8 tips for Springing out of Winter!

Spring is here, originally uploaded by Lord Ivan.

Yesterday was the first day of Spring! YAY! I love Winter, don't get me wrong. It's my favorite season, in fact. But here in Richmond, VA, it's lost some of its luster. It was a mild Winter, and only snowed once. So I'm ready for Spring!

Here are some great ways to get prepared:

1. Soften up
2. Get your (safe) flow on with moisture
3. Color it up!
4. Brighten your locks
5. Pamper the tootsies
6. Follow (or start!) a trend
7. Get flowery
8. Change textures

Read on for the details...

1. Soften Up | Face and body both, kids. Exfoliate and bring out the bright, healthy skin that's been hibernating all Winter! My reccs for nice healthy ready-for-anything Spring skin:
   
   
   • Use a Salux washcloth to get the sludge off of the limbs (and any other body parts you may be exposing to the world!).
   • I like scrubs, but salt-based scrubs make me itchy. I recommend fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish or another sugar-based scrub. You can even make your own with brown or regular sugar, olive oil, and scented oils of your choice! I like to mix in some of my BPAL, but be careful with oils, as some can irritate sensitive skin!
   • For face, I prefer this gentle but lovely and effective mechanical scrub by Clarins: the Gentle Exfoliating Refiner. It's the best I've found;  it won't tug and tear the skin, but gets the skin fresh well. Exfoliate the face no more than twice a week, kids!
   • Of course, if you want to splurge, it's a perfect time to get the Clarisonic Skincare brush! Your skin will thank you - and it even has a new version with attachments and speeds for body exfoliating.
2. Get your (safe) glow on with moisture! | Now that you've sloughed away the dreary colder months, you've got to hydrate and protect! SPFs are mandatory, and you know you need to stay away from those tanning booths, right?
   
   
   •  I am loving Clinique's Youth Surge SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer, which is available in formulas for all skin types. (review on its way!) It's so smooth on the skin and feel great! But then again, most facial moisturizers have an SPF now, so if you have a favorite moisturizer just double check your packaging and make sure it's there. Here's the thing, though: your SPF from your morning moisturizer only goes so far. Strongly consider using an SPF product that you can reapply - especially for days you're outside! I like SkinCeuticals' line, which has a ton of options and will be gentle on the skin. Clarins (I love Clarins) has a nice SPF 40 for the face, too.
   • Don't forget your lips! A fairly easily forgotten area - but one that shows your age early, and can also burn and suffer from sun damage. A quick answer: a gentle and moisturzing lip product with an SPF! I adore (ADORE!) Clinique's Long Last Glosswear SPF15, which comes in great colors and really does last long. Try it, you'll like it! 
   • Bodies need sun protection and moisture, too. I like to hydrate with Lush's Dream Cream, because it also seems to have some magical healing properties. But it doesn't give sun protection, so I apply something else religiously before I go out (and reapply frequently). Kids, there are sun protection products everywhere - you can't even go to the grocery store without passing them. I don't care which one you use -just use it! 
   • When's the last time you thought about your hair and the sun? I'm sure you condition it, so moisture is covered. But what are you doing to protect your color and hair in the sun? I like Fekkai products, and he has a few that protect the hair from all sorts of things, including UVA/UVB rays. Check 'em out here and here. Or heck, put on a hat!


3. Color it up! | Swap out your Winter makeup wardrobe for something nice and Springy. Out go the heavier foundations, dark lips, deep smoky eyes, and deep colors. In come lighter applications, glowy skin, and brighter colors. Here are some of my favorite bring-on-the-Spring tips!
   
