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Summer beauty prep 101
Our get-gorgeous guide for becoming a summer stunner.
By Briony Smith
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5. When it comes to getting your toes ready for your new gladiator sandals, prep is key, says Jeanet Allinson, owner of Toronto's Jeanet Spa & Salon, which counts Nicole Kidman and Ashley Judd as clients. "Massaging cuticle oil [such as Crabtree & Evelyn's Gardeners Nail & Cuticle Therapy] into your cuticles will help to hydrate the skin and prevent nail polish from shrinking around the cuticle. Always apply cream to your feet on a daily basis, and, when you exfoliate your body, make sure to include your feet," she said. Cutting the nails straight across to prevent ingrowns. Make sure your nails are free of oils and creams so that the polish will go on smoothly and last, and then start with a basecoat - such as Sally Hansen's Complete Care Extra Moisturizing 4-in-1 Treatment - to avoid yellowing of the nails. Said Allinson: "The best tip for painting a nail is to always tip the ends of the nails with polish so that you cover the end. This will prevent dripping, and therefore last longer." And to keep your pedi as perfect as possible? A new topcoat ever few days will keep you shining on. Hot summer colours include corals (we like Revlon Nail Enamel in Coral Me Wild) and hot pinks (MAC Nail Lacquer in Gee Whiz is boss).
6. We think of summer skin as all dewy, right? Think again. Skin therapist Samantha Flores of Toronto's Ritual 2 said, "You're covered in sweat, sunscreen, dirt - you need to get that and the dead skin off to get that glow, and promote cell renewal." Gals with darker, oiler skin can try Dermalogica's salicylic acid Clearing Mattifier from the MediBac clearing line, for use two to three times a week. Those with normal or combination skin can try the Skin Prep Scrub once or twice a week, which comes with corn meal to scrub away impurities. Sensitive-skinned ladies can make use of the gentler rice enzymes in the line's Daily Micro Exfoliant once a week. And those who poo-poo DIY? They can head to Ritual 2 to get their face glowing, courtesy of the new Flash Exfoliation Treatment that gets you in, polished, and out in 20 minutes.
7. While shaving is pretty straightforward, waxing is more of a freaky frontier, but assistant manager and esthetics supervisor Leanne Charlton from Vancouver's Le Petit Spa has a foolproof plan for hairless gams. The faint-of-heart can pop an Ibuprofen or two an hour beforehand to ease the sting. Clean your skin first with alcohol and follow with a spinkling of baby powder. "Do small sections at a time, and only use a thin layer of wax. Apply the strip in the direction of hair growth, pull the skin taut, and then remove it against the growth in one swift motion,” she says. Applying pressure and tea tree oil - available at health food stores - or a mild lotion (we like Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion from Burt's Bees) will soothe the area. Things to avoid for the next 24 hours (to avoid irritation) are swimming, sun exposure, sweating, and hot showers. Exfoliating after this period will keep your bod free of pesky ingrown hairs. And the pay-off for long-term waxing? Your hairlessness will last from a week to three weeks, and will result in thinner hair after a while. A new at-home kit that struck our fancy is Veet's Salon Line Ready To Use Wax Strips, as they come in a mint scent for normal to dry skin, and with Vitamin E and almond oil for the sensitive-skinned gals.
Click here to read more beauty tips.
Image courtesy of Marcio Madeira
Read more:
Dark cocoa: The new hit colour for summer
Sizzling summer reads
No-fail summer beauty
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