Give yourself a DIY Makeover in Time for Spring

It just seems like wasted effort to get our hair done only for it to end up resembling a troll doll after a quick walk to work, and don’t even get me started on shaving our legs in the winter! It’s a hard time for beauty routines everywhere and whenever it starts to look like the end is in sight, the heavens always open just to rain on our parade.

But never fear, spring is nearly here (Well, hopefully anyway)! And although the efforts we go through seem to be in vain, the mornings are getting lighter, the sunsets are getting later and if you listen really hard, you can almost hear the Pimms being poured over fruit and ice in a beer garden on a hot summer day! It’s coming around faster than we realise, so it’s time to dust off those winter cobwebs and give yourself a makeover just in time for spring.

So where do we start? Well, first of all, let’s assess the winter damage. How is your skin doing? Are your lips dry or did they survive the gale force arctic winds? Did your eyelash extensions get you through the cold months?
When I get into my Spring makeover, I like to take stock of what we have to play with. My skin is usually the worst hit as I am one of those brave people who likes to go for blustery winter walks in the country and it seems no amount of scarf coverage is enough to save my skin from the cold conditions.

I have combination skin, but this usually means changing my skincare products every few months to adapt to the weather. When you go into your own makeover first thing’s first, check your moisturiser is still good to use, they don’t last forever and you can tell by the little number on the side if it is just time to throw it out and by a new one.

If you are due a new pot of your favourite moisturiser, take into account that your skin may be drier than it was last summer and in need of a bit more TLC. Don’t go too heavy on the oily ingredients though as like me, you may come to regret that as the weather warms up. Balance is key when it comes to your skin care routine and once you have that down you can start to embellish a little.

The same goes for facial cleansers, I’m all for exfoliating and keeping my skin clean and clear however in winter this just adds extra (and unwanted) dryness so I tend to go for something with a little added hydration in it.

Lips are a different story. The weather has so much impact on them and they are so delicate that it takes a little bit more than TLC to get them back in shape after winter. The cold air combined with rainy conditions can damage the skin on your lips and cause them to crack or peel. If you’ve ever woken up from a particularly cold night with a sore line down the middle of your bottom lip, you know just how long it takes to recover from that so its worth looking after your lips with balms and moisturising creams throughout winter.

If you have neglected them a little too much though and are in need of a quick fix for your spring DIY makeover its work investing in some intensive care lip balm to get your lips back to their normal and healthy state. XLips EGF Intensive Care Moisturising Lip Balm is a fantastic product to do just that. It doesn’t work like standard balms by just coating your lips, it has botanical and naturally hydrating ingredients that work deep into the tissue and keep your lips hydrated and moisture locked in all day long. Personally I love a lip balm that sinks in so I still have the option of wearing lipstick over the top of it if I want to. Xlips EGF Balm allows you to rock your favourite shade of lipstick while it still works hard below the surface to repair your lips. A+ in my books!

Eyelashes can take a little bit of a bashing over winter too. This applies to real eyelashes normally but can affect eyelash extensions too. In winter the dry weather can cause eyelash loss more so than in the summer months which is why extensions may start falling out faster than they normally would.

As part of your spring makeover, incorporate an eyelash serum into the mix. Just like with our lips, eyelashes also need a little more care than usual to make sure that when we approach the summer nights, they are in the best shape ever. Xlash Eyelash Serum is the perfect product for eyelash health as it promotes healthy growth by keeping your lashes and follicles healthy meaning they won’t fall out as much as they would usually in winter.

Xlash Eyelash Serum is also a growth serum that gets those lashes growing longer and fuller in a matter of weeks. If you haven’t already started to use this wonderful product, get using it now and keep up with daily/nightly applications to ensure your eyelashes have the full opportunity to look and feel their healthiest by the time summer comes creeping around. If you have lash extensions, this serum works perfectly too as it keeps your original lashes healthy underneath and doesn’t contain ingredients that interfere with lash adhesives.

Ok, so a spring DIY makeover wouldn’t feel complete without some new beauty products, but this doesn’t mean throw everything away, just remember that your beauty care can only work if you have creams, serums and makeup that doesn’t harm your skin or eyelashes. And what harms skin and eyelashes? Out of date makeup!