   
   •  Try mineral makeup for good coverage and natural-looking skin (and a bit of UV protection). Plus, it's pretty waterproof! There's always Bare Minerals, which has its millions of converts and fans, but try other lines, too if that line isn't for you. I like Lumiere, though there are tons to choose from! In fact, my usual go-to is MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (love!).
   • I love the look of peaches and corals in the Spring. These orange-based colors look fresh after a long winter of hibernation. Choose peach if you're warm-toned, coral if you're cool. (Not sure which you are? Check this out.) These shades are great on the cheeks and lips, but don't forget: you can find them for eyes, too!
   • Change your eye color. Blue, teal and green are everywhere this Spring. Try a soft-bright combo on the eyes. Too much? A pop of liner may be enough. Look at MAC, Urban DecayMake Up Forever and for great shades...,
   • Gloss it up. I love a glossy lip at this time of year. It looks youthful, dewy and sweet - and isn't that what Spring is all about!? Try MAC's Dazzleglass or Lustreglass for great sparkle, and there's always the aforementioned Clinique's Long Last Glosswear SPF15. 
   • Strong cheeks are a nice break from the traditional cooler weather trends that focus on the eyes or the lips. If you try that, keep the colors soft but bright and the eyes and lips a bit more subdued.
   • Add some color to the skin. Bronzers are de rigeur for this time of year, but consider warm shimmer as another option. I like MAC's Mineralie Skinfinishes and for a bit more shimmer, their Belightful Iridescent Pressed Powder. 
   • Go natural- with your brows! This is a great (and easy) trend to follow, even though it's not technically color-related. Stop plucking as much - go ahead and maintain your shape, but let the brows get a bit fuller and rock 'em!
   • Worried about too much color for work (or it's just out of your comfort zone)? Just shimmer. I love a neutral eye, but rather than the more satin-y or matte shades of Winter, add shimmer! Try Stila's Kitten or MAC's Phloof! as the base for your eye look. Add a mid-tone color to contour - or not!
4. Brighten your locks | The natural instinct as the weather warms is to go lighter. Add a few highlights for a more easy-to-maintain look, or try a glaze to warm up your current color. This year seems to be the year of the redhead (think Amy Adams, Marcia Cross, Isla Fisher, Debra Messing, Ashlee Simpson, Kate Walsh, Julianne Moore,  and redhead poster girl Nicole Kidman among a slew of others), so that's always another great option! 
5. Pamper the tootsies | Girl, go get a pedicure. Now. Winter shoes and boots don't suit your heels and toes, so go get the rough spots scrubbed off, and put on a pretty and perky color! Trends for Spring: blues, greens, teals, coral, and YELLOW! Go on, be brave! Even if you're not ready for sandals and flip flops, getting a head start on summer footcare - and putting on a bright polish - can help boost your Springy attitude.
6. Follow (or start!) a trend | While we're at it, let's talk about one of the newest trends in beauty: NAILS. The number of nail blogs is exploding, and companies are responding! Colors are getting more adventurous, though there are tons of options for the more color-shy. Nail art is on the way back, and tons of gals are out there mixing their own polishes. So, either step in line with me and try one of the new color trends for nails, or mix up your own shade and start your own line! Try: blue, green, sparkly, matte polish (though this is really going to be big for Fall), duochromes, brights, softs, neon, purple, coral, yellow, nudes... anything but French, please! Keep track of trends and the newest products by following our feature New in Nails!
   
   
7. Get flowery | Spring = flowers, right? So why keep wearing the same deep, smoky or spicey winter fragrance? Get some pep in your step by switching to something lighter-brighter-more floral. I love Bobbi Brown's Almost Bare, any Bath & Body Works Cherry Blossom scent, Prada Infusion d'Iris, Annick Goutal's La Violette and my A+, #1 favorite: Bond No. 9 Chinatown.
8. Change textures | It may still be a bit chilly, but under your sweater or jacket why not flaunt your glowy skin by slipping into a lighter-weight top or even some florals? I love the look of a gauzey, flowy shirt under a sweater, don't you? This makes me feel like warmer weather is just around the corner. And no one needs to know you're sporting bright or floral undergarments --- unless you want them to! (Shown, right, Nanette Lapore "fluttering top" courtesy of Nordstrom)

So how do YOU Spring out of Winter?
Share with the class!!!