5 Ways To Freshen Up Your Skin For Spring!

Say goodbye to dry, flaky skin and reveal a fresh and luminous complexion with these skin care tips.

It's time to take your skin out of hibernation by saying goodbye to dry and flaky and revealing a fresh and luminous complexion. Think of it as a skin care spring cleaning  to help refresh and rejuvenate your face.

1. For a firmer complexion, decrease the inflammation in your skin.
Inflammation causes skin to age faster, leads to increased acne, dehydration, and other elements that make your skin look bad. Choose products infused with calming ingredients like aloe, chamomile, avocado, tea, geranium, licorice or lavender.

2. Brighten skin and reduce hyperpigmentation.
The best way to achieve an even complexion is with over-the-counter products that contain hydroquinone, retin A, or glycolic acid. Botanical alternatives include arbutin, which inhibits the production of melanin, as well as mushroom, soy, or licorice.

3. Create a healthy glow with tinted lotion or self tanner.
A tan can look great, and using products to achieve one is safe because it only tints the skin and doesn't do any damage to the actual living cells. Sitting in the sun is the quickest way to age your skin. UV light breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin and creates free radicals, which can lead to premature aging and skin cancer. This can be partially alleviated by wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every day.

4. Treat dark circles and look refreshed.
Always be sure to get at least eight hours of sleep and avoid spicy foods and other triggers that dilate blood vessels and cause under-eye darkness. Topical eye creams can help treat dark circles, so look for ones that contain retinol and peptides, which help strengthen and stimulate collagen production – also look for products with caffeine, which constricts blood vessels.

5. Refresh skin instantly.
For an instant skin refresher, opt for products containing hyaluronic acid – which intensely hydrates skin by holding up to 1000 times its weight in natural moisture. Exfoliation is another instant radiance enhancer. It works by sloughing away dead skin cells to reveal healthy, radiant skin.