Emma-Jane North

EMMA-Jane North, director of leisure at the Lifehouse Spa in Thorpe-le-Soken, shares the three vital S’s which make for a successful summer...

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Summer to me is full of the promise of long sunny days, holidays and family parties.

After shrugging off our winter coat, and reaping the delights of spring we welcome the longer days that make us feel we have more life after a hard day at work and more time with our families.

At the Lifehouse Spa our attention is drawn to preparing for the summer exposure of the face and body and helping boost mood and confidence to get out there and enjoy the warmth and the sun.

There are three S’s I would like to share:

1) Scented summer:-

I find myself reflecting on an early childhood memory, my very glamorous mother always looked after her skin and had a huge array of beautiful lotions and potions on her dressing table.

One very strong memory of summer was when she changed her perfume to a more floral light and yet colourful scent from the woody notes of autumn winter.

This is a wonderful way to enhance the mood and re-invent yourself, for summer perfume not only affects our own mood but the mood of those around us.

If you don’t like perfume then try a delicious Organic candle like Neom’s Inspiration to fill your home with the scents of summer.

2) Sunshine smile:-

Smile when the sun shines, smile when it rains, smile when the clouds are grey and when it lifts again.

You will find you’re smiling all the time and it is infectious as you always look like you are having a great time and people will wonder what you are on - and can they get some!

A huge bonus about smiling is the amount of facial muscles it engages and therefore can help delay the ageing process - not quite as well as Botox or Doctor Babor’s Collagen Booster cream but every little bit helps.

3) Safe sun:

I love the sun, the warmth and the way it unwraps the delicious scents in the garden. Personally I can’t lie out in it as I get restless, so I use a Tan in a Can express tanning mist from Sienna X, but religiously exfoliate and hydrate my skin.

Pre-sun exposure - exfoliate and cleanse, use wonderful scrub products like Sienna X Body polish or Babor’s Baborganics refining body salt oil peeling or you can try a home made recipe or salt granules mixed with olive oil use it sparingly and use a body puff with foamed shower gel to remove before getting wet. Remember, please don’t use this on your feet it makes them slippery - just use the salt.

The only downside is that salt stings if it gets in any small cuts so be skin aware and use a cream exfoliator if in any doubt.

After scrubbing use a hydrating body moisturizer to prepare the skin.

During sun exposure practice Safe Sun using a factor 15 or higher and this will ensure whatever colour you get, you keep it longer and only get benefits from your tan and no sore bits.

Post-sun you must hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - drink water and moisturize daily.

Enjoy the summer and make the most of those long days!

- You can visit the Lifehouse Spa website at http://www.lifehouse.co.uk or by following the link at the top right of this story.