Spring has sprung.
Your wardrobe is all sorted, isn’t it?
But what about your beauty routine? Could that do with an edit and a shakeup too?
Or at least a taking stock?
These 17 spring beauty tips will help you emerge from winter’s hibernation in preparedness for the warmer months ahead.
1. Clean out your skincare products. Have you got half-full tubs and tubes of products you haven’t used for a year? Chances are you’re not going to in the next six months. Only keep what you’re using and if you’re not happy with your current regime, consider swapping it out.
2. Ditch last year’s opened sunscreens. Yes, sunscreen formulas include preservatives to keep them active but if your sunscreens spend their time in the sun at the beach or on the deck by the pool, chances are they are not going to be as effective as they should be. I say don’t find out the hard way – stock up on new sunscreens now. And yes, you should always wear sunscreen.
3. Edit your makeup kit. Makeup has use by dates and it’s especially important to turn over products like eyeliner and mascara every few months to avoid potential irritation or infection. Consider how you store your makeup. Is it easy to see what you have and use more frequently.
4. Get colour matched for your foundation. Skin tones can change and foundations are improving their formulas all the time. Try a new foundation and get help matching to your skin tone. You want it to look like you’re not wearing anything, that it just presents a more even image of what your natural skin looks like. Hot tip: if you get regular spray tans through summer, get colour matched to when you have your tan on. I’ve got two foundations from the same brand – one colour for non-spray tan days; another for spray tan days.
5. Change up your eye shadow colour palette. Do you wear the same eye colours every day or every occasion? Why not swap it out for something different this spring/summer?
6. Buy a new lippie. Nothing cheers you up more in the makeup department that a fresh lip colour. Try something new – something that offers a pop of colour. Then wear it often.
7. Book a makeup consultation. Either choose your favourite makeup counter or book in with a professional makeup artist for a one-on-one lesson. Better still, grab a group of girlfriends and make a fun afternoon of it.
8. Try a spray tan. I’m a regular in this department – especially at the beginning of spring when my legs are not spring-ready. I feel more confident in spring/summer clothes with a light tan. The trick is finding a tanning salon that believes in less is more. If trying for the first time, don’t do it before an event – do it as a trial when the pressure is not there for it to look perfect. More tips here.
9. Switch out your body moisturiser for gradual tan. Don’t want to go down the salon route when it comes to fake tanning? Gradual tan is pretty much fool proof. Apply every day and exfoliate it all off every couple of weeks.
10. Consider a new cut or colour. Many people choose to make radical changes to their hair with a fresh season. I’m all for change but do think it over and talk to your hairdresser about it. Trust their input. A good hairdresser will encourage change but will guide you gently towards it.
11. Embrace the blow dry. Our nanas were on to something with their weekly “sets” at the hair dressers. Get a blow dry for an occasion, treat your investment carefully and you’ll get up to a week out of your ‘do.
12. Tame the mane. A keratin smoothing treatment will save you so much time in the hair styling department – and keep your hair in fabulous non-bouffy condition all season long. This is my pick of treatments.
13. Treat your feet with a pedicure. Get all the gear to do it at home or book in with the professionals. I find I can get about a month out of a pedicure during the open-toed shoe season.
14. Give your nails a holiday. This one is for me – it might be for you too. I’ve had back-to-back Shellacs on my nails for a few months now and they desperately need rest and rehabilitation.
15. Book yourself in for a facial. Or start hinting strongly to all possible Christmas gift buyers that this is what you’d like under the tree on December 25. They are good for your skin and for your sanity.
16. Frame your face with perfect brows. There is nothing like a good brow tidy and tint to make your face come to life. I’ve been a convert to threading for five years now and am never disappointed.
17. Commit to getting more sleep on a regular basis. I know it’s a tough one for most of us but the we do wear it on our face when the sleep bank is in deficit.
Now, of course, none of the above is in any way compulsory but maybe there are one or two things on this spring makeover list that you’d like to embrace this season?
Do you have any more spring makeover tips to add?
Comments 23
Increase your water intake. As summer approaches and it gets hotter, you should extra water to stay well hydrated over summer.
Great tips Nikki,I love a pedi I did my own on the weekend but will get a salon job when the weather is more stable and I love gradual tanning moisturisers Xx
Pre-Spain spray tan, mani, pedi and blow dry all BOOKED! x
Yes to that Sonia – my blowdry on the day we flew lasted a week including the flight. I didn’t do a spray tan as was worried it would be gone from the dry air in the plane. So difficult to do a full body moisturise. Let me know how yours goes!
Thanks for the great post Nikki – a reminder to treat myself in the lead up to Summer. I think this weekend will call for a pedicure, tan and makeup re-stock! Fun times ahead xx
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Yes to that Gabrielle! I’ve done the mani/pedi and tan today!
Definitely! Im so excited for Spring after a cold winter, pedicure all locked in for the weekend!
Done and dusted today Caitlin! Feels good x
Done and dusted today Caitlin! Feels good x
Get to know your local beauty therapist, especially those in small salons, not multinationals. They are a wealth of information. They get to know you and your skin and make you feel pampered. Start small and if you’ve never had a facial, book one today. You’ll wonder why you waited so long. Looking after your face, isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
So so wise Robyn – I wholeheartedly agree!!
Pedicure happening in the next few days as it is time to bare those feet. I have been holding off my declutter. I hope to do soon. V x
Pedi done today V! Need for Noosa x
Great tips! I didn’t know about the sunscreen one. I am definitely doing a big spring clean/ declutter/ purge of make up, clothes, home.
thanks nikki! all good tips here!
I will make affirmations to do these things! … a work in progress hun!
it’s all about the spring clean inside and out around here!
lol m:)X
Always a work in progress here M x
I really need to edit my makeup and skin care products, I have samples of this that and everything else from when I have frequented the department store counters. Nikki I would love a how to guide to apply eyeshadow for dummies ! 45 years old and the eyelids are not as taut as they once were and I have no clue as to what I am doing, so I just go without. And I definitely need a spray tan stat !
Lisa, I think that would make a great tutorial post – leave it with me. My eyelids are not taut either!!
Spray tan! Thanks for the reminder – need to book one before the beach holiday. I think starting your beach time with a spray tan really gets you into holiday mode straight away.
I’m basting as I type … needed for Noosa this weekend! x
Enjoy!
I’ve been using the St. Tropez gradual tan you featured a little while ago, and it’s really good. I only need to use it twice to start seeing results. Really could do with a pedicure, maybe this weekend 🙂
It is so good isn’t it?! Pedi done today. CHECK!