What We're Really Using For Our Spring Skin Care Routines

As I approach 30 (I'm 29!), I know this year is pivotal for getting my skin in the best shape possible. So exfoliating, moisturizing, and wearing SPF are must-dos on my primping list. I have been told by estheticians that I have "normal" skin with a slightly oily T-zone. I'm also a gym rat, so that sometimes causes breakouts. Luckily, I've found tricks to beat the blemishes, but you'll have to read on to see what they are!

Source: Elizabeth Griffin

Since I rarely get the recommended eight hours of a sleep a night, I am reliant on under-eye creams, like Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Concentrate ($85), to soothe and brighten the skin around my eyes. Caffeine (found in black tea) is a natural anti-inflammatory and increases circulation in that area; plus, this creamy formula feels cooling on the skin.

Australian cult-product Lucas' Papaw Ointment ($12) is exactly what I need to nourish my chapped Winter pucker before I start layering on punchy lipstick shades. The sweet-scented balm is made with papaya fruit extract, which is known to have antibacterial properties. While the product is traditionally meant to be used on cuts, burns, and bites, I find it to be a rock star overnight lip mask.

Now that the sun is shining, it's simply unacceptable to leave the house without sunscreen. Diptyque's Protective Moisturizing Lotion ($72) gets the job done with SPF 15. Diptyque is known for it's dreamy scents, and I'm happy to report that this skin care necessity delivers the fragrance factor. Damask rose hydrosol and orange blossom extract give it a fruity-floral scent.

As the, ahem, most senior member of the team, I'm starting to really double down on my skin care routine in terms of antiaging. I joke that La Mer cream is like my version of Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding – I use it for everything. But otherwise, I'm trying to make sure that I exfoliate, use serum, moisturize, and just be more "proactive" with my routine, as Gwyneth Paltrow says, as I head into the back half of my 30s.

First step of the day is washing my face. I think this Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash ($6) pairs really well with my Clarisonic or just on its own in the shower.

I'm not a scrub kind of girl, thanks to my ever-sensitive skin, but I've found that using my Clarisonic Mia ($125) a few times throughout the week keeps my skin from looking dull or flaky.

I sometimes worry that I am going to be stopped in customs on my way back from France because I have so many bottles of Bioderma Créaline H20 ($20) tucked into my suitcase. I use it to take off my eye makeup and then as a final swipe after washing my face to make sure I'm fully clean before heading on.

I was never really a serum girl until I tried Le Jour de Chanel ($85). I find that my skin feels tighter, lifted, and smoother when I use it consistently, and that's no small feat.

One thing no one told me growing up in Texas was to slather yourself in sunscreen every day, and I have the sun damage to prove it. Now that I know better, I slick on La Mer SPF 50 UV Protecting Fluid ($85) before I put on makeup. It never makes me break out, and it feels weightless on the skin.

Some nights you just know your skin needs a little extra lovin.' I put on a very thin layer of the
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Sleep Mask ($300) whenever I need a pick-me-up. It's not cheap, but I've used it at least 20 times this year, and I'm not even half through the jar. Bonus points: my husband loves the smell.

I have oily skin, so finding a cocktail of products that works for me can sometimes be difficult. Lately, I've been on a bit of an acid trip, including in salicylic, glycolic, and hyaluronic acids, which are good for my oily skin type. So I've been looking for products that contain all three ingredients. It has completely turned my skin around, and I don't see myself giving up this regimen any time soon.

When it comes to moisturizing, I'm hands down obsessed with Hada Labo's Skin Plumping Gel Cream. It keeps my oily skin hydrated the correct way without causing a grease-slick situation. This regimen has finally allowed me to start clearing up my skin. And it only took until I was 24!

Source: Aemilia Madden

I used to be an exfoliate-at-night kind of girl, but that was until I discovered Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar ($45). This bar cleanses and heals your skin, and it's 97 percent natural. Dead Sea mud exfoliates your skin directly while slurping out that debris. My face has never felt so soft.

When I tell you that Drunk Elephant's TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum ($90) has completely changed my skin, I mean it. This potent formula, made with glycolic, lactic, tartaric, citric, and salicylic acids, actually dissolves the dead skin cells and turns over new ones. If I could bathe in this stuff, I probably would.

I have superoily skin, so the thought of layering on yet another cream was something I avoided like the plague. That was until my dermatologist told me that wearing SPF would vastly improve my skin. I now wear Supergoop Sunscreen Day Cream ($16) with SPF 40 on the daily, because it's infused with antioxidants, which help promote cell turnover while keeping me safe from UV rays.

I try to do a peel or a mask three nights a week while I'm cooking dinner, and my current favorite is Philosophy's Microdelivery Deep Exfoliating Mask ($42). You leave it on for one to three minutes, and the lactic and salicylic acids dissolve all the nasty things hanging out on your face. I like to slather it on if I notice a pimple coming in — and it typically gets rid of it on the spot (pun intended).

If you haven't already noticed by now, the main component of all of my skin care products is that they have to leave me hydrated without feeling sticky. Mario Badescu's Vitamin C Serum ($45) does just that. A potent vitamin C formula delivers soft skin and hyaluronic acid keeps things smooth from the early a.m. weight room to the office.

With my darker skin tone, the biggest concern I have is hyperpigmentation and dark spots. If a product promises brighter skin, I'm on board! After trial and error, I've found that serums packed with vitamin C offer the best benefits. I'm especially addicted to eye cream. If I didn't keep a strict under-eye regimen, I would probably look something like a panda, and, trust me, it's a lot cuter on them.

Source: Megan Wolfe

I'm really lucky that I have "normal/combination" skin, meaning I can get away with a lot when it comes to cleansing. However, I have three different cleansers in the shower (beauty editor trademark). This
Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Foam Cleanser ($25) is my favorite. I use it most often with my Clarisonic Mia Deep Pore Brush Head ($27). The only exception is when I go to the gym or feel a breakout coming on. Then I use a gel cleanser like La Roche Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel Cleanser ($23).

Even though I love a good, strong salt scrub on my body. I prefer a chemical exfoliant for my face. The Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel ($82) changed my life. Whereas I used to have bulbous breakouts once a month, now it's a tiny whitehead on occasion. This dermatologist-grade product is easy enough for beauty beginners to do at home. It doesn't burn, but it does brighten in a matter of minutes.

Since my main skin concern is dark spots, bring on the vitamin C! This Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster ($48) is a favorite year-round.

As soon as the temperature hit above 50 degrees, I switched over from my Winter moisturizer to Colleen Rothschild Sheer Renewal Cream ($55). The powdery finish works well under my makeup (when I choose to wear it) or under my sunscreen.

Clarisonic Detoxifying Clay Mask ($27) is what I turn to when I'm having a bad skin day. I slap on the mask and pray that 10 minutes is enough to revamp my complexion.