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I don’t know about life on your side of the screen, but here in Germany it feels like summer came early.
That might be because winter really seemed to drag on this year, with snow right up until March, but the overnight arrival of sun and 24 °C took me by surprise.
All of a sudden wearing tights to the office became unbearable, my denim shorts were relocated to the top shelf and I had to deal with the fact that pale might look beautiful on faces, but definitely doesn’t suit my legs.
See, I envy those that can keep up with tanning year round, but for me it will always be strictly reserved for summer. Which is why I have a tried and tested routine to achieve smooth and tan summer legs as quickly as possible!
I´ll show you the whole process in the video below, even throw in a close up of my hairy leg (you have been warned!), but for convenience I will talk you through the steps again underneath.
Dry Brushing
I started it in my first pregnancy, mainly because I had read it might help preventing stretch marks, and haven’t stopped ever since. Now I know very well that stretch marks are genetic and dry brushing can’t prevent them (read more about stretch mark prevention here), but it has so many other benefits (read here) that it now has a firm place in my body care routine.
My favorite tool is the The Mio Body Brush which combines natural bristles with synthetic massage nods and fits perfect into my hand. Once a week is enough to prevent ingrown hair and keep my skin exfoliated.
(More info: Keratosis Pilaris or Strawberry legs – what to do about them)
Hair removal
I have tried everything: shaving, waxing, sugaring, even at home IPL (read here), but in the end I always return to epilating for my legs. It is quick, it keeps me hair free for up to two weeks, I can do it from the comfort of my own home and after a short time of getting used to it is is basically pain free.
My tool of choice is the Braun Silk Epil 7 which I have been using for more than four years now and is still going strong.
Moisturize
While my face is combination oily, the skin on my body is dry as the Sahara desert. It might be genetic, it might be because I cannot seem to stop having long, hot showers, but I just can´t get away without moisturizing my body. In the winter time the Shea Body Butter by The Body Shop is what I reach for the most, but for summer time I recently discovered the Sephora Whipped cream body moisturizer in Watermelon. Fresh, non sticky, but hydrating enough for scaly shins!
Fake tan
Until five years ago, I never ever bothered with tanning. But two pregnancies and a lot of varicose veins richer, I want some color on my lower half.
If I (like every year) am surprised by the sudden increase in temperature and need a quick fix, the Guerlain Terracotta Sunless Heavenly Bronzing Mist comes into play. A spray on tan that smells deliciously when applied, it claims to have a “gradual made-to-measure tan”, but on me gives the desired color with one application. There is no guidance color though, so make sure to be very careful when distributing it, otherwise you might end up with darker streaks.
For maintenance, or when I know I need to have tan legs in about a weeks time, my preferred way is by applying the St. Tropez Gradual Tan Classic*. Applied daily it builds a natural, glowing tan, applied every two or three days it is perfect to keep the tan you already have on looking flawless over the course of the summer. Again, no guidance color, but as the effects after one application are so subtle it is almost impossible to mess up.
