Advertising Feature: Holiday beauty prep

It’s nearly time for your summer break – and just like you wouldn’t set off without planning your itinerary, don’t leave home without checking our pre-holiday beauty guide. Partner & Assistant Beauty Buyer, Laurie Cilberto, shares how she ensures she’s holiday ready.

Laurie says: ‘It’s so important to exfoliate before you go on holiday – it removes any dead skin cells, helping your skin stay hydrated in drying climates.’ Laurie’s current favourite exfoliator is REN Clean Skincare’s Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Salt Anti-Fatigue Exfoliating Body Scrub. ‘Some scrubs contain plastic microbeads, which can harm the environment. REN’s version uses natural magnesium and sea salt to polish skin. Plus, the bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic, helping to keep our beaches and oceans clean.’

As the skin on your face is more delicate, Laurie recommends a dedicated facial exfoliator like Sarah Chapman’s Liquid Facial Resurfacer: ‘I pour some on a cotton pad and sweep it over my face and neck. Chemical exfoliators might sound scary, but they’re actually no more intense than a physical scrub. Acids gently sweep away dry or dull patches.’

Body hair is a prickly topic, and while everyone differs in terms of how – and whether – they want to remove it, Laurie’s favourite method is Intense Pulsed Light, which targets hair follicles to prevent new hair growth. ‘IPL gives longer-lasting results than shaving or waxing. The Philips Lumea Prestige is especially great because you can use it in the comfort of your bedroom (no stripping off in front of a stranger!)’ As IPL can take a few sessions to start showing effects, Laurie recommends starting ‘a couple of months before you go on holiday.’

And for the hair on your head? ‘Summer can be brutal on your hair,’ says Laurie. ‘Chlorine, sea salt, sunshine – all of these will dry it out.’ Laurie recommends Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer mask. ‘The instructions say to rinse it out after 10 minutes, but I leave it in overnight. It makes my hair incredibly soft – ready for whatever my holiday brings!’

Laurie recommends a body oil rather than a traditional cream for pre-holiday hydration, as 'oils consist of smaller molecules, so they can penetrate more deeply than a cream'. Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieuse Florale Dry Oil is ideal for a pre-holiday pampering session. Antioxidants deeply nourish skin, while floral extracts like camellia impart a delicious scent.

And for the skin on your face? Laurie says ‘using a hydrating face product before your holiday is especially important if you’re visiting a hot country, or travelling on an aeroplane, as both of these things can dry out your skin.’ Laurie loves Fresh’s Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil, which contains omegas to support the skin's natural moisture barrier. 

There are some steps you can take to prevent sun damage before you go away. Laurie uses a targeted brightening serum in the run-up to her holiday: Caudalie’s Vinoperfect Radiance Serum. You might have heard of vitamin C’s protective powers, but this serum stars an ingredient that’s 62 times more effective at brightening the skin: viniferine. Laurie explains: ‘Viniferine works by preventing the production of melanin, which causes skin to darken in the sun.’  

If you like to add a little faux glow before you go on holiday, Clarins’ Radiance Plus Glow Booster is the ideal cheat to sun-kissed skin. Laurie says: ‘I prefer tanning products I can build gradually to ensure I get my desired depth of colour. I start with a few drops of this, then slowly increase the amount in the week before my holiday.’