Pay close attention to mascara and eyeliner and other products that have contact with your eyes as this is where out of date or old makeup can become problematic. Nasty infections, redness and eyelash loss are definitely not on the makeover agenda so if it looks gloopy, has a funny smell or has dried out, then throw it out and go grab yourself a nice new shiny mascara, eyeliner or cream shadow.

Mascara is an easy one to tell with as the wand just doesn’t glide through your eyelashes the way it used to, and you usually end up with uneven and clumped together lashes. There are a few hacks that promise to keep your mascara lasting longer, but the truth is the wand is what causes the problem in the first place. Just think about how often it makes contact with your eyelashes and anything that sticks to it just gets put right back into the mascara tube, ready to go straight back onto your lashes the next time you apply it. Seeing as cleaning mascara wands isn’t really an option, its probably just less hassle to go out and buy a new one when yours starts drying out.

Lipsticks and liquid lip colours might look great after a few months, but remember this stuff is not only coming into contact with your mouth but staying there all day! A little harder to tell if it is still ok to use, your best bet is to follow the lifespan guidelines and if in doubt, replace it.

Part of the Spring DIY makeover is about looking and feeling your best as well as healthy skin, lips and eyelashes, so remember that makeup doesn’t have the same effect once it’s been open for a while as it did when you first got it. To really go for it with this makeover, treat yourself to a few new key products in your makeup and beauty kits and be ready to feel the best you have all year.

To some people getting a makeover means completely changing your look and reinventing yourself like Lady Gaga does every new album. I’m 100% for this type of makeover, the kind of reinvention that you do after a hard break up and you want the world to know that you are a strong independent woman, by dying your hair a bold colour and treating yourself to a new wardrobe!

And let’s face it, it’s your makeover so whatever works for you is worthy. But this spring makeover is more about cleaning out the cobwebs from a nearly housebound winter and adding a little brightness to your beauty routine so that even if spring isn’t quite here yet, you make it feel like it is.

So, your eyelashes and lips are being taken care of with intensive care eyelash serums and lip balms, your old moisturisers have been thrown away and you’ve added some extra hydration to your skin, your makeup kit is full of brand new products waiting to be tried on and you have a bit of free time to get experimenting.

Blush - As fun as it was to play around with darker colours over winter, spring is all about adding a pop of colour to your face and I love to add pink blush tones to my cheeks to brighten up my face overall. Find the right balance for your skin tone but keep it warm and bright to match your springtime mood and use it to accentuate the apples of your cheeks rather than keeping it solely to highlight slick cheekbones to keep it playful.

Eyeliner - Swap out your normal black eyeliner for coloured gel eyeliner this spring. I am in love with red and deep corals right now and apply it in the same style with one sleek line and wing over the top lid. If this is a bit too much of a bold statement to delve into then try using these bright, block colours in eyeshadow and teaming it up with your usual black eyeliner. The pop of colour is enough to brighten up your eyes and tell the world you are ready for winter to end.

Mascara - When it comes to mascara, keep it wispy and lengthening to give the appearance of barely-there makeup but with an edge. Full lashes look great and for occasions or parties this is still the way to go, but for your day to day spring makeover, less is definitely more when it comes to mascara. Plus, if you have been keeping up with your eyelash growth serum applications, the length part should start to come naturally.

Lipstick - With your lips, never be afraid to try out a few new shades this spring. Alternatives to pink are really hot this spring and while nude is a firm favourite, this makeover should be about letting people see that you are fully over feeling cold and now willing the warmer months to settle in. Try a pink with orange tones or a red with coral and peach tones to warm up your natural skin tone and to make a bold statement.

Eyebrows – Fuller eyebrows have been around for some time now, but to change your routine from winter to spring, keep your brows in check with a little pluck to get rid of strays, especially if you are in between appointments, or if you are a true DIY fan remember to only grab the strays underneath the brow near the bone and toward the outer edges. Add a little eyebrow pencil to keep them filled in and setting powder for staying power. I’ve been known to truly neglect my eyebrows over winter, so I look forward to my spring makeup makeover to really tidy them up and keep them looking neat. Keep your eyebrow look light and airy so that it doesn’t overpower your new peach lips.

The spring DIY makeover is all about recovering from a harsh winter and looking for opportunities to try out something new for the warmer months. It could be a look that stays with you until next winter so get creative and don’t forget to keep on top of your skin care so that next spring, you hopefully won’t need to do too much work.