How to Spring Clean your Skincare Routine
This week kicks off the official first day of spring! And while warm sunny days may still feel far off for some of us in the northern latitudes, the change in season is giving us the itch to refresh, air out, and spring clean our spaces.
But have you ever considered spring cleaning your skincare routine? Product gets old, your skin’s needs change, and now is the perfect time to carve out 20 minutes or so to clean out your cabinet and set yourself up for fresh, healthy, well-cared for skin this season.
Follow this quick and easy checklist for spring cleaning your skincare routine:
De-clutter your collection
If you’re anything like me, your bathroom shelves and medicine cabinet can quickly become cluttered with half-empty bottles and jars of product that just didn’t work out or meet your expectations. It’s time to marie-kondo your collection and get rid of what’s no longer serving you. The oil that felt sticky on your skin and smelled like a bathroom air freshener? Toss it. The lotion your great aunt gave you for Christmas that you know you’ll never use? Get rid of it. (Be sure to recycle packaging wherever you can of course!)
Focus on keeping the products you actually use and love, and get rid of the rest. Your brain will thank you for creating a thoughtful, organized space to practice your daily routine, and you’ll feel better for having one less choice to make when reaching for a product.
Check the expiration date
After you’ve discarded what you simply don’t need, go back through your remaining product and check the expiration date on each product’s packaging. Skincare, makeup, and haircare products all have a shelf life, and it’s important to stick to what’s listed by the manufacturer for the safety and efficacy of your goods.
Some products will have a use-by date printed on them, while others may have a symbol that looks like the one below; a little half-opened cosmetic jar with a number in the middle. This number indicates how long the product is good for after it has been opened. Try and think back to when you purchased or opened that item, and if it falls outside the printed timeline, it’s time to toss it.
Make a list
With your current collection cleaned out and pared down, it’s a good time to make note of any product you need to replace or stock up on for the spring and summer season. Consider how your skin has been feeling lately, and whether or not there are any needs you’d like to address.
This is also a good time to check in on your SPF stash - warmer spring days bring more time outside and a daily SPF is important to protect your skin in the long term.
With an organized space and refreshed routine, caring for your skin becomes second nature, giving you more time and energy to enjoy the longer days, warmer afternoons, and beautiful burst of life outdoors that the spring season brings.
