Nothing cues a freak-out like the sudden onset of warmer temps. (Have you ever given your toes a rushed coat of nail polish before breaking out the sandals? And how did that look? Exactly.) Getting your skin ready—soft, smooth, maybe not so pale—is a struggle and a mad dash. But with some prior planning, it can be done with ease.
“Getting ready for summer means detoxifying and making sure that the skin is fortified, nourished, and very well-hydrated,” says celebrity esthetician Tammy Fender.
Fender’s month-long preparation routine can get your beauty game in order just in time for summer. And in addition, Fender says eating well is directly correlated with skin health. “I love to take advantage of the vitamin-rich, skin-boosting bounty in the local farmers’ market,” she says. “Eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables—from leafy greens to antioxidant-rich berries—is a great way to support skin from the inside out.”
But back to your body routine, which could probably use an overhaul after a steady regimen of rich body lotions and scrubs all winter. Consider this your timeline to better skin by summer.
Keep scrolling for ways to prep your skin for summer.
Four weeks out: Try microcurrents
Microcurrent treatments can purportedly firm and smooth skin, and Fender’s a fan. “The gentle current creates natural energy waves in such a dynamic way to revive the deepest layers of the skin tissues, creating a smoothed, lifted surface,” she says.
If you can’t swing an appointment, try the NuBody Skin Toning Device, which helps firm and tone skin in just five minutes.
Three weeks out: Beat body acne
Body acne is stubborn, and can linger for weeks even after you start treating it. (Blame sweat trapped between your skin and sports bra.) After every workout, start washing with a targeted treatment like PCA Blemish Control Bar, which pairs salicylic acid with purifying eucalyptus oil. The duo at once gets into the pore to help clean it out as well as balances the skin for a more copacetic effect.
Two weeks out: Begin body masking
A body mask sounds like a messy ordeal—and, okay, it kind of is. But a charcoal mask can soften and brighten skin all over your body, especially if you use it regularly. Begin following your body wash with Body Shop’s Spa Of The World Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay. Charcoal powder and kaolin clay clean skin deeply while sesame seed oil keeps it from being stripped of moisture.
One week out: Start self tanning
If you’re keen to go the self-tanning route, the trick to not turning orange: Do it gradually. A hydrating formula like James Read Coconut Melting Tanning Balm keeps skin soft and is easy enough for first-timers to handle. Use it once or twice a week for a subtle glow, or every other day for deeper color.
Three days out: Bring on the body oil
Not only does body oil seal moisture into skin post-shower (and after a body mask), but it also leaves behind a pretty sheen. Fender recommends giving yourself a mini massage with a botanical oil, like her line’s Bulgarian Lavender Body Oil.
“Starting from the top of the head and scalp, massage the oil moving downwards to the ears, neck and shoulders,” says Fender. “Massage the arms with long strokes, then work in a circular motion for the chest, abdomen, and hips. The legs are treated to long strokes, too, and you might lavish a little time and extra attention on the hands and feet.”
One day out: Dry brush time
The fastest way to smooth skin? Exfoliate, ideally by dry brushing. “Dry brushing is an amazing way to bring a healthy glow to the skin almost immediately,” says Fender. “It detoxifies skin, improves circulation, and boosts the lymphatic system—which brings more amazing glow to the surface.”
Take two minutes to dry-brush with The Organic Pharmacy Skin Brush, which has a long handle, before you hop in the shower.
Now that your skin is under control, try these nourishing oils for your tresses. And did you know baking soda is the healthy foot hack that’ll prep your feet for sandal weather?
Shop the summer beauty must-have products
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