Imagine the perfect body; supple, smooth, tanned and well hydrated – and that’s just the skin. Here’s the lowdown on how to get a buff body for summer sizzle.

Tone and Firm

Your best-laid plans of visiting the gym every day went out the window, and suddenly you’ve got two weeks until beach-bound. Don’t panic. The latest products create an illusion of tone, while working long-term to assist in tightening and firming the area. As with exercise, it often takes around 4 weeks to see an improvement, but many products on the market will create an instant tightening, brightening effect that should boost confidence. Apply morning and night.

Toning/firming:

Best for bust: Mary Cohr New Youth Bust Gel
Best for collagen-building Vitamin C: Murad Vitamin C Body Firming Cream
Best for softening while firming: REN Laminaria Firming Body Gel
Best for intensive action: Phytomer BodyDelic Contouring Performance Serum 

Buff & hydrate

Scaly, parched skin is instantly ageing, and won’t hold any form of tan – real, or fake. Well moisturised, plumped up skin on the other hand screams health, looks fantastic and is the perfect canvas for fake tan. Your first step is to slough off dry and dead skin cells using an exfoliating body gel or cream. Some are designed to be used on damp skin, while others need a dry base, but for both you’ll need a shower. Rub in a circular motion, and pay attention to areas prone to the build up of dead or dry skin; elbows, knees, backs of the arms and the bottom. Apply 3 times a week or, if using a gentle scrub and require a speedy result, daily.

Exfoliating:

Best for toning: Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub 
Best for heavy duty: REN Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm
Best for everyday: Phytomer Exfoliating Shower Gel
Best for a silky sheen: Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Body Scrub

Moisturise

Your aim next is to seal as much moisture in the skin as you can. Start with a moisturising shower gel, such as REN Monoi Moisturing Body Rinse or Molton Brown Blissful Templetree Moisture Bath & Shower. To maximise the hydrating benefits then apply your chosen body moisturiser to damp skin and leave it to absorb.Apply once or twice daily. 

Moisturising:

Best for intense moisturising: REN Monoi & Shea Butter Body Balm
Best for double-duty: Gatineau’s Body Lotion with AHA multi-tasks as a super hydrator and an exfoliator, using AHAs to remove dead skin cells while skin drinks it up.
Best for subtle scent: Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion
Best for easy absorption: Phytomer hydrating Body Lotion 

Bronze and sheen

A little fake tan covers a multitude of bikini sins, slimming down legs and evening out patchy colour. The trick is to master the art of the home self tan before your big exposure day, so you know how the tan forms, where it catches and the colour to expect. See our Steps to the Perfect Fake Tan, for tips on easy application. For an even, realistic tan, we like Phytomer Bronze Instant Tanning Spray. For an evening out, a sheen gives tanned legs a sexy edge.  Massage with REN Nourishing Body Oil. 

Specifics 

The neck and bustSome body scrubs may be too rough for the delicate bust area, so opt for an exfoliator designed for the face instead, such as Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream. As the neck and chest are quick to display signs of ageing and gravity, arm yourself with a area-specific firming gel – we like Mary Cohr New Youth Bust gel and Gatineau Firming Throat Gel – and ensure the area is fully protected against collagen damaging UV rays. Try an anti-ageing sunblock like Phytomer’s OgenAge Anti-ageing Sun Cream Body SPF30. 

Legs

No one wants to hide their legs away in summer, so take action on problem areas now. If it’s spider veins that worry you, N.V. Perricone’s Anti Spider Vein Face Treatment can be used on legs and contains Alpha Lipoic Acid to slowly fade and reduce the appearance of capillaries. Cellulite may be like the common cold (no complete cure, but just as common), but catch it early enough with diet, exercise and beauty routine and you can win half the battle (see The Battle Against Cellulite). Try: Phytomer BodyDeclic Anti Cellulite Cream 

Hands

Often the first area to show signs of ageing, our hands get a battering all year-round due to their constant exposure. Protect them from the sun with a UV-protective cream, such as Molton Brown Naran Ji Soothing Hand Lotion SPF15. Combat already sustained sun damage in the form of dark pigment spots with Medik8 White Balance.