Guide to holiday skin preparation

You’ve booked the flights, stalked the #wanderlust feed and packed outfits for every scenario (you know, for those ‘impromptu’ photoshoots on the balcony). Ok, now what? Instead of simply playing the waiting game, you can start prepping your holiday skin before you even think about the packing checklist. Here’s how to glow from the minute you run to your airport gate…

First up, exfoliate

If you’ve stumbled upon our wise words with only enough time to fit in one quick pampering sesh, then exfoliating is where you should start and end.

Take a hard-working body scrub and start buffing to remove all those dead skin cells while you shower. Or try dry body brushing which can also help improve the appearance of cellulite, double win!

Exfoliating is even more important if you plan on a pre-holiday wax or a spray tan!

Moisturise more!

Chuck together humidity, sunlight and a restrictive plane carriage and you’ve got yourself a recipe for dehydrated skin. Start moisturising as early as you can before your holiday for a head start on that glow. Drinking plenty of water is also important for keeping skin hydrated.

Moisturising can also help prolong a tan so remember to slap on that aftersun when you’re away.

Defuzz

We’re all for the au naturel look, but if you decide you want to have a little defuzzing before you pop on your bikini then remove unwanted hair before you jet off.

If you don’t fancy shaving every day on hols then opt for waxing or epilating before. These options may take a little longer at the time, but the payoff is better and should give you up to 4 weeks of stubble-free legs.

Planning on a bikini wax? Remember you want to leave enough time for any redness to go down so try not to leave it to the last minute!

Put your best foot forward

If your heels have more cracks than the Sahara Desert, then you need a pedicure – like, yesterday. And you don’t need to go straight to the pros, you can easily smooth over your dry skin in the comfort of your own home.

Try using a pumice or electronic foot file to remove any dead skin and apply an intensive foot cream all over focusing on you heels and toes. If you give yourself enough time, you can even try an intensive foot sock treatment. Ah, that’s better!

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Gradually build up your tan

Cheat the system by giving yourself a little faux glow before you lap up the sunshine. A gradual tanning lotion is perfect for a natural finish or if you want a more dramatic starting point then you could always go for a spray tan. But, even though a tan may give you a false sense of security, you can still tan through a fake tan so always apply SPF to stay protected.

Glow from the inside out

If you want to indulge in the ‘no makeup, makeup’ trend when you’re on holiday then your answer may not be within your beauty bag. Instead start the glow from within by topping up on your vitamins and all the nutritious food stuff! For those impatient types (guilty as charged) try a smoothie.