Step into the new season with these biannual skincare shake-ups.

The shifting seasons present a time of change – it is called “spring cleaning” for a reason. While you might be down with applying the KonMari method to your closet, it’s also a good idea to “spark joy” by bulldozing through the contents of your bathroom cabinet. Even though certain concoctions can be easily culled if they are out of date, the winter-to-spring move requires a more careful eye, one mindful of the skin’s needs in the new season.

Instead of the stripping winds and dehydrating cold of the winter months, where creams and oils felt necessary, we have balmy weather and a scorching sun to contend with (wishful thinking from the MR PORTER HQ in dreary London, perhaps, but we digress). But, just as you’d make change to your wardrobe, your grooming products also need to be adjusted accordingly – lighter, breathable and conscious of a little extra perspiration. With that in mind, here are five springtime grooming hacks to try this season.

The amped-up humidity means there is more water content remaining in your skin, so you can afford to tone down the heavy creams. “With the change in temperature and moisture levels from winter to spring, the skin needs less heavy skincare products. However, the basics stay the same,” says skincare expert Dr David Jack. “Still cleanse, still treat and still protect, just do it with less viscose products.” While it is less tricky to contain water during the warmer months, it is still important to stay hydrated. With the sun at its peak, your skin needs to be supple and soft; if it’s dry and brittle, it will be more susceptible to ageing and pigmentation. The trick is to layer light, liquid textures (essences, hyaluronic serums and gels) to keep your face cool and refreshed. Think of it like multiple glasses of water, quenching your skin’s thirst.

Sun’s out, guns out, right? While this turn of phrase might generally be used to refer to your biceps, it also applies to the heavyweights of skincare. Increased sun exposure during the spring and summer is not doing any favours for your skin by swelling oil content, enlarging pores and inducing pigmentation. To combat these, simply introduce an exfoliant containing alpha hydroxy acids. “Gentle AHAs such as lactic, mandelic and azelaic acids have a host of benefits and very little in the way of negative effects, so I always encourage their use,” suggests Dr Jack. “Be mindful of abrasive exfoliants such as scrubs, which can often result in micro-tears and inflammation of the skin. With so many good chemical exfoliants on the market that have additional antioxidant benefits, there is no reason to use something that can be potentially damaging.”

Often when the weather warms up, so does our sebum and sweat production. This results in more blackheads, blemishes and general oiliness around the T-zone. “Springtime and summer do cause increases in sweat and sebum production in the skin; particularly in men, where they have an already higher activity of sebaceous glands than women,” says Dr Jack. “This may increase bacterial load on the skin since they have more to feed on. If you are acne prone, using a serum containing salicylic acid, niacinamide or retinol is helpful.”

Should the serum not be enough and you are really noticing a persistent problem, try a Sunday-night skin saviour in the form of a charcoal mask. The efficacious ingredient is capable of sucking up to 1,000 times its weight in impurities, drawing out spots, sebum and dirt in general for a pretty flawless face. Now, you’re ready for your Instagram close-up.

It’s something you should be sticking to all year-round but diligent SPF application could not be more important in summer. Sun damage is responsible for pretty much every skin condition out there, so protecting your face from the force of UVA and UVB rays is paramount. “For people with normal daily routines – going to work in an office and then coming home – one application should be enough,” assures Dr Jack. “If someone is exercising heavily, exposed to high levels of sunshine or on holiday, then multiple applications are necessary. I’d also stick to a chemical sunscreen as oppose to a physical one – they need less applications and can be water-resistant, meaning they clog the skin less and provide great coverage.”

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