How to protect skin and hair on a sun holiday

By Milly Nolan

A sun holiday is a great way to relax but can wreak havoc on skin and hair, writes Beauty Editor Milly Nolan.

I’m off to Fiji soon on a holiday and while all I can think of is sun, sea, and pina coladas, I’m also looking forward to ten days of wearing very minimal, if any, make-up.

Instead my main focus is going to be all about sun care, hair care and more sun care.

As a Beauty Editor I know far too much about the damaging effects of the sun on your skin to expose myself to the harmful rays all day long.

Did you know that 90 per cent of our aged appearance is due to sun damage and that only 10 per cent is due to our actual age?

A frightening fact, don’t you think?

So, rather than spending my time in Fiji locked indoors I will practise “safe tanning”.

This will involve plenty of broad-spectrum sunscreen (protects you from both UVB and UVA rays) with at least an SPF 30 worn head-to-toe. I will apply this 15-20 minutes before going out in the sun and then again after a swim, as well as every hour on the hour.

I will probably use an SPF 70 on my face, neck and décolleté just to be safe. It may sound obsessive, but as much as I like a healthy glow I also want to age as gracefully as I can, not to mention limit the alarmingly high risk of skin cancer.

To avoid looking like a pasty British tourist, I’ll get a spray tan before I go which should make getting into a bikini after the winter months a lot easier! Here’s hoping!

And I’ll pack a bottle of self-tan to top up before it fades.

A pedicure is a must before you go to the beach. I will be sloughing away all the dead skin and pampering my feet with nourishing creams to get them looking flip-flop-worthy. I’m thinking a hot coral nail polish for my toes will compliment my faux tan nicely!

As for my hair, I’ll take shampoo, conditioner and a leave-in spray designed specifically to protect the hair from the sun, sea and chlorine. I’ll also need a frizz-free, curling balm for my rebellious beach hair and I’m leaving my hairdryer and straightening tongs behind to give my hair a holiday!

Emptying my make-up bag will be satisfying. All I’ll take is some tinted moisturiser and a lip balm. For night time I’ll go for the natural look with a light coat of mascara on my lashes, a sweep of bronzing powder across my cheekbones and the bridge of the nose, finishing with a touch of pink lip gloss.

And just like that, I’ll be ready for my summer holiday. Now I just need to figure out what clothes to pack!

Next time I blog, I’ll tell you which of my favourite products made the cut to board the plane with me.

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