Caring for Your Skin and Hair in the Spring

I received the following products in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. The opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Spring is here! Blossom-filled trees are one of my favorite sights, along with all the new spring flowers popping up in yards around the neighborhood. Just because the spring weather brings more rain and humidity, depending on where you live, it doesn’t mean that you can neglect your hair and skin. You have to keep them hydrated, protected and happy.

Spring Hair Care

Naturally curly hair like mine craves moisture. Since curly hair tends to be a bit dry, it’s good to use products that do not contain sulfates and parabens. When Arvazallia offered the chance to try its Advanced Hair Repair line, I was on board. The company sent me a bottle of its shampoo, conditioner and hair mask. My hair has never been happier. 

I could instantly feel the different in my hair after the first use. The shampoo doesn’t dry out my hair and makes it feel clean. The conditioner is rich and helps lock in moisture. I use the hair mask about once a week; it helps my hair feel soft. I like that the products smell similar. The only issue that I had with the line is with some of the grammar on the bottles.

Spring Skincare

Wash Your Face

One of my new favorite beauty gadgets is the konjac sponge, which I wrote a post about a few months ago. pureSOL recently sent me its konjac sponge to try. It works as well as the other sponge that I tried. I like that it comes with a suction cup, so it’s easy to hang it in your shower or on a mirror to dry. pureSOL is also committed to the environment, so the sponge and the box in which it comes is compostable. 

The only gripe I have about the sponge is its size. It’s smaller than other konjac sponges that I’ve seen on the market. Keep in mind, though, that the sponge expands when it’s wet.

Shrink Pores

I’m a big fan of derma rollers and wrote a tutorial post about them a few months ago. Petunia skincare was kind enough to send me another roller in its line of products. This time, I tired the derma roller with 1.5-millimeter needles. It’s similar to the roller that I tried in the past, but the needles are a tiny bit thicker. 

First, I like the roller’s coppery bronze color and purple roller wheel. When I used the roller after washing my face, its needles felt more “stabby” than the one with smaller needles. This could be because I haven’t used a derma roller in a couple of months. I did, however, find that my skin did not bleed as much. Within a couple of days, the skin in the treated areas began to peel, which I expected.

Breakout Prevention

After washing my face, I’ve been using Aveya Daily Facial Cleansing Pads. The pads are similar to the Oxy ones that I used as a teenager, but, in my opinion, are better because they’re gentler. My eyes don’t sting from the chemical fumes. The pads have 2 percent salicylic acid, which helps treat and prevent acne and breakouts. I use them as an astringent or toner after washing my face. After the second use, my skin looked healthy and clear.  

The thing that confuses me with this product is its packaging. Its Amazon page states that it’s a acne-prevention product. The bottle in which the pads come in state that it’s a product that prepares your skin for a face peel.

Moisturize Your Skin

After washing your skin and using a toner, you must moisturize it—even if it feels okay or you have naturally oily skin. Moisturizing your skin helps prevent breakouts and can help control the amount of oil that it produces. 

Body Merry’s Retinol Surge Moisturizer is a product that contains 2.5 percent retinol in it. It also has hyaluronic acid, green tea, vitamin E and other skin-friendly ingredients. Depending on the weather, I found that the moisturizer leaves the skin around my eyes still feeling a bit dry. However, this is true with many moisturizers for me. I like the convenience of having the retinol in the cream, so I don’t have to use a separate serum. 

After a recent trip to the doctor, I learned that I need to take more vitamin D3. To help me increase my intake, I’m trying out Vita Sciences Maxabsorb Vitamin D3 Cream. The cream is a moisturizer

that delivers 1,000 international units (IU) of the vitamin in a full press of the pump. I use it on my face, but you can also use it on your arms, legs or torso.

Both of the creams come in airless dispensers and absorbed into my skin rapidly. Before using the vitamin D3 cream, I recommend talking to your doctor to make sure you need the supplement and verify that its delivery method is right for you. 

What tips and tricks do you recommend for spring?

Do Derma Rollers Work?

The following is an advertorial. I received the product mentioned in exchange for an honest review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links. 

The short answer to "Do derma rollers work?" is yes. 

Do they work right away? No.

The derma roller I use.

A few companies had given me the opportunity to try the derma roller, or microneedling roller, and I passed because it looked too crazy; like a gimmick. Then, after reading about it on several reputable websites, I had to check out what the derma roller craze was all about, so I tried out Petunia Skincare's Derma Roller with 540 needles that are 1-milimeter long.

The idea behind this type of product is that it creates micro-lesions. When you skin heals, it will contain more collagen and elastin, which helps reduce the appearance of scars, fine lines, wrinkles, pores and other imperfections.

I've used the Derma Roller for almost a month. It doesn't really hurt when I use it, but it sometimes causes a strange tingling or burning sensation that lasts a couple of seconds. And, yes, there is minimal bleeding involved, but not enough to need a bandage.

So far, I've noticed that my pores are smaller over the areas that I've used it. The fine lines that I'm working on are going to take some more time. One thing that you must consider is that your skin will continue to change over the next couple of months, so the results aren't always immediately apparent. However, if you use it regularly, you will see result. I use mine once or twice a week.

In this video, a dermatologist who explains how derma-rolling works:

Now, don't panic. I don't use anesthetic cream on my face when I use my derma roller, nor does my face bleed as much as this woman's face. When I use the roller, only a couple places on my forehead look like they received pin pricks. The dermatologist is using a roller that has thicker needles on it than the ones generally sold to the public and he is pushing the roller on to the lady's face pretty hard.

How to Use a Derma Roller

1. Wash your face. It's important to remove the dead skin cells, bacteria, oil and other impurities on your face before using a derma roller. I apply the facial cleanser using one of those sonic-type facial brushes. Dry your face after you wash it.
2. Disinfect the derma roller. I spray rubbing alcohol onto my roller. Let the alcohol evaporate. 
3. Roll the derma roller on your skin, working a section at a time. I like to work in small sections instead of large sections and do the follow: 
1. Roll side-to-side 10 times
2. Roll up and down 10 time
3. Roll diagonally to the left 10 times
4. Roll diagonally to the right 10 times
4. Apply toner to your skin. Spritz the toner onto a cotton ball or pad and swipe it over your skin to reduce your pores and (eek) wipe away any blood.
5. Apply a serum to your skin (optional). If you use a vitamin C serum, retino or hyaluronic acid, this is the time to apply it. 
6. Moisturize your skin. Use a deep-moisturizing product. During the day, use a moisturizer with SPF.
7. Disinfect the derma roller again. Yes, again. 

This college-aged (I think) guy, Cory, has a good video about how to prepare your skin and use a derma roller.

In Cory's follow-up video, you can see how well the roller worked for him.

The Best Derma Roller

The derma roller I use is the one that Petunia Skincare sells on Amazon.com. I can't claim that it's the "best" derma roller in existence, but I'm happy with it. The roller is sturdy, the surgical-grad stainless steel needles are sturdy and the roller comes with a sleek case that helps it stay clean.

Please consult with a dermatologist to learn if an at-home derma roller is right for you before using one.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.