If winter hibernation has meant you’ve been skipping the body scrub in the shower, it’s time to get an exfoliating regimen going again. Before you know it, spring weather will be here — and you want your skin fresh and glowing so you can bare it, right?
We’ll be shedding our long sleeves and pants for short skirts and sleeveless tops before you know it — so now’s the best time to begin prepping your skin to bare it, especially if you’ve slacked off over the winter. How do you get your body glowing from head to toe? We’ve got the answers here.
Try brushing first
A dry body brush — look for one with natural bristles — can help exfoliate the skin before you even step in the shower, by loosening dead skin cells. The dry brushing action will also help encourage blood flow. If you don’t have a brush, you can also try one of those exfoliating gloves, which’ll work in the same way. Whichever product you use, clean well and let air dry thoroughly — if it remains damp, you will get bacteria forming in your brush, mitt or sponge.
Get a double-duty scrub
Look for an exfoliant that contains both chemical and mechanical scrubs. What’s that mean? Mechanical scrubs are gritty little bits — ground apricot shells and seeds, for example — that physically but gently rub off a dead layer of skin. A chemical scrub includes acids and enzymes that help break down the link between skin cells. This would include alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) and lactic acid. When you find a scrub that contains both, you’re getting more benefits in the same amount of time.
Be gentle
You want to get your skin glowing, but don’t rub your skin raw. And the thinner or more sensitive the area, the gentler the scrub you should use. Don’t try a body scrub on your face, for example — it’ll be much too harsh for your complexion, especially the thin, delicate skin around your eyes.
Get the best faux-tan
With your ongoing exfoliation regimen, you’ll also benefit from skin prepped perfectly for a fantastic faux-tan. Your fresh-scrubbed skin will be free of dry patchy areas, so the product will go on evenly. (You don’t have to fear dark elbows and knees, for example.)
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