Fake Tan
I want to prepare my skin for the holiday should I exfoliate? Why will this help my tan and skin?

If youre planning to go on holiday and dont want to look pasty on day one, applying a fake tan before you go is one way to start off with some colour. Make sure you exfoliate your skin before you apply the tan otherwise dry skin around your elbows, knees and other areas of your body will grab the colour and significantly concentrate it in those areas, leading to a very peculiar look!

When should I start applying fake tan? How many weeks before?

Self tans develop over a period of a few hours and last for a few days, and they can be applied daily to build up the tan. So technically, you could apply some the day before for a subtle tanning effect. If you apply it daily for a few days before you go, youll look significantly darker.

How can I stop it staining my hands and hairline?

Its really important to protect the areas where you dont want the tan. Make sure you apply plenty of moisturiser to the palms of your hands and let it absorb in. Then put on some protective gloves. Rubbing a little moisturiser around the hairline and onto the front of the scalp before you apply the tan will help prevent staining of the hair and hairline. Make sure you allow the moisturiser to absorb in first. There are also products available to remove fake tan, although these need to be used as soon as possible for them to be effective.

How can I avoid the orange look?

An orange look is mostly associated with cheaper brands of self tan, although it can also be attributed to choosing the wrong colour of product. If youre very pale, make sure you choose a self tan for paler skin. That way, you wont risk too much pigment staining your pale skin. A dark self-tan on pale skin will inevitably result in an unnatural look.

Waxing
I want to wax my body hair, can I do it myself or should I go to a salon?

Waxing is a skill best left to professionals as it often involves the use of hot waxes; And improper waxing can lead to skin irritation, skin damage and ingrown hairs.

When should I have it done? How many days/weeks before?

Whilst waxing is an instant method of hair removal, it often leaves the skin sensitive for a few days, so have the waxing done three or fours days before you go and use after-wax lotion daily to calm down irritation.

Hair
What hair style works well for the beach?

Any hairstyle which is easy to look after when wet, is ideal for the beach. If your hair is longer, work some conditioner into it to help protect it from the sun and the salt water. Be aware that very short (or thinning) hair makes you more susceptible to sunburn on your scalp, so dont forget a hat.

When should I have it cut? How many days/weeks before?

Hair, skin and nails grow much faster in the sun (thats why you can visibly see your skin peel!) so I recommend that you have your hair cut just a few days before you leave.

Should I take my straighteners to avoid hat hair?

Straighteners wont stop you from getting hat hair and I dont think they will help to fix it either (unless your hair is quite long). Hat hair is normally very close to the scalp, beyond the reach of most straighteners. Since youre at the beach, youll presumably be showering a few times a day which will sort out the problem.

Is it safe to bleach my hair before going away?

Bleaching your hair white simply involves removing most of your hairs pigment but it can leave your hair in a very rough and porous state. This means it will take on sponge like properties and suck in pigment and colours from the environment. Poorly treated pool water can contain traces of copper (from the pipes) which is known to add a green tinge to blonde hair, although this is uncommon now-days. Salt water is abrasive to your hair and can make it even more porous leaving your hair dry and in a poor, brittle condition. So if you are going to bleach your hair before going away, make sure you use plenty of conditioner on it both before, and after youve been in the water.

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