Written by Lauren Gordon
Image by @itszeinabou
Jetting off on a summer holiday is no doubt an exciting experience, nothing beats arriving at the airport, boarding a plane and taking off to a paradisal location far away. But prepping for that trip can be just as rewarding and you’ll thank yourself for including these essential steps in your prep routine that will enhance your experience as you live your best life on vacation.
Once you’ve packed your bags and planned your outfits, and the stress of ensuring you have all the important things is past, it’s officially time to switch into holiday mode, and there’s no better way to prepare yourself for relaxation than practising the below routines.
A week before your trip
Treat your skin
Becoming a bikini babe can’t happen overnight! It’s all about your skin prep and starting your shower with Sundae’s Whipped Shower Foam is a refreshing kick-start to your routine. The creamy formula can be doubled up as a shaving foam to achieve smooth and silky skin.
Follow it up with the Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Triple Action AHA Body Scrub daily a week before your trip will condition and nourish your skin so you’re glowier than ever when you’re away.
Hop in the shower and indulge your skin with this cherry-powered body scrub, which is rich in AHAs, fruit enzymes and sugar and acts as a triple-action exfoliator to retexture, smooth and deliver unimaginably soft skin that glows.
Complete your at-home spa treatment with the Aśani Body Butter which is rich in natural goodies like colloidal oatmeal, cacay oil and shea better to moisturise, nourish and hydrate your skin. The Aśani body butter ensures that you look good and smell delicious too, with five different fruity scents to choose from.
Days before your trip
Have the ultimate wash day
Before getting your hair done, give it a deep cleanse to maximise your results and keep your hair healthy as you expose it to the sun, sea and sand. SheaMoisture’s Moringa & Avocado range is sure to help gently cleanse and nourish your hair without the use of sulphates or silicones. Start with Moringa & Avocado Power Greens Shampoo and Conditioner and why not indulge your hair with the Power Greens Reconstructor, which intensely moisturises your fibres to help minimise breakage and strengthen weak strands.
Shea Moisture
Moringa & Avocado Power Greens Shampoo & Conditioner
Get your holiday hairstyle done
Hair is a must in your holiday routine, but it’s unlikely that you’ll miss this step. Get your creative juices going when choosing your holiday style, like incorporating some hair jewellery into your braids or twists, which SheaMoisture’s Afro Hair Expert, Jennie Roberts says works especially well with textured hair.
“Hair jewellery works really well with Afro hair as it sits into the texture really securely. Hair rings look great when placed close together running down a cornrow or long braid,” she told us.
“It’s important to space them out unevenly, for a more natural look, large cornrows look extra special when adorned with metallic hair rings.”
A night before your trip
Wash your make up brushes
Ensure your holiday makeup is continually flawless by giving your brushes a deep cleanse before heading off. Cinema Secrets’ Makeup Brush Cleaner tackles stubborn, waterproof, and long-wear makeup that attaches to brushes directly.
With no water or rinsing necessary, this can be a quick and easy job that leaves your brushes cleansed, vanilla scented and ready to be used throughout your trip.
Apply your pre-tan or tan contour
There’s no harm in adding a bit of bronze to your skin before getting a natural tan, and in some cases, a pre-tan can help limit your time in the sun trying to get that perfect shade. The St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Face Mist develops over time into a medium golden tan with a natural glow.
For more structure, turn to TikTok’s new favourite tanning step, tan-contouring – which uses a tanning foam, like Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam by Coco & Eve to carve out your cheekbones and other areas you’d like to be defined for snatched results.
On the plane
Apply a face mask
Whether you’re on a long or short haul flight, prepping your skin at 36,000ft can make you feel like you’re flying in style. Reaching for MIJ Masks’ Hydrogel Eye Patch is a practical way to cool, target and de-puff your under-eye area, thanks to their intensive blend of hydrating glycerin, hyaluronic acid and a soothing, natural anti-inflammatory plus lots more.
For an all-over treatment, Dr Paw Paw’s Your Gorgeous Skin Hydrating and Nourishing Sheet Mask is nutrient-packed and powered by their signature blend of papaya fruit and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate, soften and brighten the appearance of skin.
