After a winter of covering up a multitude of sins in bulky layers, the thin, revealing outfits for summer can seem a terrifying prospect.
With shorts, skirts, mini dresses, and bikinis about to make a big appearance in your summer wardrobe, cellulite, stretch marks, and body hair become the enemy. Thankfully, there are a whole host of beauty treatments on the High Street to get you summer-ready and looking good without blowing the budget.
The not- so- sympathetically named “Bliss Fat Girl Scrub”, priced £26, claims that it’s 60% Himalayan pink salt can step-up circulation and lessen the look of lumpiness. The cooling formula removes dead skin to enhance the performance of any other cellulite product used afterwards. Its other fat-busting ingredient is red algae that can counteract the appearance of bloated-ness and water retention.
However, if your budget’s a bit lower and you can’t be bothered with all that scrubbing, Soap and Glory has the ultimate solution for lazy girls who want firmer skin. Their “Sit Tight” cream at £14 has got beauty editors raving. Even better, it works best when you sit down.
The sit-released firming system is loaded with caffeine, which is known for its extended lipolytic, firming, and draining actions. The friction/heat generated by the user while sitting acts as a release mechanism to trigger increased movement of the product to the lower body areas most affected by fatty tissue build up. It’s the perfect answer if you haven’t got time for time consuming treatments.
For those worried about stretch marks and scars, “Bio Oil” claims to be able to reduce their appearance. Starting from £8.99 for 60ml, it should be used twice daily for a minimum of 3 months to see some real difference. Alternatively, you can try Palmer’s “Cocoa Butter Formula Vitamin E” scar serum, for £10.69.
It is a concentrated serum with five powerful ingredients to help reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks, insect bites, injury, burns cuts, and scrapes.
To get fuzz-free for summer, the longest lasting and most effective treatment is waxing. If you can’t find the time or money to go to a salon, wax strips are easy to buy on the High Street. The easiest solution is cold wax strips, all you have to do is separate the two sheets, smooth down on your leg, and pull off in one fast movement in the opposite direction of hair growth.
Usually you need to let the hair grow for a few days before you can use these, but for at least 3 weeks of fuzz-free fun, it’s worth it. “Veet Debut Sensitive Skin Ready to Use Wax Strips” are excellent for first time waxers.
Finally, after months of hiding your pins under jeans and thick tights, your legs could be looking very pasty. Luckily there are easy ways to get a tan quickly, thanks to a barrage of fake tan and tints. For an easy-to-apply gradual tan, there is “Dove Summer Glow Beauty Body Lotion”, currently £2.49 at Boots, a moisturiser with self tanning agents to gradually build a summer glow.
Or if you want something more instant and noticeable try “Fake Bake Beyond Bronze Airbrush Self Tan”, £19.95, an easy to apply spray-on tan, that dries in seconds and develops within a few hours for a longer lasting natural looking tan.
With all these beauty products on offer, there is no excuse not to be showing off this summer.