Summer is here which means it’s time to bare the flesh for the summer heat. After months of central heating and layers of warm clothes, skin needs a freshen up to restore the glow. Winter can deplete the moisture and leave us feeling rough and lifeless. Here are some simple steps to incorporate into your weekly routine to get that sexy, summer look.

Exfoliate

As the French say, skincare does not stop at the neck. In order to achieve the smooth, summer glow invest a little time and money into a great body scrub. Not to be used everyday, scrubs should be a twice weekly event, and an essential prep before self tanning. The tiny beads buff the dead skin away revealing brighter, smoother skin below. These are not only great before a self tan, but also helps your body cream penetrate better. They are easy to use in the shower and these days very faff free. Massage into the skin in circular movements and really pay attention to those dried, tougher areas like knees, elbows and feet. Scrubs are also great at lessening the look of stretch marks, bumps on the upper arms and help to dispense of in growing hairs from waxing and shaving. There are many on the market to choose from but here are our tried and tested favourites.

Origins Modern Friction for the Body, own it for $33.00 (£25.45). Made from bamboo beads and rice starch this paste is massaged on first dry. Very effective at evening the skin tone and brilliant before a self tan. This product was the best at ridding the back of the odd spot or blocked pore.

Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub, own it for $30.00 (£23.30). Again this scrub was massaged on dry. I found it great on the legs, after a few tries the tiny lumps and bumbs vanished. It didn’t dry the skin like some scrubs can.

Acqua Di Parma Pumice Body Scrub, own it for $42.00 (£31.31). Polishes your body with mineral salts and volcanic pumice. Gentle and effective. Jojoba and orange peel powder purify the skin for a great deep clean. Skin felt smooth and nourished in one easy step.

Moisturise

This should be done everyday on drier skins after the bath or shower, and at least every other day on normal skin types. If your prone to a little breakout on the back or bumps on the upper arms, avoid these areas with rich creams and even use a little oil free face lotion to prevent cloggy skin. As I said before, moisturisers will be more effective after exfoliating and is a must directly after to prevent the skin from drying out.

Clinique Turnaround Body Smoothing Cream, own it for $28.50 (£22.51). This is an excellent product. It hydrates, smooths and refines the skin for the perfect summer glow. You can use this cream twice a day and is a great way to prep your skin for revealing summer holidays.

REN Grapeseed, Jojoba and Shea Butter Body Cream, own it for $31.50 (£16.75). I found this amazing for drier skin. Deeply hydrating it is just fabulous on knees, elbows and heels. Packed with anti-oxidants it helps to protect the skin from free radical damage.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturiser, own it for $7.18 (£3.50). Can you really go wrong?! It has a great smell, sinks into the skin perfectly and eliminates dryness instantly. A true credit crunch product.

Self Tan

Long gone are the days of orange, streaky self tan. The modern day products are so realistic and easy to use that there is no excuse for ageing your skin in the sun! Yes, there are a few dodgy smells around, but the colours and long wear out weight the limited biscuity smell. Always scrub before a self tan and limit a little moisture to those areas that catch too much like knees, elbows and knuckles. I tent to always use a thin pair of latex gloves. No matter how hard I wash my hands after, they always take on a distinct self tan hugh. If you have a fairer skin always choose a lighter shade rather than a full on brown. I really like the buildable tanners. You will never overdo it, and can gradually build up the desired deepness. If you are going to self tan your face, be careful of the hairline as it can catch too much and always blend into the neck. If you get the odd area which colours deeper than others, try a slice of lemon to lighten the mistake. A tip for the hands is to use a buildable product which won’t look give that orange glove effect!

Clarins Self Tanning Milk SPF 6, own it for $32.00 (£15.17). My personal Favourite. It has a great, natural looking colour. Great for a dry skin and never goes wrong.

Dove Energy Glow Beauty Body Lotion, own it for $7.22 (£4.55). Subtle self tanners give a buildable colour. This products come is two shades, light to medium and medium to dark. Great product and great price.

Rodial Brazilian Tan Light, own it for $49.00 (£38.17). This is great for face and body with only natural colourants. A lightweight gel enriched with avocado and coconut oil. It gives an instant caramel colour and develops within 2 to 4 hours for a deeper glow. The best thing is that it gives no streaks and has no smell. Use this on lighter skin tones, but available in deep for darker skin tones.

Fake Bake, own it for $25.00 (£18.79). This is a favourite of the celebs and come in different shades. I have to say that the colour was perfect, but it was a little faffy to use.

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