How To Get Your Legs Ready for Summer
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Prep
You might dismiss it as an unnecessary step in your routine, but if you want legs that feel tauter and smoother come summer, body brushing needs to feature. As well as stimulating fresh blood flow, it distributes fat deposits under the skin to reduce the appearance of cellulite. I like the compact shape and sturdy handle of the Aromatherapy Associates Polishing Body Brush because its cactus bristles are just on the right side of scratchy. Use it every day before you shower, in long strokes moving up your legs towards your heart. A word of advice; you need to use it daily to see results so hang it somewhere you can’t miss it – like on the door handle of your shower.
Exfoliate
A winter spent in jeans means my legs are pretty scaly by this point in the year. As with most things, a good scrub makes a big difference. I’ve tried lots of formulas but have yet to find anything that beats Legology’s Air-Lite Salt Scrub for Legs. Devised by ex-beauty journalist Kate Shapland, it’s a seriously gritty scrub infused with zingy citrus oils and leaves your legs super smooth. It also helps with circulation and water retention, so it’s great if you suffer with heavy legs during the warmer months.
Moisturise
You also need to commit to moisturising. When I do make the effort, it pays off. This Works products are known for doing what they say on the tin, and the Perfect Legs Body Butter is no exception. A rich, non-greasy formula, it conditions skin beautifully while supporting the skin barrier to provide proper, long-lasting hydration. I found it soothed post-shaving irritation well and made my skin look brighter and bouncier. If you prefer something lighter when it’s hotter, try Necessaire’s Body Serum. For something in between that’s both quenching and instantly absorbed, Aurelia London’s Firm & Replenish Body Serum is lovely.
Tan
I’m a big fan of a proper, full-body tan session, but sometimes I take a needs-must approach, especially if I’m short on time. The speed factor is partly why I’m now obsessed with James Read’s Click & Glow Body tan drops because they mean I can get golden limbs in the time it takes me to moisturise. I add four or five drops into my daily cream for a slightly deeper tan, but the beauty of it is how bespoke you can be – add less if you just want a simmering golden glow. To take things up a notch, I always come back to Vita Liberata’s Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish. This stuff is like a ready-made filter in a tube, and I’ve still not found a skin finisher that’s as good. Not only does it camouflage everything, including bruises and thread veins, it leaves skin with a totally flawless lustre and doesn’t transfer onto white dresses either.
Oil
If you want your legs to have that expensive, glossy sheen, a lick of body oil will often do the trick. My newest find is from Costa Brazil, a brand founded by ex-Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa. The Kaya Jungle Firming Body Oil not only smells delicious (herbal and fresh but with a skin-like warmth) it’s full of omega fatty acids and vitamins A and E to give skin suppleness and elasticity.
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