Sunglasses c/o – Moschino via Specsavers
Photography by – Timothy Peacock
With summer holidays fast approaching, I thought it was high time I shared my holiday prep routine with you all. Wherever it is I’m going be it hot, cold, city or beach, my holiday preparations largely remain the same.
Wardrobe aside (as that can be covered in it’s own separate post) I divide my prep into 3 sections: hair, skin and nails. These are the 3 things I like to get done in the final days leading up to a holiday so that I feel pampered, preened and ready to go!
Hair –
I’m not just talking about the hair on our heads ladies. If you plan to be strutting your stuff in a bikini along the beach then it’s time to get those legs, pits and naughty bits plucked, shaved and waxed to perfection.
Now lets not lie, intimate waxing can be quite the ordeal but Hallelujah, I’m happy to report that I’ve finally found a bikini wax that’s at the very most uncomfortable rather than than usual tear – inducing experience.
I’m thrilled to introduce ‘The London’ a new bikini waxing concept created by the amazing team at Milk Beauty….
The NEW Intimate Wax Treatment to rival the Brazilian and Hollywood:
‘THE LONDON’
· Designed by MILK’s Training Academy, using highly skilled techniques to ensure fast and pain-free waxing experience
· New bikini wax offering more feminine look and feel, leaving that little more behind
· Performed laying down, in only 30 minutes = discreet, fast and effective
· Oil is applied to skin pre wax, ensuring the wax sticks to hair only and not skin eliminating discomfort
· Hot wax with low melting point ensures safer application and removes hair as short as 1mm without leaving ANY sticky residue or the need to re-dip
· Delivered with consistently industry leading hygiene standards. MILK therapists neverdouble dip. All towels and materials are disposed of after every client
· The London comes to you! MILK Beauty delivers therapists to your home or hotel room, providing an incredibly easy, convenient service
· £35.00
I can’t rave enough about the whole service, it was all so easy and completely fuss free. The lovely Michelle came to my house, set up her equipment and within 30 minutes it was all done and dusted and I was ready to embrace that high leg line swimsuit I’d been keeping on hold.
As for the new ‘London’ design, I love it! Usually I would go for a Hollywood style rather than the full Brazilian, the London however leaves that little bit extra behind. Besides, I’m such a lover of all things British and is there anything more patriotic than honoring the UK capital with your pubic hair?….I think not.
Skin –
When it comes to my skin and preparing it for the sunshine I have to take things pretty seriously. Being a pale snail means factor 50 everyday, several times a day when in intense heat/sunlight. My skin can burn very easily and so I’m always super savvy when it comes to sun screen protection. That aside though, like everyone when jetting off I want my skin to be glowing and in the best condition.
First up the body – I basically give it a good scrub. I use a mixture of exfoliating gloves which you can find in any Boots or Superdrug along with a body scrub, my favourite being St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub. I scrub my entire body, paying extra attention to the leg and arm areas. Together they both gently exfoliate dull surface cells to instantly reveal smooth radiant skin. I find this (especially on my legs) helps my skin glow and look super healthy.
Now for the face – To ensure skin is in tip-top condition, I like to use a deep cleansing facial mask a few days before. My go-to skin care for the past few months has been Gazelli and the Revitalising Mineral Mask is what I use to for ultimate skin rejuvenation (see full review here.) I’ll follow that up with the Hydra-Radience Face Mist to keep my skin hydrated throughtout my flight and holiday itself.
I find these steps make me look and feel more confident when it’s time to slip into swimwear. But as always for me sun protection is key, so just in case you aren’t sure I’ve gone to the NHS website just for a few facts:
- Sunburn damages your skin for life; not just the days that you are burned. And every time it burns, you double your risk of skin cancer.
- If you are pale, blonde or red headed or have moles and freckles, you are at a higher risk of burning and skin cancer and therefore need to take even more care. Black skin can also burn, just with slightly hotter sun exposure, so be careful of palms and the soles of your feet especially.
- Younger skin is more prone to damage than older skin. Protect your skin from as young as possible. Get out of the sun and buy yourself an amazing self tan.
- For the times you do head into the sun, use factor 15 and above and apply often, especially after swimming too.
Sunshine is wonderful, it lifts your mood and it does wonders for your energy levels just please make sure to be sensible and keep reaching for that lotion!
Nails –
I love a lick of neon or pastel nail varnish for a sunny holiday look, you can usually find me wearing either a pop of hot pink or a baby blue when lounging by the pool. I tend to go for a gel nail service as it has more staying power than the average manicure/pedicure but is less intense than shellac. I tend to leave the nails until I’ve packed, knowing what outfits I’m taking helps me decide on what colour will go best and match the colour palate I’ve chosen for my clothing.
So that’s it my dears. My run-down of how I prep for a holiday. If you have any pre-holiday rituals you think I need to try out then let me know in the comments below or over on my social media channels.
Kate x
