It’s time to focus on your most important summer accessories…

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This post comes to you from contributor Arden Andrews.

As summer is nigh, it’s officially time to consider your two most important warm weather accessories -- that set of stems you’ve been wrapping in fleece and other cozy fabrics for the better part of the last year. Swapping ankle-grazing hemlines for leg-baring looks is all about preparation, which is why we’ve put together your DIY guide to buffing, hydrating, and protecting your gams for a season in the sun. Below, the necessary steps to letting your legs live their best life this summer:

Step 1: Polish to Perfection

Dryer times leave your legs dull and devoid of moisture, making circulation-boosting exfoliation the key to bringing life back to your lower half. Buff away dead skin cells with a nourishing salt scrub, or use a dry brush to slough off dull spots while encouraging blood flow — a must for maintaining youthful skin long term. Not a bad idea to follow up with a clarifying body wash.

Step 2: Let’s Clear Things Up

Add a glam upgrade to your down-there routine to minimize irritation and ingrown hairs. Nourishing botanical oils provide a Certified Vegan approach to soothe and smooth your skin.

Step 3: Build Up to It

There’s a reason chic French visionaries like Coco Chanel popularized the suntan — a bronze glow has the uncanny ability to hide imperfections and sculpt limbs, especially when it doesn’t come at the cost of aging UV rays. With a natural, organic self tanning lotion, you can build that flattering shade of color at a believable rate — no pretend trip to Bali required. Or, if your destination is actually only minutes away, go for some instant sun-kissed shimmer.

Step 4: Protect Your Assets

It may feel as though you don’t need to block up your legs because they seem to burn at a slower rate than your face and neck, but get serious — the most common place for melanoma on women is their legs. And if that doesn’t scare you straight, the photodamage from extended bouts of unprotected sun should -- no one’s trying to rush into crepe-y knees and sunspots faster than they’re fated. This untinted SPF formula is reef safe, and blends easily for those days that you just want to hang loose. Bonus: its TSA-friendly, and the bright orange packaging makes it easy to spot when digging through your valuables. If you’re looking for even more protection, Coola’s certified organic, non-nano mineral SPF50 proves quite the catch.

Step 5: Let It Gleam

Whether it’s a trip to the beach or a turn on your own private dance floor, a little luster never hurts. Shimmer products not only dazzle our senses, they also camouflage (or shall we say, enhance?) problem areas with the help of light-reflecting particles. And as if a superfine dusting of rose gold wasn’t tempting enough, this formula adds shimmer and moisture, plus leaves behind the soft scent likened only to heaven as you march confidently toward the next heat wave.