The No-Exercise Guide To Getting Your Body Beach-Ready!

With the warmer weather finally here—and summer on the horizon—many of us are thinking about ways to get our bodies ready to hit the beach—or lounge by the pool. And while at Skincare.com we totally embrace the benefits of working out, we prefer to take a skin care approach to getting beach-ready. Below we’re sharing the ultimate No-Exercise-Required Guide to getting your body ready for some fun in the sun—SPF included, of course!

Post-winter skin can be a bit scary-looking—especially if you didn’t exfoliate during hibernation season. To help you get back on track—and achieve softer, smoother-looking skin—you might want to consider scheduling exfoliation. One of our favorite ways to slough off dry, dead skin cell buildup? Body scrubs! Body scrubs can help to gently exfoliate the surface of your skin to help you remove that buildup and prep your body for the moisture it needs.

After you exfoliate you’ll want to replenish your skin with some much-needed moisture. The winter months are notorious for low humidity (both outdoors and in) so your skin from head to toe may be feeling and looking parched. Reach for a creamy body butter formulated with lots of hydrating ingredients and use it after exfoliation and after you hop out of the shower.

If you don’t already have a self-tanning product that you love, spring is the perfect time to find it—especially since the cooler weather permits us to hide our mishaps under a pair of jeans or leggings. To find the best self-tanner for you, start by asking yourself what kind of coverage you are looking for. Do you want something that is temporary and can be washed off? Or, how about something that offers a more gradual tan? The good thing about self-tanners is that there are many different ones available to choose from—so, you are bound to find the perfect product to achieve  the faux glow of your dreams. If you need help getting started, we discuss the different types of self-tanners, here.

(If you make a self-tanning mistake, don’t worry…just read this!)

While you may already have a sunscreen that you wear year-round—or, at least we hope you do—chances are, you keep a stockpile in your beach bag, too. Before it comes time to coat yourself from head-to-toe with sunscreen, take a look at your collection and toss out any bottles that have expired, are empty (good for you!), and so-on. If you’re left with product that won’t last you through next week, let alone all of summer, make a trip to the drugstore to restock. Need help getting started? We share one of our favorite drugstore sunscreens, here.

After hiding out in wool socks all winter, we’re willing to bet your toes (and soles) can use a little clean up. So, as sandal weather approaches, you may want to consider scheduling a pedicure appointment. Better yet, give yourself an at-home pedicure with our step-by-step guide, here.

You don’t need the beach to reap the beauty benefits of the ocean! From salt scrubs to bath soaks, there are endless beauty products on the market that were made with the ocean in mind. One of our favorites? The Body Shop’s Spa of the World Dead Sea Salt Scrub. Formulated with sea salt from the Dead Sea and a blend of plant oils to buff away dry skin, this aromatic body scrub can leave your skin looking and feeling ultra soft, smooth, and supple.

Want more ocean-inspired skin care products? We share some of our favorites, here.