Holiday time is here so I’m talking about all things sun-related in my latest beauty column for the Edinburgh Evening News:
If you are heading off to sunnier shores this summer, ensure your skin is in tip top condition before you depart. Summer wardrobes mean more skin exposure so prep by using an exfoliator. This will get rid of dead skin, leaving it ready for some sunshine. And banish any dry or scaly looking skin by moisturising skin daily.
Dry skin and cracked heels are never a good look so give your feet some TLC. Butter London’s Stiletto Stick, £25, contains castor seed oil to soften and smooth skin and can also be used on dry elbows, knees or knuckles.
Keeping skin hair-free requires some prior preparation. However, if you find your departure date pending without a waxing session, there are some beauty cheats. Fuzz Off by Bliss, £20, is a new hair removal cream for the bikini area with an angled precision applicator.
If your skin is sun damaged, then treat yourself to Summer Sprunch at the One Spa. The luxurious package starts with the ESPA Age Defyer Facial; an hour and 20 minute treatment created to combat the signs of ageing and, if applicable, sun damaged skin using specific techniques and products. Sprunch also includes access to Escape at One and is followed up by two-course brunch in the hotel’s One Square. This package costs, £135 per person and is available until 31 August 2014. Call 0131 221 7777 to book.
For those worried about cellulite, try the new Guinot Aromatic Body Contouring Treatment, £65, Available at the Chamomile Sanctuary, it includes a specialised anti-cellulite massage with essential oils to target areas prone to the dreaded orange peel effect. Call 0131 220 1000 to book.
Don’t head off on holiday without sunscreen. For face, Clinique’s Sun Protection Face Cream, £17 gives SPF40 coverage. A great space saver is the multi-functional Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 by Clarins, £19. It can be used on body and hair to protect from the sun whilst nourishing at the same time.
One of my holiday essentials is Aveda’s Sun Care Protective Hair Veil, £20.50. Spray onto hair before and during any sun exposure to help protect it from the harmful rays, replenishing moisture and protecting colour.
Sunscreens and sweat can also make hair more greasy than usual. However, I’ve found Wella’s Keratin Protect Luxe Shampoo the perfect antidote for this. This high performing shampoo gently cleanses hair and scalp without stripping any additional moisture from the cuticles. It is also a useful tool for those who find flaky scalp an issue.
And if you are fighting frizz, try Ojon’s Super Sleek’s Smoothing Shampoo, £21 and Conditioner, £23. Containing no sulphates, this seals in moisture and limits the impact of hair-raising humidity; leaving hair smoother and straighter and these are safe to use on chemically straightened hair. Alternatively, add some beachy waves to hair with Surf Spray by Bumble & Bumble, £21.50 to create sexy windswept styles.
Summer is the ideal time for lighter makeup. MAC’s Face and Body Foundation is lightweight and water-based. Fancy going even lighter? Then try tinted moisturisers or BB creams. New on the market is Lancôme’s Soleil Bronzer Smoothing Protective BB Cream, £24, which incorporates SPF50. Multi-tasking mosituriser, VitaZing, by Origins, £28, is another of my summer skincare favourites as it combines SPF with hydration and gives skin a subtle glow.
Finish with a spritz of summer with the likes of Estee Lauder’s Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent, £47 or for those with cash to splash there is Jo Malone’s new Tuberose Angelica, £100.
And if your holiday is a washout, then just fake any sunkissed skin on your return. Elemis has just launched its Total Glow Bronzing Body Lotion, £34.50 and the Total Glow Bronzing Moisturiser, £29.50 which are perfect for building an even and natural tan to the face and body. Or along with colour add some shimmer with St Stropez’s new Self Tan Luxe Dry Oil, £25.
