Get Your Body Ready For Summer

I know you probably don't have a lot of time to spend on yourself and you are nowhere near ready for the trek to the beach, but here are some easy ways that take little to no time at all to get you set for the highly anticipated and much too short season we wait all year for.  

1. Give Your Hair A Drink - Just as our bodies need water, our hair needs hydration, too. The sun sucks a lot of moisture out of our strands, so there are two ways you can go about this. First, you can give yourself a deep conditioning treatment in the shower. Many beauty supply stores offer ones you can use once a week in place of your regular conditioner. Just work it in, place a shower cap over your hair and let it go to work. The steam from the shower will open your follicles and allow the treatment to penetrate. When it's done, (after about five minutes or so) just rinse with cool water to seal the cuticle. Or, you can use a spray on leave in conditioner. Wet hair, apply liberally before you hit the pool or the lake, allow your hair to air dry and you should be good to go.

2. Give Your Skin Some Love - If you have bumpy or oily skin, try a body wash with salicylic acid. It helps clear out your pores and can really help with oily skin conditions. If you have sensitive skin (like me), my favorite is First Aid Beauty. It's also important to moisturize within about five minutes of getting out of the shower to lock in moisture. Try and look for a cream or a lotion that's labeled non-comedogenic. That's fancy talk for "it doesn't clog pores".

3. Careful With That Razor - If you're like me and shave your legs because you are terrified of waxing, make sure you use a sharp razor as you're more likely to nick yourself with a dull one and no one wants to go to the beach with band aids all over their legs.  Also, if you shave in the shower, try and do it as one of the first things because if you wait, your hair follicles swell and you're less likely to get a close shave. After you're finished shaving, be careful not to vigorously rub your legs because you can actually move the hair shaft and cause ingrown hairs. If you already have ingrown hairs, try Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads.

4. Change Up Your Make Up - Instead of heavy foundations you may use in winter, for summer, use a tinted moisturizer with SPF on your face instead. Also try waterproof mascara and waterproof eye liner. Not only do these stay on in the lake or pool, they're also great when you're sweating bullets on shore.

Did I miss anything? How do you get ready for the beach?