Beauty guru and Balliets makeup artist/beauty consultant, Katya Rider sits down with Luxiere for an exclusive on skincare routines and transitioning your skin from one season to the next.

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and your skin is finally ready for that summertime glow. As a sense of renewal begins to set in, the need for a new skincare routine marks the beginning of a new season. Swapping out heavy creams and scrubs for lightweight moisturizers and exfoliants, we look to renew our skincare regimens and self-care routines.

To learn more about spring/summer skincare, we chat with beauty guru and Balliets makeup artist/beauty consultant, Katya Rider. She tells us about some of her favorite spring skincare products, at-home facial routines, and how to transition your skin from one season to the next. 

What’s your background in beauty?
My background in beauty started in Russia 20 years ago. After getting an art degree in teaching painting and drawing, I received my certification in makeup artistry and styling from Saint Petersburg film studio “Leningrad.” I started my career as a freelance makeup artist working with a modeling school and a few salons. When I moved to the United States 15 years ago, I got in the beauty retail business and had the opportunity to work for some great cosmetic lines. It’s my passion to help women find the best skincare and makeup products. 

What are some tips for transitioning from winter to spring/summer skincare?
When the season changes from winter to spring, it’s essential to switch up your skincare routine to address your skincare needs. I would recommend changing your moisturizer to a lighter, oil-free formula. Our skin holds more water in the spring and summer, so you won’t need a heavy moisturizer like you did during cold months. 

It’s also important to keep exfoliating, even as we enter spring. As you ease into the spring months, though, you can switch out rougher scrubs for a gentle exfoliator. Exfoliating pads or facial cleansers with small amounts of glycolic acid are the perfect addition to your spring/summer skincare routine. 

Facial mists are also so beneficial during hot months; they cool the skin, eliminate excessive sweating, and help keep the skin clean of harmful bacteria. Sunscreens are definitely a must any time of the year, but in the spring/summer season, it is crucial to use at least SPF30 regardless of whether it’s cloudy or sunny.

Best spring/summer skincare products?
Here are some of my favorite products to try this spring:

1. Natura Bisse Facial Cleansing Gel +A.H.A: this product will cleanse and gently exfoliate while helping control excess oil.

2. Trish McEvoy Beta Hydroxy Pads Daily Exfoliator: improves skin’s radiance, texture, and clarity.

3. La Mer The Regenerating Serum: lightweight with a velvety finish, it will diminish the look of lines, boost natural collagen, and rev up visible renewal.

4. Natura Bisse Diamond Mist: This is my absolute favorite facial mist. It’s revitalizing and re-energizing, it improves skin micro-circulation, it hydrates and calms skin, and it’s suitable for all skin types.

5. Natura Bisse C+C Vitamin Sheer Fluid: This color-enhancing firming moisturizer is sweat and humidity-resistant, with an adaptable color that provides an even, luminous tone.

6. La Mer The Moisturizing Matte Lotion: If you prefer a matte finish or if your skin is oily, this lotion blurs lines and pores and gives you an Instagram-ready complexion.

7. Natura Bisse Inhibit Retinol Eye Lift: Now like never before, our eyes are a major focus when we wear masks. This product delivers spectacular lifting results and prevents the appearance of lines.

Any must-have spring makeup products?
I recommend swapping your heavy foundation to a BB cream or tinted moisturizer. I love Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. This multitasking blend of skincare and makeup blurs imperfections with sheer hints of coverage and SPF30. If you prefer more coverage, I recommend trying Trish McEvoy Beauty Balm SPF30. It’s complete coverage with a built-in primer, moisturizer, oil controller, and sunscreen. 

Laura Mercier Translucent Pressed Powder sets makeup for 16 hours and controls shine for eight hours. It’s a great setting powder for anyone who is active and on the go. 

Another must-have for me is Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Shadow Sticks. They’re transfer resistant, waterproof and you can skip the brushes and blend them with your fingers. They are perfect for travel, easy to use, and there are more than 40 shades.

Spring cleaning can play a big role in renewing our routines. Any spring cleaning tips for replacing winter products for spring?
As you tweak your regimen for the new season, don’t forget to throw out old makeup or skincare products. Cosmetics with sunscreen have an expiration date on them. If it does not have an expiration date, it will have a little symbol of an open jar with number on it. That will tell you how many months the product is good for since you open the container. You can write down a date with a sharpie when you open your new product to keep up with the expiration. Apart from throwing out old products, it’s also important to sanitize your makeup and skincare tools. Tools like makeup brushes, face rollers, and sponges require regular cleaning to prevent product buildup. 

Fill in the blanks. Swap____ for ____ as the season changes from winter to spring.
Swap your winter makeup colors to spring tones. Pinks and corals are great for spring because they look fresh and youthful. Trish McEvoy Planner will allow you to swap colors with seasons, as it comes with a magnetic page that allows you to customize your makeup. 

And don’t forget about your fragrance—have something lighter and more floral for spring. My top picks for spring and summer from Bond 9 are Astor Place, High Line and Shelter Island. 

Do you recommend any skin treatments for the new season?
I recommend deep-clean treatments to clean out congestion beneath the skin. Targeted peels for hyperpigmentation can also improve the appearance of the face, hands or neck, taking off dead cells to reveal brighter skin. Micro-needling can help create a collagen boost—it’s an amazing tool for unclogging pores, brightening your tone, and overall texture.

Any at-home facials people can try? Natura Bisse Inhibit High Definition Patches is a non-invasive anti-wrinkle treatment that visibly rejuvenates the appearance of your skin. Trish McEvoy Correct and Brighten Professional Strength Multi-Acid Weekly Peel is another easy facial you can do once a week. It instantly brightens the complexion in one rinse-free step. The peel visibly improves uneven skin tones, fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores, and blemish scars with continued weekly use.

Can you give us a simple step-by-step spring/summer skincare routine?
Cleanse twice a day. Once a week, use a face scrub in the morning instead of cleanser. Use toner or a face mist after cleansing, then follow up with a serum. Use a moisturizer, even if you feel like your skin produces a lot of oil (If your skin tends to be oily, you can always try an oil-free formula). Use an eye cream twice a week. Dedicate one day a week for self-care and put on a face mask. Wear sunscreen daily.