All of that freshly exposed skin needs to be buffed and brightened, toned and tanned. But ticking off all of those boxes at the spa or salon can cost as much as your holiday, so this summer, be choosy about what you splurge on.
“You can get real results from at-home spa treatments,” says Soli Davis, a Manhattan-based beauty therapist and spa consultant. But on the flipside, Davis admits some services are best left in the hands of professionals. Read on below for how to shop the spa menu selectively.
Page 8
The summer bikini wax
What: Brazilian wax with Harpal at Michael Jane We'll say it again: a great bikini wax is about a great therapist and word of mouth is the best recommendation. However, if you've yet to hear of one, Harpal will show you how it should be done. A well-kept secret for many high-powered clients, most of whom have been going to her for years, Harpal is skilled, confident and brilliant at making you feel at ease especially important when you¹re having your hair, down there, ripped out with hot wax by a virtual stranger (though by the time she turns you over to remove your bottom hair, you¹ll feel like you¹ve known her forever). The results are exactly what they should be: thoroughly smooth and soft with minimum redness that disappears after a few hours.
Cost and contacts: Bikini line £9.50; Brazilian £20. Enq 020 7229 3383
ELLE also loves: The bikini wax at Strip (from £22). This chain of dedicated waxing salons offer indulgent surroundings (one tester said the décor reminded her of a lingerie boutique), competent therapists and a menu of different waxes, including a chocolate peel-off wax that's popular for bikini lines and further. Click here to visit the Strip website.
DIY: For bikini line touch-ups, Parissa Hot Wax, £8.99 and Warm Wax, £12.99 (available from Boots ) are the best we've tried.
Page 7
The summer hair treatment
What: Kerastase Seal and Strength Hair Ritual
‘This is a great all-purpose treatment that suits all hair types. After cleansing, a conditioning solution is worked through the hair before your scalp is treated to a follicle-stimulating massage. A mask is painted on to hair and sealed in under heat. A final rinse, and my hair already feels different to touch. A big bouncy blow-dry completes the treatment. My hair looks great (naturally, the salon blow-dry has a lot to do with this), my hair appears shinier (down to the hair shaft being smoothed so I am told) and it feels thicker and generally in better condition. The Rituals are not too pricey either so easy to incorporate into a hair routine to keep hair in tip-top condition over the summer.
Costs and contacts: From £14; enq 020 7434 1747
ELLE also loves: Aromatherapy Associates Nourishing Hair Treatment, which uses pure essential oils of rosemary, geranium, ylang ylang and patchouli to penetrate and soften hair. From £15, for 30 minutes; enq 020 8569 7030
DIY: Hair Mask, £5.49, by Charles Worthington (available nationwide) is a suits-all hair mask that restores softness and shine in five minutes flat.
Page 6
The summer foot treatment
What: Medical Pedicure at Margaret Dabbs
‘This podiatrist-led treatment is more than just a pedicure. Toes are clipped, trimmed and tidied up before being buffed to a beautiful shine (if you prefer to let your toenails see the light of day when you’re on holiday, this is definitely for you), and every last bit of hard, dead skin is scraped and filed away. Corns are tackled and if you have a fungal infection, which around 70 per cent of women do, according to the clinic, you will receive advice on how to treat it. This pedicure is practical rather than indulgent – don’t expect a lengthy foot massage, though you will enjoy a thorough exfoliation and application of sweet-smelling foot cream. And the treatment’s carried out in a big comfy reclining chair so it feels very relaxing.’
Costs and contacts: £75 for 45 minutes; enq 020 7 487 5510
ELLE also loves: The three-week pedicure at Nails inc, from £50 (click now to visit the website ). Long-lasting gel is applied instead of nail polish, making this a perfect pre-holiday ‘now I can just forget about my feet’ treatment.
DIY: Look out for Revlon’s cute and brilliant new Pedi-Expert, out next month. The foot file looks alarmingly like a cheese grater but is gentle on feet and makes it a cinch to remove dead skin.
Page 5
The summer body treatment
What: Caribbean Body Therapy, by Aveda.
‘This is 75 minute top to toe overhaul that will last all summer – if only because once your skin looks and feel this soft and well-conditioned, you’ll want to keep it that way. The treatment starts with a softening foot rub, using a nourishing scrub and is followed by top to toe body brushing using exfoliating mitts. A thick, warm seaweed and algae mask is applied from neck to toe and I’m wrapped in a thermal blanket while the detoxifying products penetrate my skin. Meanwhile, a face and scalp massage plumps up skin and helps me relax. I shower off the mask and a nourishing body cream is massaged in to my body to complete the treatment. I am finally ready to take my skin out of hibernation.’
Costs and contacts: £90 for 75 minutes; click here to visit Aveda
.
ELLE also loves: Clarins Detox Wrap, from £58. It includes a white clay body mask to purify and stimulate the circulation and a wonderful Clarins massage. Click here to visit Clarins' website.
DIY: Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Exotic Body Scrub, £60, (click now to buy the scrub ) is one of the best we’ve tried while Lisa Hoffman Body Oil £21, (available from Harvey Nichols 0207 235 5000) is a luxurious treat that makes skin look polished.
