June…..
What a fabulous start to one of the best months of the year! The Jubilee celebrations, with extra days off, have put us all in a fabulous frame of mind and June is such a beautiful month in Britain with so very many things to look forward to;
v The longest day.
v Tennis.
v Strawberries and cream!
v Pimms.
v Rosé (oops there’s a theme occurring here!)
v Sunshine (?)
v Lots of Weddings.
v Beaches……….
However, the thought of looming holidays and days at the beach can send a great many of us into a terrifying spin of whizzing to the gym ‘9’ days a week to catch up on our missing gym sessions, eating copious amounts of salad and generally acting a little nutty, in a bid to and get ‘THAT’ beach body!
We all feel too pale, too hairy and a little wobbly but we are all human and it is worth remembering that the human body is a remarkable and beautiful thing and a joy in good health! We all come in different shapes and sizes and the summer should not make us nervous.
However, there are a couple of things that we can look after, just to help us feel just that bit more confident.
1. Dealing with Body Hair.
Every woman’s pet hate and bane of their life but now also a large proportion of men’s too. I have lost count of the horror stories told to me about peoples waxing experiences. Bruising, burns, torn skin (yes) and general agony! Well nowadays waxing does not need to be painful and it is a great way to be hair free for weeks so, here a few helpful tips to get you fuzz free;
- GO TO A PROFESSIONAL!! This is not something that should be done at home as this is where I hear most of my horror stories. Check your chosen establishment specialises in waxing and check they use both HOT and STRIP wax. There are many specialist places now and lots that cater just for men too.
- Try not to be afraid. There is no getting away from the fact that is smarts a little but with an expert, that really is all you should feel.
- Check that your Specialist uses HOT wax for the following areas; Lip, chin, eyebrows and underarms and intimate areas. These areas are very delicate and hot wax will reduce pain, redness and give much better results. Strip wax is usually used for larger, flat areas but you can request hot wax, especially guys, for back and chest, to reduce discomfort but it is more expensive.
- Ensure that you have left your hair to grow to the appropriate length and is not too short. Chat to the Specialist when booking and they will let you know the best length for your body part of choice. Also check with them to see if there is any pre-care needed.
- Book your waxing a few days before your event and exfoliate well before hand.
- And lastly, try not to be embarrassed. For most waxers it is pretty much a vocation and they love it. Waxing bars do this all day every day and it really is an art form. Trust them; they will take good care of you.
2. Tanning
A little golden glow makes us all feel soooo much better about exposing some flesh but today it is very confusing and difficult to know where to start when you just want a bit of colour and let’s face it, fake tanning terrifies us!!! Here’s a few helpful tips;
- Please don’t be fooled into thinking a few sunbeds will ‘prepare you for the sun’ and prevent you burning, it won’t. It really is only damaging your skin and I can guarantee the colour will last no longer than a good spray tan. Really!
- A professional spray tan is quick, easy, relatively inexpensive and gives fantastic results. Do your research though and ask friends for recommendations of local establishments that produce a good tan with a natural colour.
- When you arrive for your tan, talk to your tanning specialist about the sort of look you are after, as most professional tans come in different shades. They can help choose the correct percentage of DHA (the tanning agent) for your skin tone.
- Self-tans at home are so much easier to use than ever before but the best ones are those in the form of a spray mist and not a white cream. After exfoliating, lightly mist all over and gently move over the skin with a tanning mit. Choose a tan with a guide colour so you can see where you have been and look out for white bits! Leaving those is what will give you streaks.
- There are many paraben, chemical and alcohol free tanning products on the market and these will deliver the best results, without drying out your skin as some can.
- Lastly, if all of the above leave you terrified that you will look ‘Tangoed’ then go for an everyday, gradual moisturiser and build your colour slowly.
Hopefully, these little things can boost our confidence but GUYS, please, please pop on your SPF’s (yes you are worse that the girls) and ladies remember the lobster look is not a good one and for all of you, a tan may look good now but it only translates into lots more wrinkles later on (and it’s not that far away either!)
One last thing though….if you want to look a lot younger on the beach……. then you could try this…..
In Iceland, folklore says that if you bathe naked in the morning dew on the morning of June 24, you are supposed to keep aging at bay for longer.
Happy June…..
Your Comments