In the name of my holiday prep I've been after a foolproof recipe for super smooth skin. It just ain't right to be lounging around the pool or beach with your stubbly pins on display, is it?! But let me tell you - achieving what ads and commercials call 'silky smooth' is hard, especially for a brunette with naturally coarse hair.

After a quick glimpse at my legs I wonder whether it is even possible to get anywhere close to the definition of 'smooth' at all. My skin, be it on my legs, in my armpits or on my face generally goes right against what I'd like it to do. Every. Single. Time. The more I prep, the angrier it gets. The most frequent signs of revolt are: flakiness, redness, irritation, rash-like spots, dryness, itchiness, ingrown hairs, blotches, tightness.

Quite often I end up with a combination of the above. On my face. 

Since my early twenties I have tried a fair amount of products though which has resulted in a collection of a handful of trusty products and techniques which cause minimal irritation to my skin even when I go at it with my usual take-no-prisoners approach. Here's my secret recipe - to be used a day or two before you venture out to the beach!  

 ⇢ Wash & scrub
Be it your face, your legs or your butt - if you want your skin to be #ohsosilky the first step will be exfoliation. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to use a loofah all over your face leaving it looking like one big red blotch. Use whatever exfoliator suits your skin type and your skin needs - the aim here is to get rid of any dead skin cells lying on the top layer of your skin. My travel favourite is the Cube Sparkling Lemon Sugar Scrub which I got in a Memebox a while back (you can read more here) because it's really refreshing and doesn't irritate my skin at all.

 ⇢ Hairlimination  
Smooth doesn't go with fluffy, fuzzy or furry. Or, God forbid - stubbly. The new range by Nair is infused with Argan Oil which helps fight any irritation that hair removal can cause, as well as it improves the texture (or smoothness if you like) of your skin. I'm especially loving their new range of products developed specifically for facial hair (read the tashe) such as the Ultra Precision Roll-On Wax which is so easy to use and doesn't leave that horrible sticky residue that some waxes leave, and the Face Wax Strips which come with this brand new feature of colour cue technology which helps you know when the wax is as its ideal temperature to use. Have you ever tried any of the Nair products? Tweet me your tips and experience with a hashtag #skinbynair!

 ⇢ Re-hydration
Another very important step that so very many of us tend to forget (or ignore even, naughty!). Although usually I'm a big believer in body butters and oils, lately I have been using 'on the go' hydrating products such as spritzes and re-hydrating sprays. I think they are not only perfect for hot days in the office but also for when you're off to the beach in summer! There's no easier way to cool your skin down than two spritzes of your favourite re-hydrating spray. And don't forget your feet, they tend to suffer like crazy in hot weather and need a little watering every now and then too! 

 ⇢ Protection
Apart from hydrating your skin as such, you must (emphasis on must!) use sun protection. Although it is very tempting to go sunscreen-less rationalizing it by 'I won't tan with SPF on', deep down you know that that's not the case. The reality is that despite your efforts for smooth silky skin, without sunscreen you will end up looking like an old dry plum! Yuck! Get that sunscreen out now kid and be generous, especially on those areas where your skin is extremely thin and sensitive - this includes your chest, ears, face, bikini lines and believe it or not - your feet! 

What's your secret recipe for smooth skin insummer?
Share your tips & tricks below!

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