For me, the eagerly-anticipated summer holiday begins way before touchdown - it commences at least a week beforehand, at which point my sole focus becomes transforming into a beach-ready babe that's ready for anything (as long as it's a cocktail, sun lounger or poolside massage.) I'm talking tan, nails, hair, skin, brows, lashes ...
This holiday prep thing? It's a lot. But lord do love it.
Marc, Eric and I are jetting off to Crete very soon, so I'm currently in the process of booking beauty treatments and buying all the little skincare and body care bits I need to stock up on. It's official, I'm entering 'holiday mode', and it feels pretty bloomin' fabulous.
Still, there's much to do before I can share my typical 'I've had worse Mondays!' Insta snap. So, I thought I'd put together a little pre-holiday beauty checklist to help ensure that everyone is looking gorgeous and suitably vacay-ready before lapping up those warmer climes...
What Treatments To Have Before a Holiday
1. LVL lashes
Thick, long, perfectly-curled and blacker than black - that's how I like my lashes - and an LVL treatment helps achieve exactly that.
What I love about LVL is that it cuts the getting ready time on holiday by half. I like to let my skin breathe and have a clean break from makeup whilst I’m away, and LVL makes me feel like I’ve got makeup on from the very moment I wake up, right until I go to bed at night. It’s just so great to know they I don’t need to apply any mascara and that my lashes will look fabulous even when I’m chilling by the pool. I love it.
2. Brow tint and wax
Brows really are completely and utterly transformative, which is why it’s so important to have the shape and colour absolutely spot on,
Fun fact - I actually do my own brows! I used to spend a lot of cash having them done by a beauty therapist, and whilst it wasn’t money I regretted spending, lockdown left me with no option but to do the job myself. It just so happens that I quickly learned that tinting and shaping my brows was something I could do myself with ease.
I tint my brows once every fortnight which is just about enough for me. My hair is naturally dark so I buy black tint to really emphasise them and create a well-sculpted, defined shape. Brown tones tend to make my brow hair look a bit gingery, whereas black gives me a lovely deep colour that lasts.
About 2 days before holiday, I always tint my brows to get them in ship shape ahead of my vacay.
3. Dermaplaning
I’m tempted to say this isn’t something I necessarily need to do, as I do take great care of my skin and I don’t have a particularly hairy face, however, I do find that my complexion looks particularly smooth and polished once I’ve used my Magnitone Browzthat Razors.
Again, dermaplaning is a treatment that you can book yourself in for at your local salon - but if you’re keen to save some dosh, you can actually perform a similar treatment on yourself at home.
I cleanse thoroughly beforehand and when using the razor, I always take extra time and care to avoid any unsightly nicks or scratches. It's so important not to rush this one (or any treatment, to be honest!) but the absolute last thing you want is a graze on your forehead that could have easily been avoided.
4. Shave and wax (everything)
Some of you will think I’m crazy, bur I shave my legs every single day. I know that sounds excessive - in fact, I know it's excessive - but I just can’t stand that feeling of regrowth, so I use trusty exfoliating gloves every evening when I shower, lather them up nicely and de-fuzz myself before hitting the hay.
I did actually intend on beginning a laser hair removal journey this year, but for various reasons, it just hasn’t happened. The idea of never shaving again, or almost never shaving again is massively appealing to me, so I will come back to this at some point, but for now, my Wild & Stone Safety Razor is my go-to gadget.
5. Fake tan
Again, this might sound a little bit backwards to those of you that tan well, but I don’t actually tan very quickly on holiday. My skin is naturally fair, and so I tend to go pink before I go brown. Once upon a time, I would have done almost anything to achieve a natural tan, but now, I'm far more concerned about skin health and the longer term effects of sun-worshipping.
So, I turn to the bottle.
The fake tan bottle, that is. I’ve been using the St Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse for the better part of ten years and no matter how many others I try, I always seem to go back to it. The colour, IMO, is perfect - not too dark but deep enough to scoop plenty of those *very welcome* 'ooohhh have you been away?’ comments. It’s also super easy to apply and it develops pretty fast, too (although those in a major hurry may prefer the St Tropez Express Bronzing Mousse which develops in just one hour, and looks fab!)
6. Pedicure
Let's be real here - feet aren’t exactly the cutest thing in the world, but if you take good care of them, they’ll look a heck of a lot prettier than they would otherwise.
If you ask me, before hols, a pedicure is absolutely essential. Sloughing away any hard, dead skin and getting the soles of your feet super soft not only leaves them looking great - but it actually makes you feel like you’re walking ok clouds, too!
I love going into the salon for a pedicure - I find it very relaxing - but I’m also a massive fan of the STARSKIN Fab Feet Fast Foot Peeling Treatment Set which really does transform the look of the feet. Afterwards, I’ll use my Candy Coat gel polishes to perfect my nails.
7. Gel manicure
I started doing my own gel nails years ago - and I've never looked back. It's saved me tons of money and without overtly tooting my own horn, I'm actually pretty darn good at it. But in any case, whether you head to the beauty salon or you do it yourself, a fresh set of nails is one thing you won't want to go without.
When it comes to holiday gel nail colours, I like to opt for something bolder and brighter than I would typically. Reds, pinks and oranges topped with glitter will add a sprinkling of sparkle and sass to every poolside fit. Alternatively, for something a little more classic, a French manicure with dressed-up tips is a winning choice, too.
8. Facial
You lot know how much I love my skincare, and so it will come as absolutely no surprise that my final must-have holiday beauty treatment is of course, a facial.
The type of facial you have will depend largely on your skin type and what you want to achieve from the treatment. Personally, my main focuses right now are anti-ageing and skin texture. For someone else, targeting acne scars or existing breakouts might be the main area of concern.
Whatever your skin goals may be, be sure to get a facial booked in - or a course of facials, ideally - at least a week before you jet off. Any sooner and your skin might not look as fresh by the time your holiday comes around, any later and your skin may still be recovering from the treatment. I would just always recommend having a proper chat with your dermatologist beforehand for the best advice on before and aftercare.
I really hope you all enjoyed this blog post and can't wait to share more with you very soon. In the meantime, if you do have a holiday planned, enjoy every moment of it and don't forget to get those treatments booked in!
Lots of love,
Grace x
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