How to Seriously Revamp Your Beauty Routine for Spring

Winter has this way of dulling our complexion, drying out our skin, and doing away with any semblance of our summer glow. Since the season is pretty much made for lazy nights at home and being in all-out hibernation mode, we're usually okay with not being in our beauty prime. But once the first signs of spring are here (hello, Daylight Savings!), we want to be out enjoying the weather — and getting our radiance back.

Thankfully, every spring, we rely on our friends at Ulta Beauty to bring us their bi-annual 21 Days of Beauty, featuring its best products at upwards of 50 percent off. (Psst, in case you didn’t get the memo: beauty's biggest event is starting today, and every day features different exclusive Beauty Steals.) Let’s just say it's never been easier or more affordable to restock our makeup bag essentials and try out the season's must-have trends. So get ready to revamp your spring beauty routine with these seven no-fail steps and the go-to products that will help you achieve them. Pick up your favorite items at your nearest Ulta Beauty location, or shop online using the links below.

1. Go Gilded

Metallics and glitter made their way onto everything from eyelids to lashes to nails on the spring runways. The most real-life way to wear the look? As a shimmery shadow in a more neutral hue. And if you want to punk it up, you can always add a liquid liner and falsies.

For a more everyday take on this trend, we like Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow in Half Baked, a sparkling neutral. The ultra-pigmented shadow also means it lasts all day with pretty much zero fallout.

2. Use SPF Daily

Don’t we know that it’s the days we don’t actually feel the sun that we get a burn (sigh)? Now that we're inching closer to summer and UV rays are hitting more directly, it’s time to make it a point to protect your skin with a daily moisturizing sunscreen, like the one from Shiseido with SPF 42. Apply it every morning before your makeup, and you’ll be good to go.

What do we love about this product in particular? Unlike many sunscreens, which leave shiny spots on your cheeks and forehead (and make us prefer to forgo the product entirely — although we don't!), this one has a beautiful matte finish.

3. Bronze Yourself

Unless you’ve just been on a tropical vacation, you’re likely missing your summer glow. The trick is to fake a more subtle version until you can actually catch some of the sun’s rays (don't forget that SPF, though). Using a kabuki brush, sweep a bronzing blush onto your cheekbones, forehead, and chin.

This Laura Geller blush begins as a cream, and then it’s baked for 24 hours on terracotta tile by Italian artisans. The long process pays off, since the finished product goes on silky smooth. And the coral, bronze, and pink hues in the shade blend seamlessly into skin — no clown blush here.

4. Deep-Clean Skin At Home

Crocodile skin is real during wintertime, and when spring approaches, you want to slough off all those dry patches. Not only that, but wearing sunscreen every day and sweating in warmer temps mean you want to pay extra attention to cleansing at night. Make sure you’re doing more than just sweeping a makeup remover wipe over your face before bed (though we know it can be tempting).

Enter the Clarisonic, a deep-cleaning, oscillating brush that removes dirt and grime from your face better than with your hands alone. Be sure to customize your cleansing speed and don't press too hard with the device — then even the most sensitive of faces won’t be irritated.

5. Try Spider Lashes

Is there anything prettier than eyebrow-grazing lashes? Actually, the spring runways will tell you yes, and it’s spider lashes. The '60s-inspired trend is back and bigger than ever.

It’s simple to get the look when you have a mascara that packs an intense punch (we suggest three coats for the full effect). Plus, Too Faced's hourglass applicator modeled after a woman's body leaves no lash untouched, even the baby ones.

6. Embrace 2-in-1 Palettes

Makeup touch-ups can be a cinch when you opt for genius palettes that have both cheek and lip colors. Not only will you save serious cash by investing in one product, but you’ll also save space in your clutch — and not have to carry your phone the whole night to make room.

When it comes to 2-in-1s, we’re eyeing Stila Convertible Color. The translucent product adds subtle, buildable color when dabbed on the lips or cheeks — or both at once for a monochromatic effect.

7. Be Peachy

The new lip shade for spring is peachy keen, and the color looks good on pretty much everyone. We’ve seen it in a bold matte finish and as a stain, but our favorite texture happens to be gloss. It's shiny, it's pretty, plus, it looks just as good alone as it does layered on top of your favorite lipstick.

If you’re only going to get one peach hue for the season, try Buxom's Lip Cream in Peach Daiquiri. It has a velvety, glossy effect without the sparkle. And oh yeah, the peptides and hyaluronic acid in the formula will plump up your pout (win-win).

Continue to shop all 21 days' worth of Beauty Steals, and check back at Ulta Beauty every day to see what's up for grabs.

This post is sponsored by Ulta Beauty.

Images: Courtesy of Ulta Beauty