Five Ways to Improve Your Legs:

There's nothing quite like the thought of wearing a bikini or summer dress to shock us into a little primping and preening. After months of wearing tights and skinny jeans and a winter spent neglecting the body butter you might not feel confident baring your legs in public just yet. But help is at hand with these simple steps.

Combat Cellulite:
Help promote circulation and reduce the appearance of dimples around your thighs with a quick DIY coffee scrub. Don't throw away the ground coffee after making your morning cuppa. Instead, let it cool and combine it with olive oil to make an effective scrub. Massage it into the thighs to help remove dead skin cells and improve the appearance of cellulite. The caffeine in the coffee will dilate blood vessels, which will temporarily tone and tighten tissue. It will also increase circulation and reduce water retention.

Body Brush:
Fluid retention, caused by too much salt in our diet and poor metabolism can make our tissues puffy. Combat the problem with simple massage and body brushing. Try daily body brushing with a natural bristle body brush. Work towards the lymph nodes in the back of the knees and groin with your body brush (or hand) to help reduce fluid and remove toxins.

Gradual Tan:
Deeply bronzed legs can look unnatural at the start of summer so use a gradual tanning product, to gently build up some colour. Tanned legs instantly look slimmer. Use a gradual tanner every other day to maintain a subtle golden glow. I recommend Sienna X Gradual Glowing Self Tan. It's super-hydrating and has a light fruity scent. Don't forget to slather on a thick moisturiser each night after bathing or showering to keep your legs soft and hydrated. Most false tanning products don't contain SPF so remember to apply it separately if you're stepping out in the sun. Burnt, peeling legs are not only unsightly, but they're painful too.

De-Fuzz:
Get smooth legs and de-fuzz. Prefer to shave? Use a shaving cream or gel, which primes the skin to help avoid cuts. Always shave at the end of your shower, when your skin is soft to avoid irritation. Can't remember to the last time you changed your razor blade? It's probably due to be changed! Blunt blades won't give you a super-close shave.

Exercise:
While lotions and products will improve the appearance of the skin, they won't do much for the muscle and tone of your legs. Small bursts of regular exercise can do a lot to change the shape of your body. Start running, walking or doing simple exercises like leg-lifts to help improve muscle tone.