Heaps of summer beauty myths have been doing the rounds since way-back-when – the whole lemon juice in your hair thing, aftersun in the fridge, yogurt on burnt skin? We thought it was about time someone spoke up. No more bypassing the SPF for a ‘golden (crispy) tan’. Get ready to revise everything you thought you knew about summer beauty.
By Danielle Petch
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1 Dying your hair before your holiday is a no-no
Your fresh balayage and UV rays are not a good mix. Our advice? Book your colour appointment with a month to go before your holiday, as the sun can lift or fade the colour of your hair. During your holiday, think about protecting your hair like you would your skin with an SPF hair product (yep, that’s a thing now). Post-holiday blues are hard enough without having to think about rejuvenating frazzled hair.
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2 You should never swim with bleached hair
The hair mishap all blondes dread – green hair, post dip. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not actually the chlorine that gives bleached hair that green tinge, it’s due to the traces of metals (namely copper) found in the water (which is why that eBay ring of yours leaves you green fingered). Luckily, you don’t have to skip the pool – just make sure to rinse hair beforehand in clean water before diving in, and always wash and condition your hair after a swim.
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3 A spray tan will block a natural tan
Nope. In fact, you can still build up a natural tan on holiday even as your spray tan fades; the perfect transition. That said, it’s important to remember that spray tans give no protection against UVA and UVB rays, so while you may be glowing before you’ve even reached Heathrow, make sure to wear and reapply a high factor SPF for the whole of your holiday. And no, you won’t go streaky in the pool either – as long as you’ve allowed the tan enough time to develop.
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4 Body oil with SPF will protect my skin
Body oils are designed to help you tan, and while the majority will contain sunscreen ingredients, the SPF levels are usually much lower than is advised, so will offer little protection from the sun's rays. Stay safe and opt for a minimum factor 30 when the sun's out (and if, like me, your legs haven’t seen the light of day since last summer, may we refer you to point 3 if you fancy booking in a tan and skipping the queue. I know I will.)
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5 Body lotion does the same job as aftersun
Real talk – aftersun is just another marketing ploy to make me spend even more money on my holiday, right? Actually, no: while aftersun has many of the same ingredients as a body lotion or moisturiser, it also contains soothing agents like aloe vera, which help to calm skin that’s been lounging on the beach all afternoon. Aftersun has a water or gel based formula too, which helps to cool and rehydrate sun-damaged skin (instead of the locking in heat, as a regular lotion will do).
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6 You don’t need to coordinate your wax and your spray tan
This one’s all in the prep – nobody wants polka tan spots on holiday (and no filter can hide that). So if you are planning on going hair free for your holiday, make sure to wax or shave at least 24 hours before your tan (any sooner and your follicles will still be open and ready for a golden filler). For a longer lasting tan, make sure to exfoliate along with your wax beforehand too, and keep skin moisturised before and during your hols.
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7 Wearing makeup on holiday is bad for my skin
If you want to makeup it can, in fact, provide an extra barrier to the sun’s harmful rays, but that's not an excuse to skimp on the SPF; foundation alone won't protect your skin. The best way to apply is always SPF first, then your makeup. If you’re planning to spend all day on the beach, remember – you’ll need to reapply throughout the day, so you may want to leave the foundation at home. You look great without it, anyway.
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8 Swimming will ruin my eyelash extensions
We answered this one for you already, but the short answer is yes. False lashes need not spoil your fun. Just make sure to wait 24-48 hours before dive bombing, as water can breakdown the adhesive (this includes showering and steam, fyi). That said, swimming (as well as heat and humidity) can lessen the lifespan of your eyelash extensions. Whatever, they’re here for a good time, not a long time.
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