As the travel industry finally opens ups, albeit rather gradually, Absolutely London rounds up the latest in holiday beauty must-haves…
Sunkissed Hair
Sometimes, going on holiday in the sun will work wonders on your hair. Seawater is particularly beneficial, says Christel Barron-Hough, who knows all there is to know about hair and colour. As three-times winner of the British Hairdressing Awards British Colour Technician of the Year Award and TIGI Global Creative Technical Director, she’s a serious force in the world of hair – and she’s also a lovely person to spend time with. Her successful salon is all Scandi styling and minimal cool. I’m here to refresh my tired highlights and she has a whole menu for that, including her own Lux Lights method. This is perfect for someone looking for a low-maintenance solution, she says: “This technique forms a super bright, seamless finish with barely-there re-growth. It’s like creating the blonde you were born with” – even if, like me, you weren’t actually born with any blonde. Christel is quick and professional, showing me some ideas on her phone first and then applying colour and chatting. A wash, a treatment and a quick trim later and my hair is summer-ready, sunkissed and full of natural movement without the dreaded stripey streak effect. My highlights are subtle yet brightening, exactly as I hoped for.
Excitingly, Stil is opening a new salon in Chelsea imminently, so Christel’s expertise within the beauty industry will soon be available more widely. Get yourself booked in. stil-salon.com
Perfect Brows
If you do one thing to improve your overall look before a holiday, make it a brow treatment. The subtle difference between a scraggy, unkempt brow and a carefully shaped one totally transforms your face, while looking natural. If done well, nobody will notice that you’ve had your brows done, just that your face looks somehow better. At Blink Brow Bar, a simple brow shape and tint is quick and effective. I opt for a cautious mid-brown shade to avoid the funny heavy brow look, though some say it’s best to put up with heavier brows for the first day or two for the sake of longevity. Threading is an impressive skill: with just a simple piece of cotton and some precise judgment, unwanted single hairs are eliminated quickly and (almost) painlessly. Describing exactly the shape you want can be tricky, but at Blink the staff know instinctively what you want and what will suit you. Natural arches or angular, conceptual brows? They know best. Once shaped and tinted, my brows keep their neat appearance for several weeks. Pre-holiday, it’s a good idea to add a lash tint too, which leaves you mascara-free, yet always looking polished. If anything beauty-related can improve your mood in half an hour, it’s a trip to Blink Brow Bar. bbb-london.com
Bright Toes
Margaret Dabbs is the queen of feet. Known for her game-changing medical pedicure and her wide range of foot treatments, she has opened a huge new clinic inside Westfield’s John Lewis. Here she offers an extended menu of beauty treatments in addition to her famed feet treats, but we’re here for our feet. The medical pedicure takes 45 minutes, of which the first few are spent closely inspecting your feet. Any imperfections, dry bits, sores or problems are quickly identified by a medically-trained podiatrist, because this is about more than just nail polish. Foot problems are very common and maintaining foot health is all-important. Uniquely, there is no foot soak at Margaret Dabbs, because her treatments work best on a dry foot. Dry skin is filed away, nails are clipped and shaped, and my feet feel renewed. This treatment is as popular with men as with women, and there’s a range of home products that will maintain the results – I come away with a metal foot file and a collection of lotions. My feet have never felt – or looked – better. margaretdabbs.co.uk
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