It's Time for Beauty Spring Cleaning—What Our Editors Are Keeping and Letting Go of This Season

      (Image credit: Vault Stock)

      I recently completed the biggest beauty decluttering I’ve ever done. This was largely due to my Marie Kondo-style closet clean-out last weekend, and also a crucial step towards achieving mental clarity, as my room, filled with products, felt like it was either going to overwhelm me or trigger a makeup-related meltdown. While I no longer needed the full-coverage foundations and powders that I relied on during the colder event season (why do all the galas and awards happen in winter?), I found it hard to part with them just because the weather was warming up. Instead, I tucked away my winter beauty staples with my fur coats and gloves, bidding them farewell until next winter and clearing space for new items.

      It seems I wasn’t alone in this spring cleaning endeavor over the past few weeks—my fellow editors have also been revamping their beauty collections in favor of lighter, simpler, and more sun-friendly products. Below is a roundup of the beauty items we've left behind from winter and the replacements we've chosen for the sun-filled days ahead.

      Spring Cleaning, According to Beauty Editors

      Ditching: Winter Perfumes | Keeping: Spring Scents

      Henry Rose London 1983 Eau de Parfum

      As a fragrance-loving beauty editor, it wouldn't be the start of a new season without assigning myself a new signature scent. I previously adored D’Orsay’s Holy Berry for winter 2025–26, but I’ve now stored it away for next December and switched to a warm-weather favorite: Henry Rose’s London 1983 Eau de Parfum. This musky floral envelops the wearer in a light mist of fig, black pepper, water lily, and jasmine, deepening with nuances of blonde woods and vetiver. The result is an effortlessly chic spring scent that harmonizes notes of skin musk, delicate wildflowers, and sweet fruits—because, let’s be honest, florals for spring need a twist to be truly groundbreaking.

      Ditching: Rich Moisturizers | Keeping: Cooling Water Creams

      Aestura Atobarrier365 Cooling Hydro Soothing Water Cream

      As a moisturizer enthusiast, I tend to collect nearly every formula sent my way, despite having sensitive skin. I fell in love with Dr. Diamond’s Hydro Bioactive Hydrolipid Barrier Moisturizer this winter (and I’ll likely still use it at night), but for daytime, I now need a cooling option for the warmer months. The daytime cream I’ve opted for is Aestura’s new AtoBarrier365 Hydro Soothing Cream: an ultra-light, refreshing water cream that soothes redness and cools your skin by 9°F, making it an excellent base for makeup.

      Ditching: Matte Foundation | Keeping: Natural-Finish Foundation

      Chanel N°1 de Chanel Revitalizing Foundation

      “I love being in the midst of the matte-foundation revival. In fact, I wore velvety, modern-matte formulas all winter long (long live the 'cloud skin' trend!),” states WWW beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock. “I won’t completely abandon these formulas, but I will swap them out occasionally for something lighter and more luminous. Enter Chanel’s No. 1 Revitalizing Foundation. Its serum-like consistency blends seamlessly into my skin, providing a hydrated, luminous finish. Even though it’s moisturizing and lightweight, it still delivers good coverage (rosacea, be gone!). It feels natural to return to this beloved product as the weather heats up.”

      Ditching: Dated Nail Colors | Keeping: Flattering Spring Polishes

      OPI Nail Lacquer in OPI’m a Bubble Bunny

      Ditching: Liquid Foundation | Keeping: Tinted SPF

      This season, WWW assistant beauty editor Sabrina Talbert is moving away from traditional liquid foundation for tinted sunscreen. Merit’s The Uniform has become her go-to blurring, UV-protecting base, providing sheer coverage and moisturizing benefits. For spot treatments and extra coverage, she prefers a lighter alternative to standard concealer: her favorite complexion sticks from Merit and Live Tinted.

      Ditching: Hot Tools | Keeping: Air-Dry Creams

      Crown Affair The Smoothing Air Dry Hair Styling Cream

      “I’m not actually getting rid of my hot tools—imagine!—but I am tucking them away for the time being,” says WWW senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider. “As humidity rises, heat styling often has the opposite effect on my curly-wavy hair. While my blow dryer and flat iron can smooth my hair temporarily, they also strip its natural oils (sorry, but it’s true), leading to thirsty strands and more frizz. Instead of forcing my hair into sleek styles, I prefer to embrace my natural texture and use lightweight air-dry creams, like these fabulous options from Crown Affair and Rōz.”

      Ditching: Powder Blush | Keeping: Liquid Blush

      Juvia’s Place Blushed