Finally, the sun has arrived here, and after neglecting my skin, body and hair all over the Winter,  I am so NOT READY !  So, I have put together my top seven summer beauty tips to prep for Summer so that you can be top to toe ready for the sun!

Summer beauty tips – seven steps to prep for Summer

Read our summer beauty tips below to see how easy it is to prep for summer with just a few beauty tweaks.

Summer beauty tips – seven steps to prep for Summer

Head to Toe Beauty routine tweaks

1) For shiny, healthy hair

Summer beauty tips

My hair is looking dry and limp after months of central heating and neglect, so in order to prep for Summer, I add a nourishing hair mask and an oil into my haircare routine.

I love these products by Kerastase.  I have started using a mask twice a week, and am applying an oil on a regular basis to the ends.  I am currently using the oil below, but Kerastase have recently bought out a beautifying oil mist which I am going to look into for next time!

Kerastase

Also, your hair needs sun protection just as much as your skin, so remember to take a sun protection/ UV spray, a scarf or a sunhat on holiday with you. I’m really bad at the sun protection part though so it’s a case of ‘do as I say not do as I do’ here !!

Another great idea is a leave –in conditioner as this can save you a lot of time and you can carry it around with you to use at the beach or whenever you need it. It’s also a good idea to apply some before swimming to protect your hair from the salt water or chlorine

 2) For a golden glow

Summer beauty tips

I want to start the Summer with a light, golden glow, but I’m not keen on UV beds and I have a strong (probably unjustified) mistrust of fake tanning products on my face.

Also, I want to go golden very gradually and be able to stop when it’s enough. So, I’ve started using this ‘Golden Glow booster‘ by Clarins, which is a ‘self-tanning’ lotion and as you just add 1 -2 drops to your daily moisturiser it feels like I’m much more in control. You simply add 1, 2 or 3 drops to your daily moisturiser according to how bronzed you want to be, and it is 99.8 percent natural, which is another major plus point for me!

I’ve been using it for about 3 days and can notice a definite golden glow so far! Don’t forget to exfoliate first! I also have the Clarins exfoliator and I love the ‘Pixi’ exfoliating tonic lotion.

By the way,  the Golden Glow Booster also comes in a formulation for the body, which you can mix in with your body lotion.

3) For long, dark lashes

Summer beauty tips

I can’t be bothered with using mascara every day at the beach, and I certainly don’t have the patience to mess about with false lashes, so I’ve started using this maxi lash serum  to stimulate eyelash growth. This serum is organic and 100% natural and totally paraben-free and can be used even if you have sensitive skin. This serum encourages lash growth in terms of length and density and protects eyelashes from falling out.  I have only just started using it, so I can’t comment on the results yet as they are not noticeable until after 30 days.

My lashes are reasonably dark already, but I’m going to look into getting them tinted so I won’t have to worry about them on holiday! I’m a bit scared of getting the dye in my eyes though! Has anyone tried this and how did you find it?

4) For a brilliant smile

Summer beauty tips

Nothing looks better than white teeth against a suntanned skin! If you remember, I did a review of ‘Smile Brilliant’ last year (see here) and I’m planning to do a couple of sessions just to top the results up!

Smile Brilliant are offering my readers $ 25 off tray sets, using the code VELVET25

5) For a toned, tanned body 

Summer beauty tips

For the toned part, I think I should have started going to the gym a long time ago! However, I am a great fan of  the advice ‘fake it ’til you make it’, and will be adopting the necessary measures to fake a toned body this Summer! Maybe, I’ll start the gym for next Summer…..

So, in order to look slimmer I will start by using a toning cream over the next few weeks, and given that a tanned body always looks more toned, I then plan to use a fake tanning product (strangely, although I’m wary of using these on my face, I have no qualms about using them on my body!

I have started using St Tropez shower gel as its seems ‘foolproof’ and is very quick – just 3 minutes in the shower , and these two factors are crucial to my choice! It’s very easy to apply and it contains sweet almond oil which hydrates your skin for 24 hours, so there’s no need to moisturise afterwards, which is perfect if you’re in a rush.

You apply daily until you have the depth of tan you want, and if you stop using it or for extra pampering then you can apply a body lotion/ cream.  I love this cream from sanctuary spa  as it smells gorgeous! (they have changed the packaging since I bought mine, but I hope it still has the same scent!).

6) For smooth, soft legs

Summer beauty tips

Hairy, stubbly legs are never an attractive feature on the beach, so first of all, you need to start by making your legs a ‘hair-free’ zone. Different methods (laser, waxing, shaving, cream hair removers…) all work best for different people.  So, choose the method that suits you best, and then, hydrate and apply fake tan to your legs too!

For hydrating, I’m a big fan of the iconic Nuxe oil.  This beauty dry oil is made using seven precious plant oils (camellia oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia nut oil, borage seed oil, argan oil, hazelnut oil and tsubaki oil). It is highly nourishing and anti-aging and it is a great multi-tasking product as it can be used on the face, body and hair! I especially love the smell! (It is also said to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, so could be a useful oil in pregnancy.)

It also exists in a golden shimmer form, which contains tiny shimmering mineral particles, and it nourishes, softens and illuminates skin and hair in one go.

I also use the Boots No. 7 “bronzing silk legs”, which I love as it gives an instant tan, which can be washed off, either at the end of the day, or straight away if I mess it up! However, this product is currently unavailable and I don’t know if or when it is coming back! You can use the St Tropez tanning shower gel on your legs too or any other product you like!

7) For a perfect pedicure

Summer beauty tips

And finally, don’t forget your feet! We put so much pressure on our feet every day and yet they are probably the most neglected part of out body!

I am going to start off with a good salon pedicure to get my feet in tip-top shape, and then to keep them like that I plan to do a weekly foot mask – this almond oil foot mask from Sephora comforts and nourishes dry feet and softens rough areas with almond extract. (It also exists in lavender to sooth tired and aching feet so this one could be good at the end of a day’s shopping!). Then I will finish off by applying a bright, summery nail varnish! I’m loving bright fuchsia pinks and scarlet reds for Summer! What’s your favorite color?

Finally, remember that the sun is a great source for vitamin D, but that strong UV rays can not only damage the texture of the skin but over exposure to these rays can result in skin cancer. So, buy a minimum SPF 15+ sunscreen for daily use, ideally a sunscreen with no fragrance or oil.

I hope you enjoyed this feature about Summer Beauty tips and have a look here for more of our beauty features.