Top Summer Beauty Tips

It’s summer time ladies! Whether your jetting off to a luxurious beach, taking a city break, camping with the kids or just day tripping, it’s the perfect time to give yourself bit of TLC and do some pampering!

Make sure you’re ready for those long summer days and never ending romantic nights by following these quick, simple tips… you’ll be summer ready in no time!

Tip 1 – Get scrubbing
After a long winter covered by lots of layers, your skin is bound to look a little dull and lifeless but a little TLC and a bit of buffing goes a long way. When it comes to skin buffing the choice of exfoliating methods are vast; scrubs, brushes, retinoids, acids, lotions, and creams but the cheapest and easiest to build into your routine is dry body brushing. Not only will dry body brushing make your skin glow but it also boosts circulation improving the look of your skin (and reducing cellulite), evens out skin tone and helps get rid of blemishes – bonus! Choose a brush with short, very firm, tightly packed bristles (preferably cactus) and build a few minutes dry body scrubbing into your daily routine (when you’re waiting for the shower to heat up, or the bath to run) – your skin will love you for it! If you’ve not used a body brush before have a look at these dry brushing techniques before you start. Keep up the routine throughout the summer to remove sunscreen and oil residue from your skin and slough of dead skin cells – contrary to popular belief regularly exfoliating will actually prolong your tan, not rub it away!

Tip 2 – Put your best foot forward
Hidden under opaques, woolly socks and boots all winter our feet are often left ignored and lack the attention that they deserve. Now sandal season is officially here it’s time to get your feet and toes flip flop ready. Set an evening aside and follow this DIY pedicure guide to get your feet back to their summery selves again. Complete your pedicure with a coat of nail polish in a pretty summer shade. If you use a good quality nail polish and apply a top coat your toe nail polish should last a good couple of weeks so choose a shade that will compliment a range of your holiday outfits so you don’t need to constantly reapply. Nude’s and pastels always look stunning against tanned skin and neons are great for hot summer parties!

Tip 3 – Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise
Most women have a regular facial skincare routine (cleanse, tone, moisturise) but the rest of their body remains untouched. Your skin is the biggest organ of your body and the skin on your body needs as much care as that on your face. Regular body moisturising is an absolute must, especially in the summer months when the heat is high and your skin is more exposed. There are lots of different types of moisturisers, for example, glycerine and lactic acid attract water, helping your skin to retain moisture, while fatty acids and ceramides soften and soothe the skin. Which you choose should be based on your skin type and where you are applying them. You may want to use a more intensive cream on your legs and a more delicate lotion on your décolletage. Alternatively you can make your own organic full body cream using coconut oil as a base – totally natural and without additives or preservatives home made body cream is a pleasure to make and will give you a feel good factor as well as being great for your skin. We love this Lemon and coconut oil moisturiser recipe; it’s rich, creamy and smells amazing!

Tip 4 – Golden goddess
We all know the dangers of over-exposure to the sun but now thanks to self tanning lotions and spray tanning salons it’s easy to have a beautiful glow all year long (and without the tan lines)! Get that sun kissed look before you go on holiday and you’ll look fab on the beach from day one and won’t be tempted over-do it in the sun. This means more time in the cocktail bar and no sore and unattractive red skin! When it comes to DIY self tan less is most definitely more; take it gradually and don’t overdo it! Follow these golden rules of spay tanning for an even, streak-free, natural looking finish.

Tip 5 – The smell of summer
Everyone has their own signature scent; a perfume that captures the essence of you, your personality and vibe. However during the hot summer months it’s nice to mix it up and try a more delicate fragrance that’s a bit lighter and fresher. Think freshly sprung from nature; this summers best fragrances include zesty notes of lemon, orange and mandarin, sweet fruits, sophisticated florals and aromatic musks. If you need some inspiration picking your perfect summer fragrance check out this fab ultimate perfume selection for Summer. As an added bonus, smell is incredibly emotive and evocative and just a splash of summery scent is guaranteed to lift your mood, even when you’re stuck in the office!

Tip 6 – Sweet lips
Make sure you always have lip balm in your pocket, purse or beach bag throughout the summer to ensure your lips stay soft and completely kissable! Heat and mild dehydration cause lips to become chapped and cracked which is not only sore but isn’t the best look! Choose a soothing lip balm which has a water-proof formula, contains an SPF 15 sun-screen to protect lips from UV exposure and natural waxes to seal in moisture for lasting protection. There are a wide range of options available but this summer we’re loving Aveda Lips Saver Aveda Lip Saver™ SPF 15.

Tip 7 – Don’t forget sun tan lotion
Wearing sunscreen is one of the healthiest things you can for your skin. A good sunscreen with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection can keep you from getting burned, minimize the development of wrinkles, dark spots, and reduces your risk of skin cancer. But too many people still make common mistakes when it comes to sunscreen  — slathering on too little, skipping vulnerable spots, using only makeup w/SPF — that can be costly for your skin. Read these 5 most common sunscreen mistakes and make sure you wear appropriate lotion and apply it regularly. It would be a shame to get to the beach, sunbathe and then have to hide under a kaftan for the rest of your holiday because you’re burnt!

Tip 8 – Hot hair
As pretty as it looks on models in magazines, sand, surf, sun and long loose hair just don’t go well together – fact! Even if you’re not on the beach, during hot weather the last thing you want is hair around your face and down your back. But don’t worry, there are absolutely loads of hairstyles and up-dos that are stunning as well as practical and that will help keep you cool. Pony tails and braids are good choices as they’re ultra pretty, will secure your hair and come in a multiple of styles from ultra glam to completely relaxed to suit your style. Here are 29 Ponytails that are anything but boring!

Tip 9 – Pool-proof your makeup
Minimal make up is the name of the game when it comes to summer. If possible swap your normal foundation for a tinted moisturiser, try and use less products and always go for brands which contain SPF to help protect the delicate skin on your face. Mascara is normally the one item in a girls make up bag that she just can’t do without but consider moving away from standard black for the summer season – try brown for a softer look or experiment with coloured mascara which looks amazing on holiday and really brings out the colour of your eyes. Avoid looking like a panda by buying a heavy duty waterproof mascara specifically for your holiday and if you are going to wear make up ensure it doesn’t run whilst enjoying those sea waves by following these 10 ways to sweat proof the heck out of your make up!

Tip 10 – Dare to bare!
Finally, waxing! It’s essential to tame those stray hairs, and yes we do mean ALL of them. Relieving you of this burden will leave you feeling fresh, confident and most importantly ready for that itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikini! Try our signature wax and you’ll be silky-smooth, fresh and fabulous before you know it. waxu treatments can only be offered by approved salons; you can find one near you using our handy salon finder.