Beauty before a holiday: your countdown from four weeks to the night before

Quick answer: If you have a treatment regularly and know it suits you, it can usually be booked close to travel. If it is your first time, allow at least a week so any redness or reaction can settle and there is time to adjust anything you are not happy with. Book in this order: hair, waxing, lashes, nails and spray tan last, with waxing at least 24 hours before any tan. Save peels and stronger skin treatments for when you are home, skip black henna and pack SPF 30 or higher.

The bags are half packed, the out of office is set, and suddenly you remember your nails, your brows and that wax you meant to book last week.

A little planning makes all the difference. Some treatments look their best a day or two after, some need time to settle, and a few are kinder to your skin once you are home. Get the timing and the order right and you can step off the plane feeling ready, with nothing to think about except where to eat first.

First time or regular?

The biggest thing that changes your timing is whether you have had the treatment before. If you have regular brow waxes and know your skin has no issues, a brow wax 48 hours before you travel is fine. If it is your first time, give it at least a week.

The same goes for almost everything on this list. A first lash lift, a first set of extensions, a new colour or a new tanning solution can all react differently from what you expect. Allowing a week gives any redness or sensitivity time to calm, and gives your professional time to put right anything you are not happy with before you go. Holiday seasons are busy for every salon, so book your whole plan in one go.

What order to book them in

1. Hair colour and cut
2. Waxing, including brows
3. Lash lift or lash extensions
4. Nails
5. Spray tan, always last

Wax at least 24 hours before a spray tan, even if it is just your brows. Freshly waxed skin can sting when tan goes on, and the tan can catch in open pores and look patchy. Having your nails done before your tan means your tanner can protect your cuticles, and fresh polish will not smudge your colour.

The top holiday treatments

Waxing

If you wax regularly, book it 48 hours before you travel. If it is your first time, or your first time with a new area, allow at least a week. Freshly waxed skin is more sensitive to sun, sea, chlorine and heat, so it needs a day or two to calm before you hit the beach. Skip hot baths, saunas and heavy exercise straight afterwards, and gently exfoliate the day before your tan.

Brows

Regular shaping and tinting can be done 48 hours before you go. For a first tint or your first brow lamination, allow at least a week, and have your patch test 48 hours before. Lamination keeps brows brushed up and tidy for weeks, which makes it a lovely holiday choice once you know it suits you.

Lash lift

A lash lift is a favourite for holidays because there is nothing to look after once it has set. If you have them regularly, book two to three days before you fly. If it is your first, allow at least a week and have a patch test 48 hours before. Keep your lashes dry for the first 24 hours, or for as long as your lash artist advises.

Lash extensions

If you have extensions regularly, book an infill two to three days before you travel. A first full set is best done at least a week before, so you can check how your eyes feel and how your lashes hold. Oil based sunscreens and cleansers can loosen the bond, so ask your artist which products suit your set.

Nails

Builder gel adds strength and usually lasts three to four weeks, while gel polish generally lasts around two weeks. If you have your nails done regularly, book one to three days before you travel so they are fresh but not rushed. If you are trying a new service for the first time, give it a few days to a week so you can check they feel comfortable. Add a pedicure for sandal season and pack a cuticle oil to keep everything flexible in heat, sea water and pool water.

Spray tan

A spray tan gives you holiday colour from day one without UV. Book it last, one to two days before you fly, after your waxing and nails. If you have never had a spray tan, or you are trying a new solution, book a test run a week or two before so you know how the shade develops on your skin. Wear loose, dark clothing to your appointment and for the journey home.

Hair cut and colour

When it comes to colour, take advice from your hair stylist. Regular colour is often booked close to travel, especially if your roots grow quickly, while a first colour, a big change or lightening may need more time so there is room for any adjustments. Whatever you have done, a patch test 48 hours before is needed every time you colour. Sun, sea and chlorine all fade colour, so ask your stylist about colour protecting products and a treatment to help with sun and salt water, and book a refresh when you are home.

Lash lift or lash extensions for your holiday?

Both can mean no mascara while you are away, but they suit different holidays.

A lash lift works with your natural lashes and needs almost no aftercare once it has set. You can swim, use your usual sunscreen and cleanser, and it lasts around six to eight weeks, so it easily covers a long trip. The only downside is that it does not add length or fullness, so the result depends on your own lashes.

