Spring Beauty All-Stars

Crocuses and daffodils are popping up all over the place. The allergist's office is packed, and the antihistamine aisle at Target is total chaos. March Madness is about to begin, and spring break is beckoning! What does all this mean? The best time of year is oh-so near: sundress and sandal season! From head to toe, here are the Five Best Spring Beauty Buys for skin that you'll be stoked to bare.

Radiance Restored

Tops on my list is a newbie everyone is sure to love. Get this. One of Beautycounter's all-time best sellers, the Reflect Effect Overnight Resurfacing Peel for the face now has a sister product for the whole bod, the Reflect Effect Overnight Resurfacing Body Peel, $59 for a 3.38 fl oz. bottle. I can't tell you how long and hard I have dreamed of Beautycounter putting the peel in a big old bottle! It's so cool to see this dream come true.

This new exfoliating all-star uses a knockout blend of alphahydroxy acids (AHAs): lactic, glycolic and mandelic; along with hibiscus sabdariffa flower extract to even skintone, while adding radiance and luminosity; plus avocado oil and macademia integrifolia oils to lock in moisture.

I can't believe the difference in my skin after I use either of the peels. My skin truly glows and looks way more even, brighter, just BETTER after even one night of use. Both of the products can be used—followed by moisturizer—every other evening, and some can work up to using them nightly. I love to put this all over my chest, arms, back of hands, stomach, legs and feet. Come to think of it, I need to somehow get it on my back. I may not have the skin of my 12- and 9-year-old daughters, far from it, but it's such an improvement.

There's nothing stopping us from using it during the day right now as we're kind of covered up. Just remember that the use of sunscreen on any skin that is not covered is non-negotiable after using acids.

Easy No-Fail Tanning

For a gradual, authentic looking tan, I swear by Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Bronzing Drops, $32 for a 1.01 fl oz. bottle at Sephora. Available in shades light, medium and dark, these tanning drops make customizing your perfect tan a cinch. You just add them to your favorite moisturizer. The more you add, the darker you'll get. I use the medium shade and put about two drops in a couple pumps of moisturizer, rub it all together and then apply it on my arms and chest. Then, I repeat that and do my stomach, then my legs.

What I love most about these Isle of Paradise drops is that they dry really fast. I'm always running from one thing to the next, which means I don't have a long time to wait before dressing, and I've never had the drops ruin clothing. That said, I've also never gotten tanned handprints if I wash right after applying. Plus, the drops don't have much scent at all (almost nothing is worse than self tanner stink), and the tan looks so natural if you gradually add more. I tell everyone about these.

While these drops can be used on the face or body, I use them only on my body.

Vacay Face in a Flash

For giving a little just-back-from-vacay glow to my face without the vacay, I love St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist, $33 for a 2.7 fl oz. bottle at Ulta. I love this face tanner because you can use it over or under makeup, it smells nice, feels good, dries fast, and develops in just 4-8 hours.

My older daughter keeps begging me to use it. It really gives a great tan. It's so fun to go to sleep pale and wake up looking sunkissed.

The Ultimate Glow Giver

It really is all about having a glow, and this next glow-giver is a makeup item that I recently added to my bag, and have been kicking myself for not buying it sooner. Ilia Liquid Light Serum Higlighter in Nova (soft gold), $42 for a 0.5 fl oz. bottle, is the highlighter of my dreams. One pump of this added to my cheeks adds so much radiance. It looks great on its own, under cream blush and even under powder blush.

People will comment on your radiance when you use it. And no worries, it doesn't look glittery, just glowy. If gold hues are not your thing, the dreamy highlighter also comes in Atomic, a soft pink pearl, and Astrid, a soft rose gold.

Finally, a Solution for Frizz

Rainy days are inevitable in the spring. But great news: Rainy days don't have to equal bad hair days. That's thanks to a frizz product that really works: Virtue Frizz Block Smoothing Spray, $44 for a 5 fl oz. bottle. I've written about this product before, but love for it deserves to be shouted from the rooftops.

Spray a few sprays of this all over your hair before blowdrying it, or using another accessory that uses heat, and not only will you protect your hair from heat up to 450 degrees, but you will give it a shield from frizz city like no other out there. What's more, it'll make your strands smell amazing!

While this is technically not a skin item, our scalp is an important and often overlooked part of our skin, and this product doesn't clog up the scalp with buildup like some other frizz fighters do.

Happy Shopping! And Happy Almost Spring!

Natalie Kaar