8 Beauty Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday

Our feet have been locked up in boots and our hair hidden under hats. Our pale, fuzzy legs look everything but beach ready and all that central heating has zapped our skin of radiance. We need beauty hacks, now!

Finally, the summer is here and with our help, you can avoid being all sweaty at the poolside and remain the golden goddess you always dreamed of.

Take your vitamins

 

Even if you’re using top of the range skin products your skin needs many nutrients internally to keep it looking its best. Even more so when putting it under UV stress. Natural antioxidants vitamin C, E and A will help repair skin from sun damage and have the added bonus of supporting collagen, a natural anti-ager. Take a regular multivitamin which includes the Recommended Daily Allowance of these to look your bright eyed and bushy tailed best.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

 

And if that wasn’t clear enough – hydrate! We all know that water is important to our health, but if you want beautiful and radiant holiday skin hydration is key. Not only does a lack of water lead to headaches and lethargy, it also leads to dry and dull skin, none of which you want as you kick back on your sunlounger.

Aim for six to eight glasses of water a day, more if you’re visiting warmer climates where you’ll want to keep a fresh bottle of H2O on you at all times, especially if taking part in exercise. As well as flushing out toxins and reducing the effects of ageing, water will also speed up the healing process if you fall victim to sunburn.

Protect your skin

 

We all want to return from our summer holiday looking sun kissed with a golden tan, but soak up too much sun and you’ll be paying the price for years to come. While bathing in the sun boosts our levels of the happy chemical serotonin and increases our levels of vitamin D – which is great for our skin, teeth and bones – too much time in the sun without the proper protection can lead to premature ageing and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Make sure you reach for the right sunscreen and aren’t just relying on SPF protection. Look for the term ‘broad spectrum’ or the UVA logo and go for an SPF30 which filters 97% of UVB rays, remembering to reapply every two hours for maximum protection. Remember, skin reaches a tanning cut off point after around two to three hours so lounging around the pool all day is a pointless task and is actually just subjecting your skin to the risk of unnecessary UV damage.

Perfect lashes

 

Eyelash extensions are the perfect solution to flawless lashes on your upcoming holiday. A great alternative to waterproof mascara, extensions can look as natural or glamorous as you like, helping you to avoid looking like the poolside panda. Eyelash extensions look great all day, are waterproof and will make you feel fabulous as soon as you wake up.

Find a trained beauty therapist before you go and make sure you let them know you’ll be subjecting yourself to sun, sea and sand. Have them fitted a couple of days before you go to ensure they look great for the duration of your holiday. Remember not to use any oil based products on your eyes as this will break down the bonds, causing the extensions to fall out.

Perfect pins

 

There are so many hair removal techniques on the market, from regular shaving to full blown laser treatments, that it’s hard to decide which technique to go for. Shaving in the shower seems to be the easiest and quickest option but can leave skin that has been exposed to sunlight red and sore. Shaving also needs to be repeated daily for truly smooth legs. If you want to shave less and be kinder to your skin give waxing a go. Removing the root of the hair, waxing lasts longer and can be done on your own at home or professionally.

Regardless of your preferred method of hair removal, exfoliation is the key to silky smooth legs. Removing dead skin cells allows you to remove more of the hair follicle and will leave your legs feeling softer and looking radiant.

Coconut oil

A little tub of coconut oil in your suitcase is a beauty must-have. Touted for its many benefits from cooking to cleansing, this natural oil is incredibly nourishing to both hair and skin and has the added bonus of containing natural SPF. This one-pot-wonder can be used as eye make up remover, moisturiser from head to toe, shaving cream, after sun, and even lip balm.

On beach days, run a small amount through your hair as a leave in conditioner which will help block out damaging UV rays from the sun and reduce salt and chlorinated water damage. The oils of the coconut naturally repel water also helping hair to stay frizz free while providing an intense conditioning boost.

Streamline your make up bag

 

When it comes to summer beauty, less is definitely more so wave goodbye to smokey eyes and dark lips and replace them with a fresh and radiant golden glow with pops of colour. The problem with wearing make up on holiday is that most sun screens don’t like to mix with it, leaving you with a shiny base which melts before you’ve even reached the poolside. If the thought of no base terrifies you, replace foundation with a primer to balance out skin tone or try a tinted sunscreen.

Come evening, make the most of your sunkissed skin by removing any excess shine with a little matte translucent powder boosting the rest of the complexion with a bronzing powder for added glow or a long lasting cream blusher. Nothing lights up a holiday tan more than a bright coral red lipstick and with a quick coat of waterproof mascara, you’ll be good to go.

Treat yourself to a pedicure

 

We have a tendency to neglect our feet all winter but as the warmer weather casually arrives we need to take care of all that dry skin and those unpainted nails. Celebrate your feet this summer by treating them to a pre-holiday pedicure so they’re looking their best in your favourite sandals.

Opt for a fun nail colour and don’t be afraid to match fingers and toes. Acid brights look fantastic next to a tan. A good pedicure should last at least a week but make the most of your pampered toes by booking in just before you go so your polish looks fresh and your feet are still glowing from the nourishing treatments.