EXFOLIATE: One beauty ritual outshines all others in its ability to transform dull-looking skin in a matter of minutes. Exfoliation - the gentle sloughing away of surface dead skin cells - instantly brightens the complexion, leaving it silky smooth and helping to prevent blemishes.
Dermatologists and cosmetic scientists believe that exfoliating on a regular basis is the key to clearer, younger-looking skin. Renewal treatments such as scrubs and moisturising wraps restore the skin‘s health and balance, so to ensure a gorgeous glow once summer comes around, be sure to exfoliate 1,2 times a week. Buy a good moisturiser and targeted serum.
Best Buys: Treaclemoon My Coconut Island Body Scrub €3.38 (Tesco). This body scrub is effective, smells wonderful - and certainly won‘t break the bank.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, €34.50, 0800 591 818. Sloughs away dead skin cells and helps to even out skin tone.
GRADUAL TAN: Avoid the shock of exposing a bright white body come spring by applying a gradual tan cream every day from now on.
Best Buys: We love the gradual tan lotion €16.50 by St Tropez (st-tropez.com). It's infused with moisturising aloe vera and gives a subtle, natural glow. Buy Johnsons Holiday Skin Firming 250ml Online €2.69 Cara Pharmacy Online Ireland
SKIN BRUSHING: Dry skin brushing is the latest weapon in the spring detox arsenal. Brushing is believed to stimulate the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins from the body including fatty deposits that can lead to cellulite. Daily body brushing is the best tip, always brushing towards your heart stimulating the lymphatic system, helping to eliminate the build up of toxins and encouraging healthy smooth skin.
Best buys: Try Cariad‘s range brushes, which range from €3.50 - €5.50 or the Body Shop‘s round body brush, €8.20
BANISH CELLULITE: The dreaded orange peel in the bane of most older women and although you may not even notice it when you are wrapped up in your winter woolies - once spring arrives - cellulite alert kicks in. Every woman wants to avoid the dreaded curse of cellulite, yet 95 per cent of women over 30 have the telltale dimples in their skin. Being slim is no sure defence - Jerry Hall, Nicole Kidman and Elizabeth Hurley have been photographed with not-so-smooth legs but, there are ways you can tackle it.
Drink plenty of water to help flush out toxins and avoid tea and coffee, which are no good for circulation. Stimulating the circulatory and lymphatic systems is great for reducing the fatty tissues in your body, and the effects are easy to achieve at home. Treating cellulite can do wonders for the skin and really boast your confidence!
Best Buys: Rodial Body Sculpture, €111.20, www.rodial.co.uk . An effective formula with bio-marine active and wheat protein which help break down fatty deposits, reducing cellulite and orange peel. L‘Occitane Amande Delightful Shape, €31.60 Rough skin was all sloughed off and the texture of the skin is fresh and dewy.
CLEAVAGE: Don‘t forget your cleavage - The neck and décolletage areas are often neglected and can suffer from premature ageing without you realizing. Advancing years and a touch too much sun can also play havoc with a smooth décolletage. Prepare yourself by using a good age-appropriate moisturizer twice daily to smooth, tone, and plump the skin, while resisting the appearance of redness. Perfect!
Best Buys: Clarins Beauty Bust Lotion £31/ €36.50 contains an active marine complex , which tones and strengthens the skin, resulting in a 20 percent improvement in firmness after a full four weeks of use. Also highly recommended is Decleor Perfect Buste €31.33. The magic ingredient here the extract from a tree native to West Africa. The exotically-named Ligelia Africana has been used by local African women for years as a tonic to firm and tone the bust.
SUNSCREEN: My number one tip once the sun starts to shine is to invest in a good sunscreen; whether it‘s the hottest day of the year or the coldest the UV rays from the sun can still damage your skin. One of the easiest ways to halt the aging process is to use a powerful sunscreen and nothing beats a daily application of UVA/UVB factor 15 sunscreen. This is the most important way to protect your skin from the damaging free radicals. Generated by exposure to various environmental aggressors, such as UV light, smoke and pollution
Best Buys: Boots Soltan are keenly priced and have been given the thumbs up by skincare specialists, while Skinceuticals Ultimate UV Defence Sport SPF 45 includes some of the best sunscreen ingredients available. €41.21; stockists 020 89978541.
