Mid-season body maintenance

March is such a weird time of year. For one thing, it’s March (where did January and February go? Did they even happen?), and for another, it’s that in-between season where the weather doesn’t really know what’s going on. So, how on earth are we supposed to know what we should be doing, body-wise? Basically, it’s about maintaining everything you achieved in summer, while preparing for winter. It’s a bit of a balancing act but hopefully the following dos and don'ts will help.

Keep topping up your tan. There are still going to be days when shorts, dresses and sleeveless tops are appropriate. But to cut down on effort, start using St Tropez Tan Enhancing Moisturiser to make your tan last longer, and if/when you decide to stop applying it, just be sure to give your body a good scrub so you’re not left with patches of colour.

bh recommends: Puretopia Glowingly Smooth Exfoliating Renewing Body Polish, La Mav Coffee Bean Body Scrub.

Stop wearing sunscreen as a last-ditch effort to get some colour before the sun disappears. Summer may be over, but doesn’t mean the sun won’t damage your skin. So keep slathering on the sun protection each and every time you head outside.

Start researching new recipes that include fruits and veggies that’ll soon be in season. And if you haven’t already, buy a soup stick. It’ll make blitzing homemade, healthy soups so much easier. You won’t be able to live on salads for much longer!

Fall into a hot food trap. Obviously, you’ll start craving the warmth of hearty winter foods as the weather gets chilly, but steer clear of fries, meat pies and cheese toasties. Think more along the lines of porridge, vegetable curries and frittatas.

Perfect your moisturising routine. During summer, we’re generally a lot better at remembering to put on lotion because our skin is on show. But as the cooler months roll around and we start piling on the layers, it’s easy to forget to lather up. So whether it’s moisturising after every shower, in the morning before getting dressed or when you watch TV at night, get into a routine and stick to it. Our advice? Treat yourself to a luxurious cream or body oil for motivation.

bh recommends: Sanctuary Spa 5 Day Moisture Creamy Body Oil, Crabtree & Evelyn Caribbean Island Wild Flowers Body Lotion and People for Plants sweet almond, white tea, macadamia Ultra Rich Body Cream.

Start increasing the temperature of your showers. It may be a tempting solution to warm yourself right up, but even though they feel amazing, hot showers can really dry out your skin. So, try to stay loyal to the lukewarm temperature you used in summer.

Keep at it. You can’t get away with gorilla legs hidden under pants right now. If you wax, though, you might only have to go through the process a couple more times before you can leave your hair to grow in all its glory.

bh recommends: Nad’s Body Wax Strips and Nair Salon Devine Sensitive Wax.

Start laser just yet. The cooler months are the perfect time to start laser sessions so you’re hair-free by next summer, but you need to make sure your skin hasn’t been exposed to the sun recently. So only kick off a laser hair removal program once your beach days are well and truly over.

Replace the incidental exercise (like swimming and walking along the beach) with other activities. To remain active as winter hits, arm yourself with exercises you can do indoors, like yoga, pilates, boxing and circuits.

Use the cooler weather as an excuse not to exercise. Summer bodies are made in winter, right? Not to mention exercising is exactly the kind of thing that’ll warm you up. Plus, there are plenty of activities you can do right in front of the heater.

How do you prepare your body for winter?

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