Lash extensions give you length and fullness that a lift cannot. They do need more care on holiday: oil based sunscreens and cleansers, heat, humidity, sea water and chlorine can all affect how long they last, and you will need to clean them gently every day. If your trip is longer than around three weeks, you may miss an infill, so plan how they will look by the end of your holiday.

If you want low effort, a lash lift is hard to beat. If you love the look of extensions and are happy to look after them, book an infill just before you go and pack an oil free cleanser.

Treatments best saved for when you are home

Peels and stronger skin treatments. Peels, microneedling and other treatments that resurface the skin leave it more sensitive to the sun while it heals. For a sunny trip, a gentle hydrating facial is a lovely choice before you go, and a peel can wait until you are back.

Anything brand new, right before you fly. A first treatment the day before you travel leaves no time to deal with a reaction or a result you are not happy with. Try new treatments well ahead, or once you are home.

Waxing on the day of your tan or flight. Freshly waxed skin needs at least 24 hours before tan, sun, sea or chlorine.

Black henna. Temporary tattoos are a holiday favourite, but black henna is worth avoiding. Natural henna stains the skin orange to brown. Black henna usually has a hair dye ingredient called PPD added, which can cause blistering and burns, and can leave you sensitive to hair colour for life. If you do have one, tell your colourist before your next appointment so they can test your skin first.

Active skincare. Retinoids, acids and benzoyl peroxide can make skin more sensitive to sun. If you use them, ask your skin therapist, pharmacist or doctor how to adjust your routine for the trip. Never stop a prescribed medicine without checking with the person who prescribed it.

Sun safety, wherever you land

A spray tan adds colour but gives no protection from the sun. Wear sunscreen of at least SPF 30 with high UVA protection, apply it generously, and reapply every two hours and straight after swimming or towel drying. For long days outdoors or strong sun, SPF 50 gives extra protection. A hat, sunglasses and shade in the middle of the day all help.

Holiday sun depends on where you are going, not the temperature at home. A December trip to Australia, New Zealand or South Africa lands you in high summer, the Gulf, the Caribbean and much of Southeast Asia have strong sun for most of the year, and snow reflects UV on ski trips. Check the UV Index for your destination on a weather app before you go.

Your holiday beauty bag

Pack light and pack smart. Liquid limits in hand luggage vary between airports and countries, so check before you fly.

• Sunscreen for face and body, plus a lip balm with SPF
• Aftersun or a simple, fragrance free moisturiser
• A gentle cleanser, oil free if you wear lash extensions
• Cuticle oil and a glass nail file
• A wide brimmed hat and sunglasses
• Leave in conditioner or a hair oil for sun and salt water
• A tan extender or gentle body lotion to help your spray tan fade evenly

The night before

Lay out a soft, loose outfit for the flight, moisturise well and get an early night. Remove any old polish from toes you have not had done, charge your devices and put your sunscreen at the top of your bag so it is the first thing you reach for when you arrive.

FAQs

How long before a holiday should I wax?

If you wax regularly and know your skin has no issues, 48 hours before you travel. If it is your first wax, allow at least a week. Always wax at least 24 hours before a spray tan.

Can I have a spray tan and a brow wax on the same day?

It is best not to. Wax at least 24 hours before your tan, as freshly waxed skin can sting and the tan can look patchy around the brows.

Should I get a lash lift or lash extensions for my holiday?

A lash lift needs almost no aftercare and copes well with swimming and sunscreen. Extensions give more length and fullness but need gentle daily cleaning and oil free products, and may need an infill on a long trip.

When should I colour my hair before a holiday?

Ask your hair stylist. Regular colour is often booked close to travel, while a first colour or big change may need more time. You will need a patch test 48 hours before every colour.

Does a spray tan protect you from the sun?

No. A spray tan adds colour only. Wear sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every day and reapply every two hours.

Book your holiday treatments

A relaxed trip starts with people you trust. Choose qualified, insured professionals who will plan your treatments around your travel dates and talk you through aftercare. Find a verified professional near you on our directory, where every verified profile has had its qualifications and insurance checked, and read our treatment guides before you book.