Summer has finally graced us with its blissfully sunny presence and we have gleefully banished our heavy winter coats to the darkest depths of our wardrobes.
Beer gardens are brimming, birds seem to be singing slightly chirpier songs, friends are planning festival frolics and our pasty, dehydrated skins need a good pre-tanning seeing to.
Summertime means serious skin and haircare rituals, so in true 7 Star Life style, I’ve come up with a nifty beauty guide to help you stay looking fabulous for a long summer of endless jet setting, socialising and scandalous romancing.
1. Get Waxed
Before you even think about trying on that skimpy bikini for that week long break in the Cote d’ Azur, you better book yourself in pronto for a cheeky Brazilian. Not any salon will do mind – for a true 7 Star experience, we recommend the aptly named Strip in London’s naughty Soho. Founded in 2005 by two sisters, the salon was the UK’s first waxing only bar, focusing on turning hair removal into a more luxurious experience.
Friendly therapists are trained to get the job done as quickly as possible whilst you lie back on a comfortable treatment bed in plush surroundings. I was mesmerised by the painting of the giant kitty being fed chocolate sauce by beautiful maidens.
Only Lycon wax is used due to its pain minimising properties and ability to remove stubborn hairs as short as 1mm.
I’m one of those embarrassing people who tend to cry out in pain during eyebrow threading, yet I was pleasantly surprised by my waxing experience at Strip and will return.
There’s also a chic selection of erotic lingere on display in case your newly hair-free neither regions give you the urge to make a sexy sartorial purchase.
2. Exfoliate and cleanse
Before jetting off in search of significantly sunnier climes to start that all important tanning process, make sure you throughly exfoliate your body to slough away dead skin cells and create a smooth, even canvas for a gorgeous sun kissed colour to be proud of.
I make my own natural scrub by combining pink Himalayan salt with organic, raw coconut oil and give myself a hearty rub down before rinsing off and lathering up using a cotton mitt and a generous squirt of my favourite Dr Bronner’s 18 in 1 Pure Castile Soap (£17.49) – a generous sized bottle of sudsy joy made with 100% natural, organic, vegan and fair trade ingredients. They come in a variety of scents to suit your mood – I am particularly fond of the rose, which is completely void of artificial nasties and contains a powerhouse of skin-loving ingredients.
3. Get your beauty sleep at 30,000 feet
The Calm Inflight Beauty Sleep Set (£32.00) is a Godsend for beauty-loving jet setters with a penchant for snug snoozing mid flight. This essential hand luggage compatable kit contains a travel-sized Calm After Dark Face Oil – rich in skin-plumping apricot kernel oil, antioxidant abundant rosehip fruit oil and calming chamomile flower oil to help promote a deliriously deep slumber and nourish parched complexions.
The set also includes a gloriously scented After Dark Balm – a skin-smoothing concoction of shea butter, ylang ylang and sandalwood oil, as well as a slinky black silk eye mask and a pair of squishy ear plugs to muffle out annoying flight noises.
Flying severely dehydrates my skin, so after slathering on the face oil and balm before drifting off for a couple of hours, I awoke refreshed to a glowing, perfectly hydrated complexion.
The best part? The balm and the face oil are both 100% natural, so fret not about nasty parabens or artificial additives.
3. Protect and hydrate
Whilst basking merely under the sun’s rays may feel like you’ve discovered the true meaning of life, it is somewhat damaging to the skin, so ensure you protect and hydrate with an SPF of at least 15.
Green People’s non-comedogenic Dual UV Protection Day Solution SPF 15 (£18.00) offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection whilst effectively moisturising skin to help prevent premature skin ageing.
Organic aloe vera soothes inflamed, sunburnt skin, whilst antioxidant-rich hemp, jojoba, green tea and chamomile hydrate and fight against the detrimental effects of those naughty free radicals ageing us before our time.
Layer over a serious slathering of Sukin’s Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil (£19.95) to lock in essential moisture and give an extra antioxidant boost.
4. Beautify your bod
Long days spent mincing about in salty sea water and partaking in tanning competitions with your chums can lead to dry, peeling bodies in need of some serious TLC, so it’s an absolute must to invest in a slinky, skin-softening body oil.
Best smoothed on slightly damp skin after a shower, the summery sounding Hello Sunshine body oil ( £22.50) by MOA contains a zesty concoction of essential oils to revive and reinvigorate your skin and senses.
The uplifting blend of organic eucalyptus, lemongrass, marjoram and pine also contains the healing British herb yarrow – renowned for its anti-inflammatory action and skin-hydrating properties.
This heavenly scented product also contains sesame seed oil – ideal for post sun exposure and boosting the circulation due to its high percentage of fatty acids, linoleic acid and vitamins E, D and B.
