Find out in this blog post if you should be Spring Cleaning your skincare routine and if it makes a difference. 

Anita started a skincare routine a few months ago when it was winter which she uses throughout the year. She wonders why she is not able to achieve the results she desires although she is consistent with the same skincare routine both in the summer and winter. So what could Anita do to achieve better results with a skincare routine?

Now the key point here is – Anita is using her winter skincare routine in summer.

What she can do is add in a few changes to her routine like considering products that are more hydrating and lightweight instead. Products that are thicker and creamier are better suited for the cold and dry winter.

Similarly, imagine wearing a woolen sweater, thick pair of socks and a thick scarf while it’s 35 degree Celsius outside – not the ideal choice of outfit you would think.

Now think in terms of your skincare routine – using thick moisturizers in the scorching heat making your face all greased up doesn’t really make sense either. Plus, not the ideal situation you would want to be in.

Now for this, most people would consider making a shift in their skincare routine, like a spring clean.

And that is exactly what you’re going to be finding out – “does spring cleaning your skincare routine make the difference?”

We’re going to list 5 reasons why we think everyone should consider spring cleaning their skincare routine for better results.

5 reasons you should be spring cleaning your skincare routine

1. Spring cleaning unused and expired skincare products

Like most perishable items, check for products in your shelf or cabinet for the expiry date. Most skincare products have two different expiry dates.

How to read skincare product labels the right way:

🧴A sealed product typically has a longer shelf life

Korean skincare products normally use the YYYY/MM/DD format for displaying the product expiry. The expiry date you see above is applicable on sealed products. This means, if you bought a product and haven’t opened it, the product will last till its expiry date as seen above.

🧴An opened product may have a shorter shelf life compared to a sealed product
You will notice on most Korean skincare products that there is another expiry date like the above. For the first picture which has the detail ‘12M‘, it simply means after you open a new product, you have 12 months to finish using it before it expires. Likewise, for some products, it can be shorter like the second image which says ‘6M‘ or 6 months to finish using it after a product has been opened.

Now if you have that ‘one’ K-beauty product in your shelf that you’ve avoided using for a long time better check it out to avoid using an expired product. Using expired skincare products will very likely irritate your skin and cause other reactions. Why risk it!

2. Transitioning from winter to summer skincare routine

Spring season in some regions is perhaps hotter than others. If you live in a climate that’s already hot by now, we got news for you – time to switch up! With the heat, if you continue using routines meant for winter, your skin is going to experience extra greasiness and even breakouts!

If you’re wondering “breakouts?” – the reason is that your skin’s cell turnover improves as the weather gets warmer. Switching your skincare routine for the spring season can help prevent pore clogging and nasty breakouts. Here’s how:

Use gentle hydrating cleansers:
As the weather gets warmer, your skin requires more hydration than it does during the winter as you perspire more due to the heat. Cleanse your skin with gentle ingredients found in cleansers such as the Isntree Green Tea Cleanser, COSRX’s Advanced Snail Cleanser or COSRX’s Cica Cleanser. These cleansers not only keep your skin clear from dirt, debris and excess but also keeps your skin’s hydration in check. A gentle hydrating cleanser ensures that your skin does not become dull and also helps in keeping your skin barrier healthy even in the summer.

Add in toners for extra hydration:
Most people skip out on using toners because they feel it’s just an extra skincare step. But it’s actually a crucial step to start prepping your skin right after cleansing. It removes any residue of dirt and excess oil left behind and adds extra hydration to your skin.

Toners such as COSRX Centella Alcohol-free Toner and Haruharu WONDER Black Bamboo Mist are lightweight and give your skin a good amount of hydration and prevent dullness and dehydration in the hot weather.

Choose skincare products with lightweight texture:
Now that you already know about why it’s important to focus on hydrating products, let’s talk about product texture. If you don’t want your skin feeling all greased along with clogged pores, look for skincare products that have lightweight, watery or gel-based texture such as the Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Gel Cream, COSRX Green Tea Aqua Soothing Gel Cream, AXIS-Y Heartleaf My Type Calming Cream or Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum.

This can be a great way to avoid excess oil buildup on your face and clogged pores while making your skin feel light and refreshed for hours.

Exfoliate to remove dead skin buildup and excess oil:
As the heat rises, you sweat more which means your skin gets oilier and there’s also more dead skin buildup. And this leads to enlarged pores and even acne breakouts and blackheads. One of the best ways to avoid this is to exfoliate with the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid up to twice a week. What BHA does is – it removes dead skin cells and reduces excess sebum (oil) that clogs pores and give rise to acne breakouts.

Related to COSRX BHA – COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid Review

3. Adding sun protection to avoid sun damage and dehydration

You probably heard it from experts hundreds of times to use a good sunscreen. Yes, it really does make a difference in protecting your skin from sun damage and even dehydration! And that’s not all – using a good sunscreen can effectively help in slowing down aging signs on your skin.

However, if you’re hesitant on using the ‘ol regular thick-textured creamy sunscreen that gives off white-cast, consider going for something that’s lighter, more hydrating (yet still effective) like the fan favorite Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun  or the Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick both of which comes with SPF50+ protection with minimal to no white-cast.

4. Spring Cleaning your makeup brushes

The only one using your favorite makeup brushes may not be just you. It can be home to millions of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that may not be so friendly. If not cleaned up on time, those micro-terrorists could end up invading your skin and cause irritation and infections. So better keep those brushes clean!

Here’s a quick guide on how to clean your makeup brushes effectively:
✅First, rinse any makeup residue off the tip of the brush with lukewarm water.
✅Next, prepare a bowl of lukewarm water and add in some amount of shampoo that’s gentle.
✅Swirl the tip of each makeup brush in the bowl of water.
✅Rinse it off with lukewarm water and dry the excess moisture out with tissue paper.
✅Finally place them on top of a clean towel or tissue paper to let them dry.

5. Introducing facial mask sheets for extra hydration

Imagine you just came back from work on a hot day in spring. Your face is all tired and dehydrated from the heat. You would love something to cool your skin down wouldn’t you? Slicing some cool cucumber along with a wash off mask would be nice, but you’re too tired to do that. Why not slap a sheet mask on like the Beauty of Joseon Centella Asiatica Calming Mask that’s perfect for calming sensitive and tired skin. You could also go with the Pure Essence Mask Sheet Charcoal by Holika Holika which is just absolutely fantastic at detoxing and removing impurities from the day’s dirt and grime.

The one thing we love about sheet masks is that it adds a instant dose of hydration which is crucial to refresh and reenergize tired and dull skin.

📌Pro tip: If you do get a few Korean sheet masks for yourself, remember to keep it inside your fridge (not the freezer) or somewhere away from direct sunlight to keep it cool.

Now, whenever you come home from work, you can easily grab one from the fridge and slap the cool sheet mask on. Instant relaxation guaranteed!

Conclusion

Now do you think spring cleaning your skincare routine would make a difference? We’ll let you be the judge of that.

Was the blog post helpful? If it was, consider sharing it with someone who needs to spring clean their skincare routine this spring season.