What does the skin need in spring?
To sum it up in one word: humidity! But doesn't our skin always need it? Quite right! So what exactly changes when you switch from winter to summer care? While we increasingly resorted to oil-based products in winter to protect our skin from the cold and dry air, with the onset of spring lighter care products are in demand.
📖 Do you already know the 3 most important tips for skin care in summer? Take a look at our article Everything you need to know about summer skincare.
How does the skin change in spring?
Rising temperatures promote sebum production in your skin, which is naturally a little greasy than in winter. Depending on your skin type, you can either do without oily care products in the warm season or use them sparingly.
Moisturizing products, which are the be-all and end-all in skin care in spring and summer, should not be missing under any circumstances, for both dry and oily skin and combination skin. Because although the water is stored better with dry skin due to the increased sebum production at this time of year, the skin must first be supplied with moisture. In the case of oily and combination skin, moisture starts the skin's own cleansing process, which liquefies and removes excess sebum.
Our spring beauty tips for
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Dry skin: Combine ⅓ of the appropriate Five face oil with ⅔ moisturizing Five Face Serum. And then put on sunscreen.
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Normal, oily & combination skin: Combine ¼ of the appropriate Five face oil with ¾ of Five Face Serum and then apply the sunscreen of your choice. Tip for oily skin: On warm days you can do without the face oil if your skin feels too oily. Instead, just apply Five face serum and sunscreen.
📧 Are you just thinking about what skin type you actually are and what care would be best? Then don't think about it any longer, but contact our free skin consultation. Together we will find the right skin care for you and ensure order between all the tubes and jars.
Sun protection: Nothing works without it
When the first rays of sunshine finally come out after the uncomfortable, cold and wet winter months, we would like to soak them up. And let's be honest: We would also like to exchange the sallow winter pallor for a slightly tanned summer complexion that looks so wonderfully fresh as soon as possible. Going without sunscreen is not a good idea! Because sun protection is and remains the most effective remedy against premature skin aging and skin cancer. So we can't make any compromises here.
In the warm season, sunscreen and moisturizer form an indispensable power duo more than ever. These two components are indispensable in skin care in spring and summer and belong together like bad luck and sulphur. But in addition to the not so easy mission of finding the right sunscreen especially for the face, there is another doubt that comes up every year: «Can I still use the sunscreen from last year?», you've probably asked yourself at some point. Let's check it out!
Why can sun protection expire?
When it comes to food, the question of shelf life makes sense, but why is it also important for sunscreen? Sunscreen serves to protect against sun damage. This is ensured by the UV filters contained in the cream. Their protective function can decrease with prolonged storage and through the ingress of oxygen when sunscreen tubes are open.
Depending on whether the cream contains chemical or mineral UV filters, it may even be that the protection not only loses its effectiveness, but turns into the opposite and becomes harmful. The filter octocrylene, which is contained in some conventional sun creams, is responsible for this. This ingredient has been criticized because carcinogenic benzophenone can form if it is stored for too long. This cannot happen with natural sun protection with mineral UV filters.
💡You can read all advantages and disadvantages of chemical and mineral UV filters and which sun protection we recommend here : Natural sunscreen - what to look out for?
Is the sunscreen from last year still good?
Whether you can use last year's sunscreen without hesitation depends on two other factors in addition to the type of UV filter:
- Has the sunscreen already been opened or not used?
- How and where was the sunscreen stored?
How long does sunscreen last?
As a rule, unopened sun creams have a minimum shelf life of 30 months from the date of manufacture. The situation is different if you have already opened the tube or bottle. Opened sunscreen usually has a shelf life of 12 months. You can recognize this by the opened crucible symbol, combined with the imprint 12M (for 12 months). Even if the cream from the previous year is still good according to the label, you are welcome to be a little more generous when applying it. In this case, the following applies as an exception: a lot helps a lot.
How to store sunscreen properly
The rule of thumb for storing sunscreen, both opened and unopened, is:
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Cool, dry places - yes please!
- Sunlight and Heat - No thanks!
In the cellar and possibly even in the refrigerator, sun protection is in good hands and overwinters without losing its UV protection function . If the cream has been exposed to great heat for a long time after opening it in the car or in the beach bag, it's better to treat yourself to a new one.
☝️Beauty tip: In spring, always check the opened sunscreen from the previous year for odour, color before using it for the first time and Texture. If you are unsure about one of these three factors, it is better to grab a new tube, better safe than sorry.
This is how you clean your facial skin from sunscreen
If you know us, you already know that we like to recommend a very mild facial cleanser. In the morning it can even be cleaning with just water. It's different in the evening, especially if you've put on makeup or sunscreen beforehand. Water is not enough here, as most sunscreens are waterproof. The Oil Cleansing method does a lot more here, which you can do in combination with the Five make-up remover. For a particularly thorough removal of sunscreen, we recommend two cleaning cycles and changing the washcloth every day.
Self-tanner: The better alternative?
If you want to avoid the risk of UV rays and still have a crisp bronze complexion, a self-tanner might be the right solution for you. But caution is also required here as far as the durability is concerned. Because the ingredient dihydroxyacetone, which is responsible for the tanning effect, can split off carcinogenic formaldehyde, especially if there is too much heat. To be on the safe side, you should always keep the self-tanner in the fridge and not even use the one from last year.
Did you know: Unlike sunscreen, the risk with natural cosmetic self-tanners is no lower than with those with synthetic ingredients. Because the substance dihydroxyacetone, that causes the tan, is contained in both cases.