Spring into a New(ish) Routine

plus a birthday week surprise!

Mar 31, 2024

Hi hi

It’s officially spring! Today does feel like it, but otherwise you might not know if you’ve been in NYC the past few weeks. Today’s newsletter is adapted from one I wrote back in 2022 about transitioning your skincare for fall & winter, with new ~seasonal~ recommendations & advice.

Speaking of transitions, it’s moving week over here! My birthday is also on Thursday (moving birthday is an upgrade from COVID birthday) so that’s why you’re getting a newsletter today. There won’t be another issue this week, but there is a special surprise at the end of this one.

Are you supposed to change your skincare with the seasons? What should I be doing differently as it starts to get warmer?

Whenever our environment changes so does our behavior and so does our skin. One of my favorite pieces of advice for skincare & seasons is to think about what else we do when the temperature changes. In colder months, we layer our clothes, seek out cozy spots, and eat heavy, nourishing soups, but in warmer months, we opt for lightweight, breathable clothes, spend more time in the sun, eat crispy, antioxidant filled salads and drink spritzes.

As temperatures rise, increased humidity helps moisture stay in our skin. This is great news for our skin barrier, which isn’t as susceptible to water loss, dryness and flakiness, though excess oil, combined with sweat can feel heavy, shiny and clog pores. Increased sun exposure takes a toll on our skin in many ways–exacerbating pigmentation and signs of aging through collagen degradation and cellular damage, and of course, burns. Remember: If your skin changes color, that’s sun damage. There’s no such thing as a safe or base tan.

Cleansers, moisturizers & everything in between

Cleansing sets the stage for the rest of our routine. Unlike in colder months when we want our skin to retain as much moisture as possible, in warmer months we often need something that’s better able to dissolve oil and sweat. We never want to strip our skin completely dry (we still need those oils for barrier function!), but gel or foamy cleansers tend to have more cleansing power than a milk or a cream cleanser. Of course, everyone is different and if your cleanser works year round, go for it.

Try: Sofie Pavitt Face Clean Clean Cleanser | Jordan Samuel Skin Matinee Gel Cleanser | iS Clinical Cleansing Complex | The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser | Sachi Skin Saffron Luminous Cleanser

If you’re not already double cleansing, it may be a good time to try or at least have an oil/balm cleanser on deck for days you’re wearing makeup, reapplying sunscreen or sweating a lot. Like attracts like, so the oils in your cleanser help to dissolve and break down the oils on your skin to be more effectively rinsed away. Use on dry skin, then rinse and go in with your second cleanser. There are plenty of water-based cleansers that are effective at breaking down sunscreen and makeup, so again, if what you’re doing works for you, keep at it or just use the same cleanser twice for a deeper cleanse.

If you’re switching up one thing, it’s usually moisturizer. Thicker moisturizers have more oil, feel heavy and act more occlusive. They’re great for colder months when our barrier needs to work extra hard to draw in and retain moisture, but don’t feel as great on the skin when it’s warm. They can also contribute to congestion and clogged pores, especially when mixed with your oil, sweat and whatever else hits your skin throughout the day. You want your skin to breathe! Look for gels and lightweight creams.

Using a mist, essence or lightweight hydrating serum can also help supplement by delivering water deeper into your skin, so you’re still giving your skin necessary hydration and nourishment without feeling heavy. Year-round I use 2-3 layers of essence nearly every day to keep my skin hydrated and plump. Especially in the summer, I also like to mist throughout the day to refresh my skin. Remember, it’s the season of spritzing!

During the day, it’s okay to skip a dedicated moisturizer if your sunscreen is doing the job, but you still need one for nighttime. More on sunscreen a little later.

During the day, it’s okay to skip a dedicated moisturizer if your sunscreen is doing the job, but you still need one for nighttime. More on sunscreen a little later.

Consider your actives

Active products, like exfoliants and retinoids can still be used in the spring and summer, but you must be extra, extra diligent about sun protection. Maybe take a break from your retinoid if you’re going on a beach vacation. Also, be mindful how you are storing and traveling with your products. Don’t leave exfoliants, retinoids or sunscreen in high temperature areas (especially a hot car!) as the ingredients will degrade. Cool, dark places for storage.

Maybe get a facial

Facials can be beneficial anytime of the year, but in warmer seasons they’re an especially great way to clear up congestion, brighten & refresh the skin and help to repair sun damage. Save the deep peels and more invasive treatments for the winter.

Double down on antioxidants

Very, very simply, free radicals are unpaired electrons that steal electrons from your healthy skin cells, starting a chain reaction of cell death and other wanted things in the body. They come from UV rays, pollution and other environmental stressors. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating an electron and sparing your healthy, stable cells. Using products with antioxidants help to protect your skin, up your sun protection and reduce the signs of aging associated with photoaging. Vitamin C is probably the most popular antioxidant, but there are plenty of others, so just make sure you are using some sort of dedicated antioxidant product. They’re often also featured in moisturizer and sunscreen, but as the days get longer, it’s a good idea to double up when you can. Antioxidant rich foods, like berries and leafy greens are also a great way to nourish your body.

Upgrade your sun protection habits

On the topic of sun protection, sunscreen is obviously important and necessary all year round, but it is of paramount importance in the spring and summer when your UV exposure is at its highest. In addition to burns from UVB rays, UVA rays penetrate the dermis and breakdown collagen and elastin (and produce free radicals, damage DNA etc.) and are still prevalent even on the cloudiest days. They can also penetrate through glass, so you still need sunscreen in the car and next to sunny windows.

At a minimum you should be using a broad-spectrum SPF (ideally 50+) daily and reapplying throughout the day. Make sure your sunscreen is broad-spectrum or has the PA symbol to indicate protection against UVA (SPF only refers to UVB protection). Also be sure that you are actually applying the proper amount (approx ¼ teaspoon for your face, ½ teaspoon for face, neck & ears, shot glass for the entire body). Outside of sunscreen, up your sun protection with SPF makeup products, UPF clothing, hats, sunglasses, and seek out shade when you can. And don’t forget your body! And your lips! Any exposed skin is vulnerable. P.S. If your sunscreen has currently been open since last summer, throw it out and get a new one.

Everyone needs this scarf | Uniqlo | Solbari | Coolibar

Me on the beach in 2015, the year after I got a second-degree burn on my leg and truly learned my lesson.

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Three Other Things

Vacation Inc. had a truly brilliant launch this week.
The Sephora Sale starts this week! Friday 4/5 for Rouge, Tuesday 4/9 for everyone else. I was very excited to get this blush, but as I was packing I discovered I had actually purchased it during the last Sephora sale. Whoops. It was a great purchase though. I recommend this brush to apply it and the Sephora Pro Collection brushes in general, which will all be 30% off. This is my most used, followed by this one.
It’s sweaty season! Noticing clogged pores around your eyes or hairline? Make sure you’re wiping down your glasses and sunglasses with alcohol and washing your hats.

Office Hours Reminder + Special Surprise!

Join us for Office Hours this week! This exclusive weekly opportunity is available to paying subscribers…usually. In honor of my birthday, I’m opening up Office Hours to all subscribers and extending the hours. In a few minutes, at 5pm EST, you’ll receive another email with a thread for Office Hours in Substack Chat, where you can ask me anything and interact with others in class! I’ll keep it open and continue replying to as many questions as I can throughout the next week. Happy birthday to me, to you!

Discount Codes

Hanni: JOLIE15 for 15% off
Naturium: JOLDEF15 for 15% off
Ställe Studios: HOTLINESKIN for 15% off

you can find all of my discount codes here

Have a great week!

xx,

Jolie