The Vanity Table: Summer Skin Care Essentials

Summer Skin Care Essentials by Belle-Noir on Polyvore.com

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Step 1: Exfoliate: It's so very important to exfoliate your skin. Your body sheds skin cells at an amazing rate every minute of every day. If you don't get rid of them, they'll just sitting on your skin making you look dull and dry. We love Carol's Daughter Sea Salt Body Scrub in Mange Melange ($28.00; carolsdaughter.com).

Step 2: Shave: Who wears short shorts? You do, when you keep your legs silky smooth! Find a good razor that won't cause razor burn and save the $1.00 store shave creams for the men in your life. Ladies, a shave lotion is much better for your skin as it will hydrate and help ward off nicks and cuts. If you are looking for a treat, check out Kiehl's "Simply Mahvelous Legs" Shave Cream ($15.50; kiehls.com).

Step 3: Hydrate: Thick Body Butters can be too much for the heat of the summer. After a refreshing showing, check out a mositurizing body oil that can be used straight out of the shower and will help lock in all of the moisture from your shower. Carol's Daughter Body & Bath Oil in Mango Melange will keep your skin moisturized and smelling sweet ($14.00; carolsdaughter.com).

Step 4: Summer Glow: Yes, even brown skinned Belles can get a deep bronze hue this summer. For added tanning with spf built in, check out Gelee de Soleil from Carol's Daughter ($16.00; carolsdaughter.com). With SPF 15 to fight UVA and UVB rays, this browning oil also has mourishing palm kernel oil and shea butter.

Step 5: Feet: Keep your feet sexy and smooth between pedicures this summer with two important items: the PedEgg to scrape away dry skin, and a peppermint lotion to soothe and revitalize tired, achy feet.

Step 6: Summer Polish: Buy a bold new polish for your toes. Toe nails can be painted a much bolder color than you would usually put on your fingernails. Pick out something that screams summer. Polish tends to stay on your toes much longer than your hands because you don't abuse your toe nails like you do your finger nails. We are crazy about Zoya's Nail Polish in Paz, a bright orange cream polish from their La-Di-Da Summer 2009 Collection and Tallulah, a bright metallic blue from their Ooh-La-La Summer 2009 Collection ($6.00 each; Zoya.com).

Step 7: New Sunscreen: Sunscreen does not last forever. Toss out last year's bottle and grab a new bottle with an SPF of at least 15. We love the sweet coconut scent and staying power of Hawaiian Tropics Sheer Touch Sunscreen SPF 50 ($10.99; Walgreens.com)