Don’t you just love this time of year? My winter wardrobe is neatly tucked away, the evenings are getting longer and my summer dresses are seeing daylight again after a long winter under my bed.
It’s fair to say lockdown has made us all feel a little weary, and for me not looking my best. Too much chocolate for one, not enough exercise and oh, did I mention the wine?
However, summer is officially here. What better time for us to get our bodies looking their best and become a glowing summer goddess? So where do we start?
We always start with our skin maintenance. First things first, ladies – exfoliation. A good body scrub will get rid of any dead skin and remove any skin impurities. In general, sugar scrubs are softer and milder than salt scrubs. To apply, pop a dollop of scrub onto damp skin in the shower, buffing in a circular motion from your chest down to your feet then rinse.
I like to use a scrub once or twice a week. For an affordable quality scrub, I recommend Dove’s Exfoliating Body Scrub. Its smells divine due to it containing crushed macadamia and rice milk. It retails at €6, which is really excellent value for money.
Now, if you want to treat yourself, a little Jo Malone always does the trick! You should really check out their Lime, Basil and Mandarin Exfoliating Shower Gel.
This is by far one of the most luxurious exfoliators on the market. It contains soft jojoba beads and bamboo stem, which helps softly smooth dryness away. Its smell reminds me of exotic summer evenings. Currently retailing at €33 for 200ml, it really is top of the range on luxury, smell and packaging.
So now that our skin is nicely exfoliated, free of dead skin and looking great, it’s time to moisturise. I love my body lotions and I’m nearly embarrassed with how many I have (let’s just say over 20!). Simply put they retain moisture and help our skin glow, as well as helping with antiaging and wrinkles.
I’m a big fan of scented body lotions especially in the summertime and my current favourite is from Rituals and is called ‘The Ritual of Ayurveda’ Body Cream. It contains Indian rose and Himalaya honey and its aroma has lovely calming properties. It has a thick consistency and leaves the skin unbelievably smooth. The packing is beautiful and it comes in a stunning jar (price €18.50, 220ml). Ritual stores are found in most Portuguese shopping centres and their range is just amazing.
For those like me who don’t tan easily and are a little cautious of too much sun, I would highly recommend Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived. I use this about three times a week as it has a gradual tanner, giving a soft golden-bronzed glow. It comes in two shades depending on your skin colour. This is a must in my beauty regime, so I would highly recommend it. A great price too (€7.99, 200ml).
Now that we have exfoliated and moisturised within an inch of our life, it’s time to get our goddess glow on! With proper application, highlighted skin can give the effect of longer slimmer limbs and make the skin look super healthy and more youthful. It’s perfect for those summer evenings out.
As a bridal makeup artist, I love bridal skin that is dewy and glowing. It looks amazing in photos especially around the décolletage area. I love Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body Highlighter. It contains wild pansy extract, rosehip oil as well as hyaluronic acid and aloe vera extract. It doesn’t budge in the heat and looks so pretty on the skin. It comes in a 60ml tube and retails at €52; a little pricier but well worth it for quality and durability.
I’m also a big lover of Makeup Revolution Glow Molten Body Liquid Illuminator (€15.99 for 100ml), which is available in three lovely shades. I love that this brand is vegan and cruelty-free too.
So now you’re a fully-fledged golden glow goddess, get your glad rags on, have fun and enjoy this summer sunshine!
By Sharon Phillips
|| features@algarveresident.com
Sharon Phillips is a well-known, fully qualified makeup artist from Ireland. She has been working in the makeup industry in Portugal for nearly a decade and specialises in bridal makeup, editorial photoshoots and film and television. Her passion is helping women feel and look fabulous through makeup.
www.makeupalgarve.com
