As warmer temps arrive, everything seems ready for a change—even my skin. I followed this skincare regimen during winter, but lately, I've been scaling back on how often I use a balm cleanser. Cleansers are helpful as they remove the excess oily residue from the skin. However, over-cleansing may dry out the skin and strip away its healthy oils.
Here's my current 3-part skincare routine with an easy homemade face serum that's light enough to wear during the day as things heat up. Spring is the perfect time to clean up your skincare routine by paring things down and focusing on the basics.
DIY Face Serum + Skincare Routine for Spring
1. Exfoliate with Clay, Oat + Almond Cleansing Grains
With the change in weather, it's time to exfoliate. Ridding our skin of the buildup of dead cells and surface dirt feels a bit like shedding the layers of sweaters and scarves we've been wearing for months.
It can be too harsh to exfoliate often in cold weather, but when spring arrives, it feels so good to get rid of oil, sweat, and allergens that might be hanging around. As nature around us renews, we have the chance to do the same with our skincare.
At night, I like to use cleansing grains at least twice a week. My current recipe:
- 1 part green clay
- 1 part ground oats
- 1 part finely ground almonds
Grind your ingredients and combine them in a small jar. When you're ready to use, scoop a bit out with a clean spoon and add a bit of water to make a paste (the crystal-infused beauty water is perfect!). Gently massage the grains into the skin, avoiding the delicate area around your eyes, and then rinse with lukewarm water.
The small granules and the good fats from the almonds leave skin feeling polished and smooth instead of dry and irritated like a lot of commercial scrubs do.
2. Tone with ACV
I've become a toning convert since I read that skipping toner is like brushing your teeth without toothpaste. There are so many fun ways you can make toner, like with green tea and pomegranate or rose water, which have anti-inflammatory properties. I've gone the super simple (read: lazy) route with toner later—just apple cider vinegar and water—to remove any leftover cleanser, close the ol' pores, and balance skin's pH.
My ratio is about 4 parts water to 1 part ACV. You can up the ACV if your skin is more oily or acne-prone. It's also nice to make your toner into a face mist. Then you don't have to worry about finding cotton pads to apply it!
3. Moisturize with Homemade Hydrating Serum
At night, I still slather on a nourishing face oil. But for daytime, I've switched to a lighter homemade hydrating serum with aloe vera and carrier oil. It feels light and smooth—perfect for wearing under a daytime natural makeup look.
I love aloe vera. We need more beauty ingredients like aloe, coconut oil, and face wipes that multitask as much as we busy gals do. Aloe kills the bacteria that causes acne [source] and lightens the appearance of age spots and blemishes. Of course, aloe also helps soothe skin and aids wound healing [source].
Pair the aloe vera with a carrier oil that works for your skin type, and add a few drops of nourishing skin essential oils for a healing and hydrating homemade face serum that's perfect for daytime. Find essential oil blends for every skin type with this guide to natural serums.
Springtime Skin Routine FAQs
Nope! Exfoliation is key to more hydrated skin. For serums and moisturizers to penetrate and work as intended, you have to remove the layers of dead skin cells on the skin’s surface. A light homemade face scrub a few times a week is a perfect physical exfoliant to gently remove sebum, dirt, dead skin cells, old makeup, etc.
Sometimes when using an oil or balm cleanser, as many of us do in the winter months, it can leave skin feeling less clean in the springtime as the weather changes. Have you tried the double cleanse method?
This method includes using your cleansing oil or balm as your first cleanse and then, after removing, following it up with a second gel cleanser as your second cleanse. This method is most useful at night and can make all the difference in feeling cleaner.
No, you don't. You can use the same serum daily, or you can also change it up with some variety. Since this serum is a DIY recipe, you can make more than one (here are some ideas). Just label them and rotate to give your skin different benefits.
Drinking plenty of water, getting adequate sleep, and regularly moving your body are always beneficial for any seasonal change. As spring begins and the day gets longer, don't forget to use sunscreen and protect your skin from sun damage.
Aloe + Jojoba Hydrating Face Serum
Equipment
- 2-ounce amber dropper bottle
Materials
- 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- 6 drops frankincense essential oil
Instructions
- Use a funnel to pour ingredients into a small bottle with a dropper lid.
- Shake well before each use and apply to clean, damp face.
Notes
Related posts
You might like some of these other tutorials designed to hydrate and protect your skin throughout the seasons:
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Rina Mary Allawh, M.D., a dermatologist who practices adult and pediatric medical dermatology, skin cancer treatment, and cosmetic dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Photos by Ana-Maria Stanciu
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