Prepare your skin for sunshine!

As hard as it may be to believe, British summertime, marked by the change of the clocks, has officially started! Cross your fingers for sunshine and don’t get caught short, with our guide to preparing your skin for some much-needed summer sun.

Body brushing should be part of any beauty devotee’s daily routine, sloughing off dry skin cells, preventing ingrown hairs, improving the appearance of cellulite and speeding up cell renewal rate – it’s the best investment you can make on the path to achieving your body beautiful.

We just love The Body Shop body brush (£8). It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, and is firm enough to offer great exfoliation whilst remaining gentle enough to ensure we actually want to use it!

Two minutes spent morning and evening brushing dry skin creates the perfect base for a tan. Use long, sweeping movements in an upwards direction working towards the heart. Cover the entire body, avoiding the delicate skin across the décolleté.

Body brushing is also great for brightening a tan. It’s a beauty myth that exfoliating fades a tan; your skin’s colour is held at a lower layer, so body brushing actually removes the layer of dead skin cells that can have a dulling effect, brightening your tan.

Post-exfoliation, Weleda calendula massage oil (£8.95) is rich in vitamin E and natural anti-oxidants, which helps the skin to renew and regenerate itself. Combine moisturising with the soothing effect of calendula, and you will get the perfect pre-holiday skin oil.

Healthy skin comes from within, so if you aspire to achieve a golden glow come summertime, stock up on Bio nutri pomaxin E (£13). Take this daily supplement for as long as possible before your summer vacation. With pomegranate and pumpkin seed oil, astaxanthin with vitamin E, all natural anti-oxidants, there is no finer or more potent blend to ensure your skin is ready for the sun.

The only healthy tan is a safe one, so if your fair skin fails to tan year after year and ends up looking a lobster shade of red for the duration of your summer break, then purchase Peptid-6 pro melanin pure active A84 (£22.80). Its blend of six amino acids stimulates the production of melanin, the pigment found naturally in your skin that enables it to tan. This product prepares even the fairest, most sensitive skin for sun exposure, reducing sun sensitivity, and promoting a deep, even and healthy tan. To use, massage into the skin once daily for a few weeks prior to sun exposure, increase this to twice daily just before your holiday and continue use throughout, to prolong the life of your tan.

For make-up lovers, the thought of going make-up free for two whole weeks on the beach can instil terror! Take your hands down from your face, hush your screams, take a deep breath and head straight to the nearest No7 counter. No7 beautiful skin overnight radiance boost (£16) is the answer to your SOS (save our skin) call. This product offers gentle exfoliation and deep hydration, polishing out fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin texture. Wake to a glowing reflection staring back at you in the mirror each morning – the 6am alarm call has never been so exciting!

Commit yourself to preparing your skin and sunshine will arrive.

Lisa Bramley

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