Springtime skincare changes!

Spring has finally arrived, and that means our skincare routine changes as well! As the weather warms up and sun rays intensify, the problems of winter--dry, itchy, or flaky skin--become less notable. Here are some tips to deal with the changing seasons!

1. Toss out old, expired products

Make sure you're not using old products that have already expired. Some key signs include consistency changes (separating into layers, clumps, etc.), color changes, and fragrance changes. Products, particularly moisturizers containing antioxidants and retinol, can degrade with time and lose their effectiveness. Lastly, sunscreens do have expiration dates. While most manufacturers have a 2-3 year expiration date, there is no real consensus as to how long the sunscreen remains effective. Most experts suggest changing sunscreens yearly.

2. Use sunscreen more regularly

While we all know to use sunscreen regularly, even during the winter, it is essential to continue using sunscreen, especially as the sun rays intensify during the spring. Many skincare professionals recommend applying a SPF 30 sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving home and reapplying every 2-3 hours. Also consider looking for a hand cream with SPF, as your hands are constantly exposed to the sun rays as well!

Moreover, there are two types of sunscreens: chemical and physical sunscreens. Each have their own pros and cons. You can check out my informative post on sunscreen here.

[TOSOWOONG Soft Touch Suncream] [Innisfree Eco Safety Daily Sunblock]

3. Lighten up your products

During the springtime, your skin becomes more oily, meaning that you no longer need heavy creams, moisturizers, or hydrating serums that can then clog pores. Instead, look for lighter products that provide the needed moisturizing properties. For those with oily skin, look for gentle toners that help clear pores and remove excess oils.

[Etude House Pure Water BaoBab Toner] [Etude House Aloe Moistfull Soothing Lotion]

Beautiful skill is all about taking care of your skin and knowing what product to use and when! Even though I don't like wasting products, be careful to evaluate how your changing, springtime skin may react to your old, winter-time products. And be sure to keep an eye out on expiration dates!

Do you have any product suggestions or skincare tips for the spring?

My skin care routine 2014

Hello everyone! I finally decided to a "routine" post. I want to share with you all some of the products I use to take care of my skin. So, these are mini-reviews of FOUR products~

Proactiv (left three bottles); Obligé milk cleanser (right)

Left 3: Proactiv

I'm sure lots of you heard of Proactiv before. It's mainly known as a product line for those suffering from acne. Although my acne isn't severe, I still wanted to try it, because there was a $14 deal that came with a trial size cleanser, toner, treatment, moisturizer, and a proactiv deep cleansing brush. I thought it might be worth the money to try. My little bit of facial acne wasn't going away, so I wanted to purchase a product targeting acne anyways.

I actually received this product a couple weeks before I left for China (middle of August). I've been using the set relatively regularly--at least once a day, at night. Proactiv doesn't make my acne magically disappear, but it does help make it a little less severe and red. 

One point to mention: I really like the cleanser (step 1), because it has tiny exfoliating beads, which helps remove dead skin cells and makes my skin feels very clean~ Nevertheless, don't try to rub the beads too harshly against your skin...it hurts >__<

Another point: I wouldn't use Proactiv after exercising. My face gets very sensitive and red after moderate to heavy exercise, so the beads in the Proactiv cleanser really irritates my skin. That why I have two cleansers!

Right: Obligé

This cleanser is really nice and gentle and it smells amazing. I think the milk cleanser has improved and brightened my complexion quite a bit~ This cleanser originally is quite pricey ($20 for 4 fl. oz. bottle), but I actually found it at Marshalls for $7! BINGO~ I was really drawn to this product not only because of the elegant packaging, but also because its 100% vegan, with organic essential oils, and no sulfates, phthalates, and parabens!

Like I mentioned above, I usually use this cleanser when I shower after exercising. My skin is super sensitive at that time, and this cleanser works really nicely for that. The only downside is that when I use physical sunscreens, the cleanser doesn't remove the sunscreen well. That's why I tend to use Proactiv for a deeper cleanse.

Left: EO unscented lotion
This is absolutely my favorite lotion so far. It can be used for face, body, and hands. Moreover, it's natural and (partially) made from organic ingredients. The lotion has no parabens, polysorbates, or EDTA! It's super refreshing when applied, and it's non-greasy, fast-absorbing, and moisturizing~~

PLUS, this lotion was only $10 for 32oz! It's such a good deal T____T Makes me cry with happiness...

Right: Blue Lizard suncreen
This is the sunscreen I was talking about during summer. Sorry I was so late in posting a review about it. I really do like this sunscreen, because it's not very oily and doesn't make my skin look very oily either. The only potential downside is that it makes my skin a little whiter (though I don't mind :)). At least I know that harmful chemicals (from typical sunscreens) aren't breaking down in my skin.



Thanks for reading though my mini-reviews guys~ Hope they weren't too long and hope you guys learned something too!!