Summer holiday stay-cation beauty essentials

For whatever reason, if you’re opting for a stay-cation rather than a vacation this summer then treat yourself to an intensive two-week beauty regime to ensure you look every inch of fabulous. It’s time to revamp and supercharge those beauty routines!

Viridian S.P.F Skin Pro-Factors 30 capsules (£15.65)

Maximise the positive effects of the sun’s rays on your skin by taking Viridian’s S.P.F with astaxanthin and natural beta carotene. These antioxidants help protect against the skin ageing effects of free radicals and boost overall skin health. Begin this supplement throughout the summer months for naturally healthy and glowing skin all summer long.

 

Rapid white two-week tooth whitening system – (£20.42)

Nothing lifts a complexion quite like a smile, and after using the rapid white two-week whitening system we just couldn’t take the smiles of our faces! Proud to show off our delightfully white teeth, achieved at a fraction of the cost of a professional whitening, we’d recommend this beauty steal to anyone wanting to remove stains or simply freshen their smile. The ideal opportunity to use the kit is on your summer holiday, home or away, to show off your tan by accompanying it with a fresh white smile. The look achieved is natural, so you’re not going for a glow-in-the-dark look! Whilst we didn’t receive the compliment: “Your teeth look lighter,” we were complimented by colleagues and friends who asked if we’d changed something. They couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was that was different but told us how great we looked – a winner for us!

 

The system is so easy to use. It comes with two trays which you initially mould to fit your teeth and that will last the two weeks. The accelerator lotion is then applied to the teeth and the trays filled with whitening gel and placed onto your teeth for between five and ten minutes. Then a quick rinse and brush of the teeth is all that is required. Repeat this process twice a day. We incorporated this into our daily routines by using whilst showering, that way it didn’t actually take any extra time as we all know every second is precious when it comes to the early morning and pre-party beauty routine!

Murad intensive-C radiance peel (£49.50)

If you can’t stretch to a resurfacing peel this summer, then treat yourself to Murad’s latest and greatest mask for results that even the most high tech salon machine could fail to beat.

With glycolic acid to exfoliate and speed up cell renewal rate, highly concentrated vitamin C to protect against the damaging effect of free radicals and myrtle extract to enhance collagen production whilst enhancing skins firmness and youthful appearance, this is a serious at-home pamper session.

Apply this mask in an even layer to a clean complexion, avoiding the delicate eye area, lie back and relax for up to ten minutes. A slight tingling sensation is normal upon application; it’s simply the action of a powerful cocktail of ingredients doing their work. From the first use we were amazed at our skin’s boost in hydration and improvement in texture, a ten minute transformation that we’ll be happily repeating on a weekly basis.

James Read sleep mask tan (£25)

From faux tan virgins to experts alike, with this breakthrough and revolutionary formulation of mask plus a hint of tan, it’s impossible to get your tan wrong! Celebrity tanner James Read has taken the beauty boffins by storm (once again) with the fabulous sleep mask. If you love a self tan but can’t stand the drying effect it has on your skin, then look no further, your beauty prayers are answered.

The mask is infused with skin nourishing aloe vera, cucumber and hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate the skin whilst you sleep, plus the all-important hint of self tan to guarantee you are a golden goddess come morning time.

The lightweight gel offers faultless application and soaks effortlessly into the skin so it could even be applied as you wake to develop a healthy glow as the day goes on.

The Body Shop honey bronze bronzing gel for the face (£12)

Take your healthy glow to the next level by switching your foundation for this lightweight hydrating gel. Apply a small amount to the face and blend, building the colour gradually if you require a more intense glow.

If you’re too skin-shy to skip the foundation then add a drop of The Body Shop’s bronzing gel to your usual foundation.

As a tan develops on your face, natural or faux, embrace rather than hide it! Applying your usual shade and texture of foundation only masks your glowing skin, by adding a drop of bronzing gel to your usual foundation it deepens the colour and takes your much needed winter coverage to a light textured, glowing shade to suit your tan all summer long.

Kiehl’s midnight recovery concentrate (£36)

Treat your complexion to a much needed holiday! If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends and are feeling run-down, the first thing that suffers is your skin. Add a few drops of Kiehl’s recovery concentrate to your face before bed-time to ensure that you wake looking as if you’ve had a two week break.

With 99.8% naturally derived ingredients there is no greater overnight facial for a weary complexion. This little blue bottle never fails to disappoint and is a must-have staple in our bathroom cabinet.

Lisa Bramley