A Boot Camp-Inspired Skin Care Routine

With spring just around the corner and the hot summer weather trailing behind it, many of us are getting our behinds in gear and spending a little extra time at the gym. But, for those of us who prefer to get our sweat on in a sauna rather than a spin class—this gal’s hand is raised…high—there are still ways to be inspired by everyone else’s newfound love of working out. At Skincare.com we naturally try to put a skin care spin on nearly everything, including getting our bodies in gear for beach season. So while everyone else is focused on their summer bodies, we’re focused on kicking our skin care routine up a notch and have developed a boot camp-inspired skin care routine to do just that! Interested in getting your skin ready for the warmer weather ahead? Keep reading!

Cleanse…Better

If you don’t already use a Clarisonic cleansing brush now is the time to start! The brushes can cleanse your skin up to six times better than hands alone and can be paired with your favorite face washes—essentially elevating your current skin care routine in one simple step. There are many brushes you can choose from but we love the Mia FIT, a compact Clarisonic that fits right in the palm of your hand. Plus, what’s more fitness inspired than a name like Mia FIT?!

Commit to a Challenge

The cold winter weather is notorious for causing our skin from head to toe to become dehydrated and dry. When skin is dry, dead skin cells can build up on the skin’s surface, causing it to become dull-looking and lackluster. If this is the state of your complexion you may want to commit to a skin care challenge that can help to restore that radiance before the warmer weather rolls around. Lancôme has developed just that with its new Visionnaire Crescendo. The 28-night peel offers a Skin Intensity Interval Training program split into two phases. The first phase of the program is formulated with alpha-hydroxy acids—derived from fruit acids—and quinoa husk to help surface cell renewal and gently exfoliate the skin’s surface. After 14 nights you’ll move onto phase two. The second phase is formulated with a powerful blend of salicylic acid and glycolic acid to help to even the complexion and smooth the skin’s surface. Interested to know how well this 28-night challenge works? One of our editors took the challenge for a test run and you can read her review of Visionnaire Crescendo here! (Spoiler alert: it was infinitely more fun than a 28-day squat challenge you’ll do at the gym!)

Scrub Down

While Visionnaire Crescendo works to reveal a radiant complexion and remove dead skin cell buildup lingering on your face, you’ll want to reach for a body scrub to help slough away that buildup on the skin below your chin. Once a week reach for a body scrub like Kiehl’s Gentle Exfoliating Body Scrubs. Available in three luxurious scents—lavender, grapefruit, and coriander—the scrubs are formulated with exfoliation particles including apricot seed particles and skin-enriching emollients like aloe vera and chamomile to help gently exfoliate the skin’s surface without over-drying. We share a full review of Kiehl’s Body Scrubs here!

Massage (With Moisturizer)

After sloughing away that dead skin cell buildup you’ll want to replenish your skin with the moisture it’s been lacking all winter long. Give your skin a little workout by massaging your moisturizer of choice onto your skin like an esthetician would at the spa. To help you find the best facial moisturizer for your skin type we tapped L’Oréal Paris’ celebrity makeup artist Sir John. He shares his top picks for every skin type here!

For your body, reach for a milky yet lightweight moisturizer that will help to leave your skin feeling silky and smooth—and ready for those shorter hemlines. We like Vichy Ideal Body Serum-Milk. Its lightweight fast-absorbing formula features hyaluronic acid—the humectant that can attract and hold up to 1000 times its weight in water—micro-exfoliating LHA, and 10 essential oils including jojoba, sunflower, rose hip, and apricot kernel. Best of all it has a non-sticky, non-greasy finish so you can get dressed right after applying it.

Get Serious About Sun Protection

While we all know we should be wearing broad-spectrum SPF each and every day of the year, many of us aren’t as diligent as we should be during the winter. Thankfully it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf and practice sun safe skin care. As the warmer weather approaches never leave home without a broad-spectrum sunscreen to apply to all exposed areas of skin. You’ll want to apply it as the final step in your morning skin care routine and then again throughout the day—at least every two hours when you’re spending time in sunlight (and yes, sitting by a window counts!).

By following these tips your skin will be ready—and radiant—for the warmer weather ahead!