In addition to the changes a new season brings, “You may have been using a shade that’s not perfect for you—it could have been too much coverage or not enough coverage, or a finish that you don’t love—too matte or too dewy,” she says of taking this opportunity to find the right fit.

Rethink your moisturizer. Wang recommends considering how your skin feels now as opposed to deep winter from a moisture perspective. If it’s not as dry as it was in the colder months, you might want to consider switching to a moisturizer that’s still hydrating but less emollient. For people with combination or oily skin concerned about signs of aging, she recommends Tata Harper Repairative Moisturizer. Alternatively, she says Mukti Marigold Hydrating Creme is a good fit for regular and dry skin.

Reconsider your scent. When the days grow longer and warmer, Vaughan recommends moving away from heavy, muskier scents to lighter notes. “We love Fischersund No. 8,” she says of the fresh floral scent. “Started by the frontman for the famous Icelandic group Sigur Ros, Jónsi, Fischersund fragrance products are inspired by the clean, unique nature of Iceland using herbs and oils harvested in the Icelandic wild via the most environmentally friendly solutions and materials for the modern lifestyle,” she explains.

TSG Tip 417 from Kelli DeRieux, founder and owner of The Beauty MRKT in Knoxville, Tennessee; Chelsea Shea Hodges, makeup artist and owner of Chelsea Shea in Charleston, South Carolina; Wendy Vaughan, owner of Wood & Rose in Austin, Texas; and Diana Wang, owner of Fine Feather in Columbus, Ohio. The Beauty MRKT appears in The Scout Guide Knoxville. Chelsea Shea appears in The Scout Guide Charleston. Wood & Rose appears in The Scout Guide Austin. Fine Feather appears in The Scout Guide Columbus.