The Beauty Treatments You Shouldn’t Book Right Before a Holiday

There’s something incredibly satisfying about ticking off your pre-holiday beauty appointments. Fresh hair, glowing skin, fluttery lashes and silky-smooth legs all help you feel holiday ready before you’ve even packed your suitcase.

But while it can be tempting to squeeze everything into the final few days before you fly, some treatments actually need time to settle. In fact, leaving certain appointments until the last minute could mean arriving at your destination with irritated skin, unexpected swelling or beauty results that simply don’t last.

If you’ve got a trip on the horizon, here’s why planning your beauty diary can be just as important as planning your itinerary.

Laser Hair Removal Needs Recovery Time

Laser hair removal works by targeting the hair follicle with concentrated light energy, but it also leaves your skin more sensitive for a short period afterwards.

That increased sensitivity means strong sunshine can become a real problem, particularly if you’re travelling somewhere warm. Freshly treated skin is more susceptible to irritation and changes in pigmentation, while returning for treatment immediately after a holiday can also be problematic if your skin has developed a tan.

If laser treatments are part of your regular routine, it’s generally worth scheduling them a few weeks before you travel rather than just before departure.

Microneedling Isn’t a Last-Minute Glow-Up

Microneedling has become one of the most popular treatments for improving skin texture, encouraging collagen production and softening the appearance of fine lines.

However, the treatment deliberately creates tiny micro-injuries in the skin to stimulate repair, meaning your complexion needs time to recover.

Redness and increased sensitivity are completely normal in the days afterwards, making it far from ideal immediately before spending long days outdoors.

Chemical Peels and Sunshine Don’t Mix

A chemical peel can leave your skin looking brighter and feeling incredibly smooth, but that’s because it removes the outer layers of skin as part of the treatment.

While your fresh new skin emerges, your natural skin barrier is temporarily weakened, making it much more vulnerable to UV exposure.

Allowing your skin time to heal before heading into strong sunshine helps reduce the risk of irritation and unwanted pigmentation.

Don’t Book Dermal Fillers Right Before Flying

Whether it’s lip filler or facial contouring, dermal fillers need a little time to settle before you board a plane.

Cabin pressure, dehydration during flights and warmer climates can all make post-treatment swelling appear more noticeable than it otherwise would.

Most people find any swelling settles naturally within a short period, but giving yourself a couple of weeks before travelling allows everything to calm down before your holiday photographs begin.

Dermaplaning Leaves Skin More Sensitive

Dermaplaning instantly leaves skin looking smoother by removing dead skin cells and fine facial hair.

The downside is that your freshly exfoliated skin can be more reactive to the elements for a few days afterwards.

Sea salt, sand, chlorine and strong sunshine can all feel much harsher on newly treated skin, so it’s worth allowing around a week before travelling.

Give Lash Extensions Time to Set

Nothing says holiday mode quite like waking up with perfectly full lashes.

However, the adhesive used during lash extension appointments needs time to cure properly. Swimming pools, seawater, sunscreen, steam and heat immediately afterwards can all shorten the lifespan of your lashes.

Booking your appointment several days before you travel helps ensure they’ll still look their best throughout your holiday.

Fresh Hair Colour Needs Protecting Too

A fresh colour can transform your hair before a trip, but newly coloured hair can fade more quickly when it’s immediately exposed to chlorine, saltwater and strong UV rays.

Giving your colour a few days to settle beforehand, combined with using UV protection and nourishing hair products while you’re away, will help keep your colour looking vibrant for longer.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

Preparing for a holiday isn’t just about booking appointments—it’s about booking them at the right time.

Spacing treatments out in the weeks before you travel gives your skin and hair the opportunity to recover, settle and look their absolute best when you arrive. Instead of spending your first few days managing redness or swelling, you can simply relax, enjoy your holiday and make the most of all those sunshine selfies.

This article was inspired by information originally supplied by the experts at Fresha and has been independently rewritten and expanded by Ravish Magazine.

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