Infinite Ideas - Instant Beauty: How to Look Fabulous Every Day

Instant beauty

How to look fabulous every day

Infinite Ideas with Linda Bird & Eve Cameron

7. The tan commandments

Having a tan makes you look thinner, healthier and sexier. There really is no downside lookswise. But healthwise, you have to prepare yourself for the beach.

So weve all heard about the dental floss look on Copacabana Beach. That minuscule, almost invisible bikini all those hot Brazilian chicks wear.

But how would you look in one of those while sunning yourself in Norfolk? (An unlikely thought in itself.) Its no good just exposing that wobbly white flesh and hoping youll leave the beach looking like Halle Berry. Youll look more like a boiled lobster. You need to prepare yourself for the suntan and this can take weeks of forward planning.

You need to prepare your skin, especially if its fair. Some people take beta carotene pills for a few weeks before they go on holiday. This substance can help you go brown and can be found in carrots and other brightly coloured vegetables as well as the pills. You should exfoliate before you expose your skin to the sun. This removes dead skin and makes the tan more even. Try body brushing or use exfoliating creams. Once on holiday be sure to put on sunscreen before tanning and not just when youve burnt (when its too late). Sunscreens should be applied about half an hour before you go outside. During the first few days, limit your tanning sessions to 20 minutes and avoid the sun between 11.30 and 2.30. You must moisturise all the time, use a good aftersun product in the evening and keep piling on that cream during the day. The sun drinks the moisture from your skin. It also removes collagen, the substance that gives your skin elasticity. So you need to make sure you take plenty of vitamin C while on holiday as your body cant produce collagen without it.

Tanned skin is damaged skin and the more you expose the skin to the sun the more damaged it will become over time. No wonder so many people swear by fake tan. Products are improving all the time so if you purchase and apply wisely you should be able to avoid the dreaded streaks. To ensure even colour remember to exfoliate before applying the fake tan and apply sparingly to areas like knees and elbows. Either wear special fake tanning gloves or wash the palms of your hands thoroughly after applying.

You also need to prepare your body. This means a diet and a strict exercise regime at least two months before you plan to wear that dental floss. In terms of what to wear on the beach, this obviously depends on who youre holidaying with and where youre going. In Rio one can definitely get away with a minuscule bikini. They wear practically nothing there, even the women without great bodies. Somehow they get away with it, they move well, are tanned and confident.

The only thing to avoid is looking cheap. You can always wear the minuscule bikini while lying around trying to catch the rays but cover up with a sarong when youre wandering about. A classic swimming costume can be extremely elegant and sexy too, dont assume that in the beachwear stakes less is always more.

Dont forget your hair. Sea water and sun can take their toll. Give it a deep conditioning treatment every time you wash it. Comb the conditioner through carefully and wrap your hair in a hot towel. If youre trying to go blonde then squeeze lemon juice into it for some natural and cheap highlights. But dont forget to condition it well every day as lemon juice has a drying effect.

How did it go?

QCant I just cover myself in oil for that really sexy look?

AOf course. Once the sun has gone down. But during the day you need a proper sun cream. Oil will attract the sun and youll literally fry. If you live in a warm climate (or even during the summer months in the UK) you should wear a moisturiser with an SPF of at least 15 to protect your face. It is recommended that you throw away old sunscreens and buy new ones every year since the effect of the heat will make them basically useless the following season. A bit expensive, but there are so many new improved products out you might want a change anyway.

QIf I wear suntan lotion every time Im never going to get brown in two weeks. How can I look gorgeous?

ABut you might look better at fifty. Sun-damaged skin looks rough, red and puffy. And thats just before we start on the risk of skin cancer. No one wants to be a killjoy but theres evidence that binge-tanning really going for it for just a few weeks a year carries more risk of cancer than exposure over a longer period.

Heres an idea for you

Try bleaching the body hair that youre holding on to before you start sunbathing. That way they will be lovely and blonde, making you look even more tanned and gorgeous, and you wont be self conscious about them. Jolen Cream Bleach is the best one.

Defining idea

Summertime and the livin is easy.

HEYWARD and GERSHWIN, American songwriters.

8. Get the most out of your holiday

Theres nothing like a fortnight in the sun to make you feel more gorgeous, so why not book one today? Its therapy.

The key to a successful holiday is to extract the maximum benefit you possibly can from them, while paying very little yourself. Heres how.

Eat like a Mediterranean

We all know that holidays can be great for our looks. Theres usually a choice of delicious new foods to be sampled, so while youre away make a conscious effort to eat better lots of wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and proteins such as lean meat and fish. That way youll be getting a wider range of vitamins and minerals.

Make dining a special experience. Take pleasure in setting the table and preparing the food. If you really relish what youre eating youll eat less, as it takes twenty minutes for the brain to learn that youre full. And no reading or watching TV or standing up while youre eating, or munching on the run. The idea is to savour the smells, sensations and colours of the food, and to slow down to help digestion.

Also, aim to drink more water. This shouldnt be hard as youll want to stay cool poolside, but make sure you at least match every alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Try, too, to make time for breakfast. This shouldnt be difficult either as it is such a treat to linger over breakfast, rather than having to run out to work with a piece of toast in your handbag. Plus nutritionists say that breakfast is one of the best ways to control your weight and boost your metabolism.

Explore, create, dream

Theres nothing like a holiday somewhere exotic and/or romantic for firing up your passions. The sun, food, architecture, history or the region can all stir up your imagination and rekindle your joie de vivre. Capitalise on this and dont merely bury yourself in your Jilly Cooper novel.

Use your holiday as a springboard for new beginnings. If youre thinking of making a career change or redecorating the spare room, nows the time to do the groundwork. While youre on your chaise longue, make a couple of to-do lists; things to do today, this month, this year, that you want to achieve before youre thirty/forty/married/infirm, whatever. It could be a safari in Africa, losing 5 kg or running a marathon. This is an extremely motivating exercise, plus youll feel great as you tick things off your list. Think back to ambitions you had as a young un. Have they changed or have you neglected them? Its never too late to learn something new, see another continent, write your first novel, etc. The more fulfilled you are in life, the more confident and contented youll appear and 100% more attractive to boot!

Move that beach body

We tend to spend most of our holiday outdoors, soaking up rays. However, rather than surgically attaching yourself to a deckchair, aim to incorporate at least thirty minutes of strenuous activity into your day. Swim, try windsurfing or diving, run on the beach, play Frisbee anything that gets your heart rate pumping. And use your holiday to strengthen your relationship. Use the extra time you have for talking, sightseeing, taking up new hobbies together or inspecting the hotel linen together. Get motivated!