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Skincare Swaps for a Glowing Girl Summer

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

Seasons change, and so does our skin. When there is an increase in the moisture in the air, softer winds, major temperature shifts, or allergens, our skin responds. It’s an organ after all, and while it tries its best to adapt, by the time the proverbial (or maybe literal, depending on where you live) dust settles, the season is ready to change again. Here are some skincare swaps for the spring season to help you through the adjustment and get ready for a “Glowing Girl Summer”.

Add HA, Subtract heavy moisturizers

We always want to hydrate — that remains constant no matter the season. However, as temperatures rise, we don’t need that heavy layer locking all our moisture into our barrier against winds and cool temps. Lighten the load with an effective and juicy hyaluronic acid serum to stay plump and hydrated, without triggering breakouts from the weight of a thick cream.

Add a scalp serum, Subtract weighty hair oils

Winter weather may make our hair strands dry and frizzy, but spring and summer sun wreak havoc on our scalps. Unless protecting your hair from chlorine or seawater, skip the rich oils that can weigh it down, and instead treat it from the root down with a light, protective, and healing scalp serum.

Add lactic acid, Subtract scrubs

Scrubs and mechanical exfoliants are great toward the end of winter while our skin still feels a bit flaky, but skip them as we roll into these warmer months. Serums and products with lactic acid will gently slough off the dead skin buildup from winter and reveal that dewy spring glow.

Add higher SPF, Subtract relying on makeup with added light SPF

We spend more time indoors in the winter and can get away with that moisturizer or tinted CCC cream with SPF 15. Now that we are galavanting outdoors more in the warm sun, we need to be more intentional about our sunscreen usage, making sure to use SPF 30 or higher. And don’t forget to reapply!

Add a light antioxidant cleanser, Subtract balm cleansers and moisturizing washes

Unless you have a wild night out and need to remove a thick slab of makeup and sunscreen, your rich balm oil cleansers or moisturizing washes can go in the cupboard until our next cold spell. Opt for light oil cleansers with jojoba for that double cleanse, since jojoba most closely resembles our own sebum. And use a gentle cleanser with green tea in it to soothe skin that has had some sun exposure. Fun fact: green tea has natural sunscreen properties!

Now that you have a list of products to add to your next Target run, enjoy your new skincare routine and get ready for a Glowing Girl Summer!