Bikini Island

I had the craziest dream… I was trying on swimsuits and I actually looked good wearing them!?! I remember in the dream I tried on three bikinis in black, white and orange. I looked slammin’ in all of them! That is a dream indeed!!! Even though my recent personal weight loss has me looking (and feeling) good, I am NOT ready to walk down the green mile to anything related to swimsuits. That means no swimsuit buying, trying or styling.

I totally looked like this…. in the dream. Love that Bar Rafaeli!!!

Friday is the official start of spring and many got the party started early by partaking in the annual college pilgrimage known as Spring Break. So, just throwing on that Ed Hardy bikini is not enough to be beach body ready. If the winter dull drums have left your skin dry, flaky and pale… just follow these simple tips:

Exfoliate: By using an exfoliating cream in the shower you can wash away all the old, dead skin. Look for exfoliators that also have AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids), BHA (beta hydroxy acids) or anything labeled ‘fruit acids’ to speed up the exfoliation process. Pay special attention to elbows, knees and feet.

Tanning: Self tanners are so much better than they were 10 or 20 years ago (do you remember ‘QT’? I do!) If you are worried about streaks, look for a tinted self tanner. The bronzey tint will give you immediate color and act as a guide to insure you have applied correctly. Pro Tip: Apply self tanner to just cleaned, towel dried skin for best results. Also, don’t forget to wash your hands (in between your fingers too)!!! My Top Pick is Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Creme. As the name implies, the is a yummy souffle that hydrates while it tans. And forget that icky smell associated with many self tanners. I swear, you will be tempted to eat this… but don’t.

Hair Removal: This can be a delicate topic, but there is nothing hot about unkept bikini area. Shaving is fast and painless, but can leave redness, rash or ingrown hairs. My recommendation is to head to the spa for a professional waxing treatment or try a DIY home hair removal device. The NO!NO! Hair Removal System works great on just about any area of the body and is totally pain free. NO!NO! uses heat wave technology to remove hair and lessen regrowth by up to 64%.

<<- NO!NO! On Sale for $175 @ your favorite Dillard’s Cosmetic Department

OPI’s South Beach Collection

Feet: All winter long your tootsies have been bundled up in Uggs. Since open toe-shoes are synonymous with springtime a spring pedicure is a must. If you are on a budget, do your very best (skip some Starbucks runs if you must!) to get a professional pedicure at the beginning of the season and do your own maintenance throughout the season. OPI’s South Beach Collection offers a wide range of plums, bronzes and corals that will give any feet Spring Fever. My top choice is: “Paint My Moji-toes Red”. When I got my much needed pedi last weekend, the entire salon was abuzz about that shade. OPI Nail color is pretty easy to find. If your nail tech doesn’t use OPI, you can find it at Trade Secret, Looks Unlimited in Fayetteville and Regis.