When the seasons change, so does your skin. We go from cold and dry to humid and moist.

To keep your skin soft and supple and lessen the aging process, you need to change your skincare routine and your products.

First, let’s talk about your face. Spring is a good time to invest in an exfoliating scrub. This will help remove dead skin as well as refresh and brighten your complexion. If you have fair skin, exfoliating should be done once a week. For darker complexions, two times a week is good.

Never use exfoliator around the eye area. The skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most fragile area on your face. Add to that the fact that there are 22 muscles around the eyes and we blink over 10,000 times a day, and it’s no wonder that the eye area is the first to show signs of aging.

We used to think that wrinkles around men’s eyes were attractive, but no more! Men’s skin care is one of the largest growing markets. My husband, Dave, who is in the construction industry, has spent most of his time outdoors, winter and summer. He has always practiced good skin care. You can see the difference when compared to other men his age. He even treats himself to facials and the esthetician always comments on how nice his skin is.

One of the best things you can do for your skin is use an SPF, every season. Sun Protection Factor is a measure of how well a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays. This is the kind of radiation that causes sunburn, damages skin, causes wrinkles and contributes to skin cancer. So, if you can sit in the sun without burning for 10 minutes, using a SPF of 15 would increase that to 150 minutes or 15 times longer.

There are lots of sunscreens available for the face and most foundations now have an SPF of at least 15. I recommend using a different sunscreen for your face then you use for your body. Sunscreens designed for your body will clog the pores in your face. This can cause blackheads, whiteheads and acne. Make sure that you cover your entire face including your hairline and ears.

Wearing a hat in the sun is a great idea to protect your scalp as well as colored hair. For the body, an SPF of 30 is good for most skin types. The problem is that most people don’t apply enough sunscreen. Experts recommend using one ounce per application for the body and re-applying every two hours. That would be like filling a shot glass with sunscreen!

I suggest exfoliating your body weekly as well. You can make great exfoliators for your body. I offer a great workshop on making aromatherapy skin care body butters and scrubs.

For more information and recommendations on products I use, check out my blog at SixtiesAndSexy.net. See you at the beach!

My name is Cindy Fera. I have been in the health and wellness industry for over 40 years. My goal is to share some tips to help you live your best life. Join me on this journey.