Refresh Swap Out Your Heavy Products for a Spring Skincare Routine

Sunshine, 50 degree days, and the initial sights of tree blossoms might have you packing away your winter sweaters, but let us make the case for rethinking your spring skincare routine, too. Think of it like lightening up your clothing layers—by adjusting your skin-care routine, you can emerge into the world a bit lighter.

And if you’re skeptical of over-complicating your regimen or switching out a trusty lineup more than necessary, I get it. While that hesitation is healthy (generally, reimagining your routine as often as social media encourages isn’t always best), turns out there is actual merit to tweaking your products along with the evolving seasons. “Shifts in temperature and humidity can dramatically affect the skin’s hydration and barrier function,” board-certified dermatologist Dara Spearman, MD, tells Vogue.

Vogue’s Favorite Skin-Care Products for Spring

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Image may contain: Cosmetics, Deodorant, Bottle, and Shaker

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Image may contain: Bottle, Lotion, and Cosmetics

Image may contain: Bottle, Lotion, Aftershave, and Cosmetics

It’s well understood that colder, drier climates evaporate moisture and cause drier, more irritated skin, but did you know the shift to from winter to spring can aggravate your complexion too? Per board-certified Nurse practitioner Tama Tran explains it like this: “As temperatures become more temperate in spring, humidity rises, and the sebaceous glands tend to become more active,” Tran, NP-C, tells Vogue. “This can lead to more oil production, clogged pores, or breakouts for some. The skin is essentially recalibrating, which is why adjusting hydration levels and reintroducing gentle exfoliation can help maintain balance.”

From that perspective, it makes sense why my normally oily-prone skin is absolutely parched from November through early March and is just now starting to return to its usual high-shine territory. “The skin may appear dull in winter and brighter or more radiant in spring as circulation and environmental exposure improve, but it still requires consistent barrier support and hydration to remain resilient,” says Dr. Spearman. Ahead, our experts break down how to spring-clean your skin-care routine in 5 easy steps.

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Step 1: Use a Gentle Gel and Foaming Cleansers

As spring brings increased humidity, skin often becomes oilier, making a thorough cleanse essential. In these conditions, thick, milky formulas can be swapped for gentle gel and foaming cleansers. “Cleansing should remove dirt and excess oil without disrupting the skin barrier,” says Dr. Spearman. For example, La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Purifying Cleanser offers a gel alternative to their popular milky hydrating formula. Blue Lagoon Skin Science’s gentle foaming cleanser, packed with microalgae, Icelandic seawater, and silica, provides both antioxidant protection and hydration. As for what is now stocking my vanity, Dieux Skin and Sofie Pavitt Face also make two of my all-time favorite cleansers, each with simple, non-comedogenic formulas rich in gentle surfactants and soothing ingredients.