STEP into spring with super revitalised skin. We review the treatments and products that will leave you re-born for the new season.

By Lisa Haynes

THE clocks are going forward, shops are crammed with flimsy summer clothes and you're counting the weeks until picnics in the park and festival fever.

Spring is just about here but there's just one problem ... though our heads are ready to embrace the sunshine months, our bodies are anything but.

Unsightly desert dryness and snake-like scaly skin are tell-tale signs that the harsh winter months have taken their toll on our bods. Unfortunately, we can't hide behind a mask of thick foundation or disguise our lacklustre legs in woolly opaques all year round.

But with winter climes still featuring on the forecasts, this transitional time of year is a great period for sorting out your skin for all those floaty frocks and "get glowing" on beauty routines.

AWAKEN

Stash away the relaxing bubble baths and reserve them for pampering weekends or evening treats. When it comes to mornings, give your skin a blast with a revitalising shower.

Resist piping hot showers or baths, however, which can irritate dry skin further. Instead, shake off those skin winter blues with a "contrast shower". Switching from hot to cold water can boost the circulation - but be careful with that thermostat.

Charlotte Vohtz, author of Naturally Gorgeous explains: "A contrast shower promotes detoxification and strengthens the immune system. It also helps to bring nutrients and oxygen to damaged and stressed tissues and carries away metabolic waste, inflammatory by-products and other toxic substances.

"Start with two to three minutes of hot, but not scalding, water followed by less than one minute of cold water and repeat once."

TRY: Tesco Wake Up shower gels, 98p each, Korres Guarana Exfoliating Body Soap, £5 (www.korres.com), Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Wash, £17.50 (www.aromatherapyassociates.com), Neom Everyday Soften and Energise Organic Body Wash, £16 (www.neomorganics.com), Energys Energising Body Splash, £26.40 (www.hqhair.com).

RENEW

Now you've given your skin a wake-up call, it's time to invigorate and rejuvenate those sleepy skin cells. Exfoliation is your spring skin saviour, so make sure you find time to work it into your skincare routine.

"Body scrubs regenerate your skin, help boost circulation, remove dead skin cells and open pores, allowing them to breathe," Charlotte says.

"Start with a body brush then take a bath or shower so you are wet all over," she advises.

"Apply exfoliant scrub to a wash cloth (for mild exfoliation) or loofah (more extensive exfoliation). Massage the exfoliator lightly but firmly on to your body until a rosy glow appears. The massage action improves circulation, breaking up fatty deposits that can cause cellulite."

As exfoliation strips some of the skin's surface oils, look for an oil-based sugar scrub if you suffer from dry skin and then massage body oil into damp skin.

TRY: Philosophy Grace Hot Salt Tub and Shower Scrub, £24 (0870 9908452), Green People Shea Butter Sensuous Sugar Scrub, £17.50 (www.greenpeople.co.uk), Comfort Zone Fruity Peel Body Scrub, £26.50 (01827 280 080/www.comfortzone.it), Origins Modern Friction for the Body, £25 (www.origins.com), Bliss Carrot+Sesame Body Buff, £32 (www.blisslondon.co.uk).

GLOW

Getting a gorgeous radiant glow is your spring goal following an angelic few weeks of pepping up your skincare routine.

"Remember to moisturise," says Anita Vukomancic, holistic cosmetologist at London's Inhale clinic.

"Long, cold bouts of weather can be tough on our skin as moisture levels drop to an all-time low, sometimes even below 30 per cent," she explains.

Moisturising straight after your daily shower is a great way to do it, if you're guilty of forgetting.

Anita says: "Use a fragrance-free body moisturiser all over as soon as you step out of the bath or shower whilst your skin is still damp. This will trap excess moisture and also means product will spread more easily over your body."

For a dreamy moisture kick, treat your skin once a week by slathering moisturiser over hands and feet and sleeping in cotton socks and gloves.

TRY: Sainsburys Active Naturals Mango and Nectarine Body Butter, £3.99, Norwegian Formula Nourishing Glow Body Moisturiser, £4.99 (0845 601 5789), Aveeno Skin Relief Body Lotion, £4.95 (0845 601 5791), Elemis Pro-Collagen Radiantly Smooth Body Cream, £85 (www.timetospa.co.uk), Charles Jordi Organic Gunge, £16.95 (0845 260 8005/www.charles-jordi.com).

BEAUTY SPOT 1

Want to spruce up your hair for spring? Lather up with Herbal Essences, who are offering customers a free haircut and blow dry with every bottle brought from the range. There's also the chance for 10 lucky ladies to have their locks transformed with hairdresser-to-the-stars, Ben Cooke. To claim your free haircut, buy a bottle of Herbal Essences, priced from £1.75, and head for the Herbal Essences website at www.herbal-essences.co.uk/freehaircut for further information.

BEAUTY SPOT 2

If you fancy a spring fragrance to match the new season, spritz on one of Floris' fresh scents. Choose from the light floral aromas of Seringa, Lily of the Valley or Fleur. To maximum your spring fragrance potential, layer up with the range of perfumes, bath essences, body creams, and dusting powder. For stockists and mail order call 0845 7023239 or visit www.florislondon.com

BEAUTY SPOT 3

Lighten up your make-up routine for spring. Ditch the heavy foundation and try Prescriptives new Custom Blend Tinted Moisturizer, £38 (62 Euros). Design a product that's right for your complexion by choosing the base that's best suited to your skin type and selecting your perfect shade. You even have the option of customising your finish with special additives for extra luminosity. In less than 20 minutes, you can create your very own Custom Blend Tinted Moisturizer that's as individual as you are. Available on Prescriptives counters nationwide. For stockists call 0870 034 2566.