For me, summer throws up one of life’s little conundrums… On one hand, I want to look my best – with hemlines rising as quickly as the pile of invitations landing on my doormat, I can’t afford to scrimp on the beauty routine. But on the other hand, I really do have better things to be doing than primping and preening. I want to spend those valuable spare moments lazing in the garden or chatting to friends in a pub garden – I really don’t want to be holed up in the bathroom for hours on end…

So over the years, I have adopted a few beauty shortcuts during the summer months – and if you want to enjoy the season, I recommend heeding the advice, digging out your bikini and SPF, and heading to the garden, park, or party ahead of schedule…

NAILS
Invested in a manicure or pedicure? You can extend that perfectly-painted look for longer with an extra coat of top coat, applied three days after the initial treatment. It adds gloss and prevents chipping – so there’s no need to repaint later in the week. This obviously works for home manicures and pedicures too, so make sure you invest in a really good top coat. I love Clarins Glossy Top Coat, £10.61 – it dries quickly and gives a fabulous high-shine finish.

HAIR
Leave locks to dry naturally. If you are on holiday, allow the salt water to create loose, natural-looking waves. If you are at home, you can get the same effect with a spray bottle filled with a little salt water (simply mix water with a few pinches of salt – it’s as easy as that). Simply spritz over wet hair when you get out the shower, comb it through evenly, and leave it to dry. The boho look is big this season, so you’ll be working a trend whilst you save precious minutes.

SKIN
I always lighten my base in the summer months, going from a high-coverage foundation to a lightweight tinted moisturiser. I love the natural, glowing look it gives to skin, whilst still covering imperfections. The added benefit is that it saves time in the morning – and precious funds – as there’s only one product to apply, rather than two.  My favourite is Dior Hydra Life Pro-Youth Skin Tint SPF 20, £27.25, as it contains sun protection too, saving yet another application and purchase!

BODY
I’m not keen on skimpy clothes, but there’s no avoiding it when the thermometer starts to rise – so I try to keep skin in perfect condition with regular moisturising through the summer months, which can be a lengthy and fairly laborious process. When I discovered shower oils, therefore, I quickly fell head over heels. It takes seconds to smooth the silky oils over skin in the shower – and when I step out and dry off, my skin is already beautifully hydrated. Better still, it boasts a slight sheen, which looks especially good on shoulders, décolletage, and shin bones (the latter actually makes legs look longer). L’Occitane Almond Foaming Shower Gel, £15.03 is ideal.