With an average of £150 spent by Brits on poolside preening (according to a new report by BABTAC), we started thinking about our own pre-holiday beauty routines.
From manis and pedis, to waxing and brow appointments, here’s how much HELLO!’s Beauty Collective spends on pre-holiday prep.
Cassie Steer: £30
“Despite having written about how to get ‘summer ready’ for nearly two decades in my role a beauty journalist, my own reality is a little less… strategic.
“I’ve never been the best planner and as a mother of two boys, any semblance of pre-holiday self-care has almost completely gone out of the window. Whilst I have previously (before kids) booked a keratin blowdry to offset the inevitable Monica Geller “It’s the humidity’ frizz, I don’t have time to be confined to a hairdresser’s chair unless I absolutely have to, and trial and error has taught me to leave colour appointments until after my week in the sun despite meaning that my hair looks significantly less aesthetically pleasing for snaps.
“Although I love a pedi, again, setting aside an hour to fit one in before being able to hit OOO when time is already crunched usually means my ‘sandal-ready’ feet are treated to a cursory swipe with whatever nail polish happens to be floating around. My non-negotiable however, is a bikini wax (I shave legs and use an epilator on my underarms, but below the waist is strictly wax-only), so I would say my pre-holiday spending comes in at a rather measly £30.”
Melanie Macleod: £60
“There’s something about a summer holiday, be it with my pals or my partner, that makes me want to be my best self.
“The years I’d kid myself I was going to diet before my days off are long behind me (thank goodness), but I still make more of an effort pre-sun soaked break than any other time of the year.
“Last September, I began a course of laser hair removal, and while it was a big monetary investment, it has shaved off the £30 I spent each holiday on waxing. But while I no longer wax, I have picked up an equally pricey holiday habit of a pedicure.
“That said, my holiday beauty prep is nowhere near the £150 price tag BABTAC predicts – I’d say I spend around £60 (£30 for mani, £30 for pedi), plus a layer of ‘Filter by Molly Mae‘ (but I own that all year round, so I’m not adding to my tally) and I am good to go!
Glynis Barber: £141.50
“There are certain things a girl must do when she goes away that are non-negotiable. Of course, it all depends on where you’re going and how much of your body will be exposed. Which is why summer trips always cost more!
“First up, for summer exposure, is body hair. I do my waxing a good few days before travel so that I have time for a few days of self-tan application before flying. I then take my self-tan with me and apply it every few days.
“There might also be certain hair or skin products I buy specially for the trip, or I might visit the hairdresser before I go to freshen up my colour or have a trim. This can vary, but the items mentioned below are the ones I make sure I do. I wouldn’t dream of going away without them.
- Manicure (file and polish) – £15
Sidra Imtiaz: £370
“When it comes to pre-holiday prep, the main thing I would say is, I truly don’t think any is necessary.
“Holidays are expensive, and with the cost of living crisis, they’re a true luxury and whist I am fortunate enough to test and trial treatments as part of my job, they’re by no means necessary.
“However, I know for many, beauty treatments are part of the vacation itself – a pre-travel treat that gets you in the holiday mood ahead of time. There are a few that I love and save for before a holiday when I want to look and feel my best with minimal effort.
“Firstly, are brows and lashes – nothing makes me feel as put together as freshly threaded brows and as a brown girl, I’ve been having my brows threaded since I was 14.
“I usually skip mascara on holiday as between the heat and swimming, it never makes it through the day, so a lash lift is a great pre-holiday treatment. I adore Hollie Parkes for both – she is the person I trust the most and her work honestly makes me feel like a new person.
“Whilst she is on the pricier side, there isn’t anyone who does it better in my opinion. Of course, there are cheaper alternatives for both treatments at other places. I know many people love getting their nails done before holiday, but I very rarely wear nail polish for religious reasons.
“However, I have recently discovered the joy of a medical pedicure at Margaret Dabbs – a maintenance treatment that files, buffs and trims your nails to natural perfection, whilst also focusing on foot health, which is essential based on the level of walking I do on holiday.
“Since I started my laser hair removal clinic at the amazing Dr. Leah Clinics, I no longer wax before holidays and can’t wait for the day I can skip the shaving too. This isn’t necessarily a pre-holiday treatment, but a longer-term investment. All in all, you can give or take any of these but if part of your holiday starts with prep, then the below are what I’d indulge in above all.
- Eyebrow Threading with Hollie Parkes – £90
- Lash Lift with Hollie Parkes – £195
- Laser Hair Removal – Prices vary
Vanese Maddix: £195
“The pre-holiday prep is honestly one of my favourite parts of the entire travel experience. It gets me so hyped and is basically the beauty equivalent of that TikTok trend, ‘How can I explain this feeling to a man?’ (Unless, of course, he’s also partial to a bit of grooming before take-off.)
“I’d like to say I’m a minimalist when it comes to my approach… but who am I kidding? I’m not over-the-top, mainly because my bank account wouldn’t allow it, but I do take my beauty prep very seriously.
“There are only two non-negotiables for me, and they’re things I refuse to DIY: my hair and my nails. When it comes to holiday hair, the rules are simple: it needs to be out of my face and entirely hassle-free. That usually means knotless braids or some variation of braided extensions (cost breakdown includes the braiding hair).
“As for my nails, they have to fit the aesthetic of wherever I’m going. Think gel or BIAB in a colour that screams, “I’m on holiday.” The rest? I’ll handle myself. Waxing? DIY. Tanning? Not a tanning girlie, so one less thing to think about.
“Thankfully, my job means I’m lucky enough to receive a lot of beauty products. While I do give plenty away, I keep a stash of travel-sized products and exciting beauty bits I’ve been meaning to try for future trips.
“However, the one thing I can’t seem to plan for? That inevitable, unexplained £50 that disappears just before I leave, always on something beauty-related when I’m just nipping into Boots for something last minute. It’s tradition at this point.
- Knotless braids – £120
- Nails – £45
- Random last-minute beauty bits – £50
Donna Francis: $620
“I live by the beach in Florida, so my beauty routine always needs to be in ‘holiday mode’. However, my body is not always perfectly primed to be in a bikini. When a quick mani, or whizz with a razor just won’t do, this is the prep I book in for:
- Root tint, treatment, gloss and hair trim – $350
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