6 Ways To Kick Your Beauty Routine Into ‘Spring Mode’

Guess what? Spring is possibly springing! Isn’t that awesome? I will totally eat my words when it snows again in a week or two, but for now optimism is key. It’s almost time to pack away the giant sweaters and the salt-stained Ugg boots until next year, which also means it’s time to shop for your spring beauty supplies. Thank god!

Here’s some essential changes for your beauty routine when spring rolls around:

1. A body scrub.

Winter skin is the worst: dry, pale and scaly. Get that shit gone with a good scrub. I like Kiehl’s, but almost any will do. Exfoliating helps lotions and potions sink deep into your skin for better results and if you’re going to get a spray tan, you have to exfoliate before your spray. I use a scrub on my face and body once a week. (Warning: Anything you use on your body is probably too harsh for your face!)

2. Bright, fun lip colors.

Get an orange, a magenta pink and maybe even a purple. Go crazy. It’s spring! Put the dark, moody wine reds and burgundies in a drawer until the fall and go bright. You can never, ever go wrong with MAC’s Girl About Town, a happy bright fuchsia.

3. Pastels.

Pastels can veer a little Easter Eggy if you don’t do them right or if you fall victim to overload. Keep them to one aspect only: your outfit, your nails or perhaps a pale blue or purple eyeshadow or liner. Essie’s Mint Candy Apple is one of my favorite pastel polishes. If you’re feeling a bit retro, you could try a pastel lip color, but don’t go too light or you’ll look like an extra in a Nicki Minaj video. Maybelline’s Color Whispers are a good way to dip a toe into pastel lip colors. Try Oh La Lilac or Petal Rebel.

4. Switch up your skincare.

When the weather warms up, you don’t need the heavy moisturizers you depended on in the colder months. Try a brightening peel to liven up your dull skin. REN’s Glycolic peel is expensive, but it’s worth every penny. Products with Vitamin C are best for brightening.

5. Play with blush.

NARS’ hot pink Desire is a super-pretty Barbie shade; pale skin tones can brush on just a bit for a flushed look while darker shades can get a bit more vibrant. You can fake the “I just went for a walk outside in the thaw and I’m all pink-cheeked and pretty” with blush while the temps are still a bit colder than ideal. If you’re gonna splurge a bit on blush, I always advise you spend your money on NARS. Their blushes are so finely-milled and pigmented and one pan lasts for a long, long time – I’ve had some of mine for years. They also look lovely atop some bronzer, but maybe hold back on the bronzer until summer.

6. Fix your hair!

Maybe that means a trim. Maybe you’re gonna chop it all off into a bob, or perhaps you want mermaid hair for summertime. (You can achieve that with extensions if you so desire!) Freshen up your hair color. I like to add a few streaks of a color with Manic Panic when the weather warms up; it washes out in a couple washes so it isn’t permanent.

7. Finally, sandal weather is (sort of) upon us so get your feet in shape.

If you’re like me, you haven’t had a pedicure since July. Get on it, or at least get a pumice stone and polish off any dead skin and calluses that may have formed. Paint your toes a pretty bright blue or green to celebrate the weather!