Heat tends to dry out our skin, and while it’s always nice to roast in the sun, the after effects can be pretty damaging. That’s why as we near summer, I amp up my exfoliation regimens for both my skin and face — and notice the amazing benefits while doing so!

A day at the pool can make skin feel dried out. Scrub time!

Just yesterday, I spent two hours at the pool (with my sunscreen, of course) and definitely got my fair share of Vitamin D. My skin had that crispy summery feeling that feels great at the time, but not so much later on at night. However, after showering in a cool shower and exfoliating with two different scrubs (one for face and one for body) my skin was soft, buttery smooth, and best of all, I think it even brought out my tan! Not only this, but dried up dead skin that comes along with this time of year’s heat is known to clog up bores causing break outs, so by scrubbing clean, zits get the boot.

Lets be honest, though. I’ve definitely left out the immediate exfoliation process, and if you do, no worries, it’s reversible.

Last spring break I got a little too much sun in Florida and ended up peeling on my forehead (NOTE: Not a good look). Thankfully, my friend introduced me to a more harsh skin scrub that she uses for just this occasion. It burned a little but felt refreshing, and that horrible peeling skin was washed away leaving room for healing and moisturization. This, plus my regular day-to-day scrubs mentioned above, makes the perfect trilogy of summer scrubs for keeping your skin perfect.

For Body: Sumbody- Sex on the Beach Sugar Scrub $19

I’ve mentioned Sumbody before as one of my favorite all natural skin care lines. Made with pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, shea butter, vodka, peaches, pineapple, cranberry and more, the scrub is great for legs, arms, stomach and chest. It leaves your body amazingly soft as the sweet cane sugar naturally moisturizes. It also comes in a variety of scents, and I just happen to love the sweetness of the Sex on the Beach!

For Face (Everyday): Kiehl’s Ultra Moisturizing Buffing Cream with Scrub Particles $16

The formula of natural oils, moisturizers and scrub particles comes in a tub of whipped up creamy cleanser. It’s gentle enough for a day-to-day exfoliation, although I only find it necessary every other day.

For Face (Every once in a while): Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains For Face- $42

This is what I used after my sunburn and the sand grains instantly made my skin smoother and ready for repair. The secret is Japenese Adzuki Bean Powder (sounds fancy, huh?) to target the rough dry areas of the skin. The grains are loose like sand, and work best when mixed in with a cream cleanser and applied almost like a mask/scrub combination. They’re expensive but they do the trick and because you only need them every once in a while, they last forever.

So there you have it — my trilogy of skincare success!

Photos: Pool - Sofia Henriques; Sumbody; Kiehl's, Bobbi Brown