Beauty Health Fitness Beauties ...

- Beauty

Looking hot means playing it cool. The bare necessities: a skin-care regimen that gives you a sensuous allover glow; arresting makeup in saucy sun-kissed hues; touchable, fuss-free hair; and a tantalizing fragrance that captures summer's breeziness in a bottle. Kick off your summer reading with this sizzling beauty primer designed to save you time so you can devote your energies to more important pursuits--taking a dip, catching some rays (with SPF, of course) or pulling up a chaise poolside, just the right stuff for health fitness.* Razors are best for underarms and legs. For a close shave without nicks, cuts, razor bumps and burns, use a shaving cream or gel (try Skintimate Moisturizing Shave Gel in Soothing Lavender or King of Shaves Alphagel DDS Shaving. Gel) with a razor designed for women, tike Gillette's Venus. Results last one to three days.

* Cream depilatories chemically dissolve hair from the upper lip to arms, legs and the bikini line. Newer formulas, like Nair's Four-Minute Formula Lotion Hair Remover in AppleLicious, act fast and have a pleasant scent. Results last from four to seven days.* Both sugaring and waxing remove hair at the root and can be used all over your body. One smooth operator: Sally Hansen's No Heat Gel Hair Remover Kit. To minimize irritation, do not exfoliate beforehand and avoid sun, perfumed products and chemical irritants for 24 hours afterward. Results last two to six weeks.

* Regular exercise is the best way to achieve an awesome backside. Fitness expert Barry Jay of Barry's Bootcamp in Beverly Hills, California, says his five-step program to a beauteous booty starts on the treadmill--"walking uphill, sprinting, jogging and running"--and ends with lunges: "Never underestimate the power of a really great squeeze."

Some prep steps to seductive-looking skin:

* Exfoliate: It's the only way to banish winterskin flaking and ashiness. Try Elizabeth Arden's Smooth the Way Body Scrub or Banana Republic's Revitalizing Body Scrub.

* Radiate: According to famed New York City dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross, we can soak up the sun guilt-free, as long as we take precautions, such as seeking out products with an SPF of 15 and above. Try Dermalogica's Ultra Sensitive Body Block, Clinique's Body Sun Block or M.D. Skincare Waterproof Sunscreen.

* Hydrate: Using an after-sun moisturizer combats itching and

peeling. Try Decleor's Tan Enhancing After Sun Moisturizer or Darphin's After-Sun Milk.

* Alternate: Sunbathing isn't the only way to get your glow on. Use a self-tanner like Estee Lauder's Self Action Tanning Creme or Clarins' Self Tanning Instant Spray or a bronzer like Mary Kay's Gilty Pleasures Born to Be Bronze shimmer cream.

Wake up your makeup with a jolt of color. To get Shakara's bold look, try Helena Rubenetein's Shimmer on You eye shadow in Cinnamon, Silky Eyes eye pencil in Mosaic, Vincent Lonpo Cream Blush in Urban Rose and pretty Pretty lipstick in Kiki.

This summer, makeup ventures out of neutral territory toward colors that pack a punch:

* Start with a bronzing powder, such as BeneFit's Hoola, for a healthy glow.

* Apply a cream or gel blush to the apples of the cheeks for a look that spells sun-kissed.

* Give lips a shot of vibrant red, pink or orange.

* The eyes have it with a color on the lids in shades of citron, magenta, marine blue or lilac, and a lash-lengthening mascara.

* Balance brights with an understated stated summer scent like Davies Gate Perfume Oil in Quince or Lancome AromaTonic Pure Energy.

A freestyle 'fro is the ultimate wash-and-go style. To keep ends from frizzing out, try a humidity-resistant leave-in conditioner like Modern Elixers Refining Conditioner.

Summer hair should be carefree, both in styling and upkeep. To minimize the effects of the sun's damaging rays, hair pro Chuck Amos (who created the looks on these pages) offers these pointers:

* Increase your use of moisturizing shampoos and conditioners to counteract the dehydration that is caused by the summer heat.

* Whenever possible, apply a leave-in conditioner, especially on the ends, to keep frizzies and split ends in check.

* Avoid overusing heating implements such as curling irons, flatirons and blow-dryers that impair the hair's moisture balance.

Totally straight styles can be hard to maintain in summer. (They require too much heat-styling and too many products.) No-fuss options, says Amos, are the best. To get this look, he first roller-set Shakara's hair and, after releasing the curls, pulled it back into a double ponytail, leaving a few tendrils loose for a softer effect.

A sculpted updo can save relaxed hair from flopping in the humidity. Amos created this sweep of curls with a roller set and some straight pins. To help hold strands in place, try a styling gel with built-in sunscreen and protectants, like Binl0se Softwear Styling Gel.

Head wraps like this gypsy style put a protective barrier between hair and sun and spare you restyling after swimming. Two products to moisturize hair postswim: UltraSwim Replenishing Shampoo and Ultra Repair Conditioner.

Braids put the hair on hiatus from daily styling. To create this cornrowed shag, Amos coated the hair with a leave-in conditioner (two to try: Paul Mitchell's The Cream or Ruth Sanchez's Facile Leave-in Conditioner), parted it into sections and braided it while wet. Author Suzanne Schlosberg COPYRIGHT Essence Communications, Inc. and Gale Group