Page 4
The summer tan
What: St Tropez Spray Tan
This is the gold standard of fake tans, thanks to the highly trained therapists, excellent tone and depth of the colour and the fact it rarely streaks. An application takes about 15 minutes and you don’t have to scurry home afterwards as it doesn’t go on too dark – and the new formulation, incorporating aroma-guard technology, means it doesn’t smell as bad, either.
Costs and contacts: From £30; enq 0115 983 6363
DIY: Firming Gradual Tan Body Lotion, £6.15, by Nivea (available nationwide), is a great way to get a gentle, sun-kissed glow (and softer skin) without the commitment of full-on fake tan.
Page 3
The summer facial
What: The Liz Earle Signature Facial
‘The signature facial at Liz Earles’ new treatment rooms in London is a thorough treatment tailored to suit your specific skin needs. Although the treatment follows a classic routine of cleansing, mask, massage and moisturiser, this is unlike anything you can do at home. The massage is extensive – intensely firm and lifting at times; at others slow and stroking – and while deep cleansing if often an extra with facials, here extractions are firmly on the menu (if you need them), so skin feels thoroughly decongested. The treatment feels thorough and luxurious, thanks to the constant, soothing hands-on contact from the therapist. You’re given a relaxing head and shoulder massage before the treatment even begins and you have the option of scalp or foot massage to finish off. By the end, my skin looked plumped, glowing and polished – and ready for less make-up.’
Costs and contacts: £83 for 90 minutes, click here to visit the Liz Earle website.
ELLE also loves: The Amanda Lacey Facial. Treatment highlights extensive massage, an oxygen boost to plump the skin and an exfoliating peel that leaves you with a glowing complexion that barely needs make-up. £180 for 90 minutes. Click here to visit the Amanda Lacey website.
DIY: Start building up your skin’s defences by establishing a good night-time routine. Try a good antioxidant-rich serum like Vitamin A&C Serum, £84, by Lisa Hoffman followed by a night cream (available at Harvey Nichols, 0207 235 5000). Overnight Repair Mask, £42, by Aromatherapy Associates is great for brightening skin over night, .click here to visit the Aromatherapy Associates website
Page 2
Grooming
Bikini waxing, Brazilians in particular, is also tricky territory that relies above all on the skill of the therapist, and there’s no at-home kit that’s a substitute for a good professional experience. Recommendations from a close—or particularly blunt—friend are always best. Alternatively, ask the salon manager to refer you to a therapist who does bikini waxes most of the time or, if you’re particularly squeamish, to the one with the gentlest technique. Also, choose a spa or salon with surroundings you’re comfortable in—the more relaxed you are, the less painful the whole process will be.
Feet
To prep your feet for sandal season, treat them regularly to at-home products like foot soaks, masques and scrubs. But if your feet need a major overhaul, we recommend a medi-pedi, in which a highly-trained professional safely cleans, buffs, sands, clips and shapes your feet within an inch of their lives, using tools an amateur wouldn’t dare pick up. (At Margaret Dabbs in London, that means an electrical drill with diamond burrs.) Save additional costs by painting toenails yourself once you get home.
Hair
Finally, don’t forget that hair requires special treatment come summer, too. Applying a good hair mask once a week will help your hair survive the heat and humidity but a one-off in-salon conditioning treatment will go deeper and give hair a head-start.
Try Kerastase Seal and Strength Hair Ritual which is widely available in the UK and suits all hair types.
Read on (next page) for ELLE’s pick of this summer’s top treatments...
Page 1
Skin
Warmer weather and brighter skies call for lighter, sheerer make-up, so prioritise skin in the run up to summer. While some at-home kits that contain retinol and glycolic acid can deliver, ‘home microdermabrasion kits are usually a paltry substitute for the real deal’ says Davis.
She recommends you get your complexion clear and glowing with a rejuvenating facial that purifies, brightens and adds radiance to the skin. At the Amanda Lacey Clinic in London, savvy regulars are already booking their annual Pink Treatments, which use fruit enzymes to peel off a layer of dull, wintry skin. (Naturally, it’s their most popular treatment for summer.)
If you can afford it, follow their lead and book a similar treatment with a reputable beauty therapist who can determine your individual needs, perform a service that makes a visible difference, and clearly instruct you on how to maintain that glow.
Tanning
As for fake tans, a professionally applied bronze always looks best, says Davis. But the jury’s still out on whether it’s worth getting an in-salon scrub first. With an amazing range of scrubs available to buy, some beauty aficionados swear there’s no better place to get smooth than in their own bath-tub or shower. ‘A perfectly thorough exfoliation can improve the look—and longevity—of your tan,’ says Davis, so do this bit yourself and you can invest your pennies in a tanning professional instead. We've yet to find anything that betters the St Tropez Spray Tan (from £30). The tone and depth are realistic, it rarely streaks and all the therapists are highly trained so should get a good result wherever you go.
Body
Body treatments that improve circulation or lymphatic drainage are also sound pre-holiday investments, as they can temporarily reduce the look of cellulite. A good, 90-minute massage is always worthwhile – provided the therapist has experience and comes recommended (an effective massage has nothing to do with the number of scented candles they’re burning in the room).
COMMENTS
