Spring Self-Care

Well ladies, it is looking more and more like Spring around here! Flowers are blooming, greenery is in full, the temps are getting warmer and it's time to put on those shorts-- hmm, maybe not quite!

If you are like me, every year during this time you get all excited to wear shorts and dresses with no leggings or tights, and then you remember your legs haven't seen the sun since October/November!

In today's post I am going to list my Spring Self-Care items that get added into my routine during these warmer months.

Shaving

If you are a no-shave gal, feel free to skip to the next item. I am a shaver, I like the feel of my soft skin from head to toe, so one way I take extra time for myself during the Spring/Summer is shaving and maintenance. I don't use anything fancy to shave my legs and underarms, usually just some hair conditioner. For my bikini area I learned a technique years ago that guarantees me minimal razor burn.

Whether you shave it all or just the bikini line, it is one of our most sensitive areas, therefore we need to be gentle down there. I find that I get best results when it has been "soaking" in the bath/shower, then go ahead and wash it with a clean body wash like this one from Method. After it's been cleaned use whatever product you use to shave (with the grain) Once done with your shower pat dry (NO rubbing) then add a body oil to the area, once it is completely dry I use THIS ONE.

Sunscreen

This may seem like a "no brainer," but I never wanted to use a sunscreen during my morning routine because I like wearing makeup and I never found a good balance.

But protecting your skin from the sun is very important. And it's easy to forget when the sun disappears for 4-6 moths out of our year! I like using my MONAT sunscreen along with my morning skin routine. There are also many beauty companies that are selling tinted sunscreen or adding SPF to their foundations, making life so much easier for us to have the best of both worlds!

Tanning Lotion

Because I am aware of the dangerous rays of the glorious sunshine, I don't like to spend more than an hour out in it, unprotected. I also love having skin that glows and looks sun-kissed. I have made my way through many self tanners over the years and have gone through ones that make me look orange, ones that make my knees, elbows and feet look dirty and worst of all the ones that dry and turn out all streaky and uneven.

Tanning beds are terrible and I'm not sure what chemicals are used at a spray-tan salon, plus my comfort level is doing it at home. I have recently tried Ashley Graham's self tanner from St. Tropez and have fallen in love! You apply it and have to leave it on for at least on hour (or more) then you rinse it off in the shower. After the rinse my tan was wonderfully even, no streaks to be seen and I get that wonderful glow many of us search for.

Update Polish Colors

The Autumn is my favorite season and I love the darker and warmer colors in my sweaters as well as in my nail polish, maroon, navy blue, purple and red. But once Spring hits, the darker colors almost seem too, depressing. I like to freshen it up by wearing lighter colors, pink, blue, gray, cream.

I find it brightens my mood, makes me feel fresh and it's always great to clean up your nails for the Summer season.

Air difference= Skin difference

During the colder Winter months the wind is harsh outside and the heat is drying inside. This typically means we need extra moisture for our drying skin. Once that weather starts warming up, there are new ways to keep our skin healthy. Humidity begins, and our skin feels heavier and oily. Switching your products to an oil-removing cleanser instead of your heavy moisturizing cleanser can make the biggest difference.

Newer Hair Routine

This all depends on your hair type, but for someone with natural wave/curl, my hair routine is another that is in desperate need of change as the seasons ebb and flow.

This typically goes hand in hand with my skin routine, when the air is dry in the winter I add more moisturizing products and when the weather gets warmer and more humid I ease up on moisture and try using products that won't weigh my hair down, even extending my wash days is helpful.