Keeping clean

While we might make a point of following the cleanse, tone and moisturise routine on your face, many people give just token skin care to the rest of the body. A quick scrub during the daily bath or shower is thought sufficient. But for perfect skin all over the body a little more thought is required.

Cleaners

If you use soap, make sure it’s a moisturising one if you have dry or sensitive skin. Alternatively use a body wash – these generally have less drying effects than soap. Always rinse well – if you do this in the shower you’ll benefit from the invigorating jets of water as well. Using cooler water to rinse has the advantage of improving circulation and making you feel more awake and refreshed.

Exfoliation

Getting rid of dry and flaky skin by rubbing gently improves your skin tone and although there are masses of products on the market dedicated to this, don’t forget that the humble face flannel or sponge – scrupulously clean of course – also acts as an exfoliant.

Just as with the face, people with dry or sensitive skins should exfoliate two or three times a week while those with more oily skins should so do once a week for maximum benefit.

For those who’d like to try a well-known health spa treatment, rub cooking salt all over your damp body then shower off. You might get your partner’s help and then give him or her the treatment too. The salt leaves your skin feeling tingly fresh and super smooth.

Dry skin

Massage moisturising cream all over your body paying particular attention to dry areas. These areas are often on non-fleshy parts of the body like the shins, elbows and knees.

For top life-style tips to improve your skin tone see Face first.

Cellulite

It’s either a myth or the curse of today’s female population. While some might dispute its existence as a separate condition from just plain fat, there’s no doubt that a vast number of women suffer from cellulite – that ‘dimpling’ or ‘orange peel skin’ found usually on hips, thighs and buttocks but sometimes on our upper arms as well. Many experts believe that it’s probably caused by increased levels of the hormone oestrogen that leads to fluid retention between the fat cells. This often happens during pregnancy. Whatever its cause – cellulite is perceived as ageing and unattractive which makes it a prime target for the beauty industry.

All sorts of claims are made about cellulite and how to get rid of it. Particular creams as well as capsules taken internally have all claimed to ‘cure’ cellulite but few, if any, of these results have been clinically proven. In fact in recent tests of one cellulite cream and one electrical treatment carried out in Bradford cosmetic clinics, neither produced much improvement in the women treated for cellulite.

Preventing and improving cellulite

• Simple lifestyle changes can make an enormous difference to your appearance and how you feel about your body:
• Drink plenty of water – about two litres sipped throughout the day, not gulped down in a few sessions.
• Have a balanced diet including plenty of fresh fruit and veg, dairy produce, protein and starchy foods like cereal or bread.
• Eat oily fish.
• Watch your posture – stand and sit up straight to improve the flow of air to the lungs and allow blood to circulate more freely. Do not cross your legs.
• Take regular exercise. A daily, 30-minute walk will help reduce fat and improves circulation.
• Try massage to tone the whole body and improve lymphatic drainage – toxins will be eliminated from your system more rapidly and effectively.

Pamper yourself

A professional massage is a real luxury but you can achieve some of the effects at home. Self-massage is tricky especially in the cellulite areas so you might like to ask a partner or close friend to use fast ‘hacking’ movements over the buttocks and thighs. These shouldn’t hurt as they’re performed with the side of the hands, making upwards bouncy movements.

For a gentle massage and to stimulate blood flow try using a body brush. Set aside a few minute before your bath or shower and using long sweeping movements and firm but not hard pressure brush:

• From the tips of the fingers and up the arms  
• Down the neck, across the shoulders and down the breasts
• Down the back and tummy
• From the toes up the front and back of legs and over the buttocks.

After bathing or showering, massage in a moisturising cream. Remember that your body will respond to caring treatment and healthy lifestyle changes but it will take time.
Home treatment

The effects of cellulite can be minimised by taking a hot bath containing four cups of Epsom Salts just before going to bed. Relax in the water for about half an hour then rinse off and dry.