In this five-part series we speak to beauty aficionados with different areas of expertise. We're finding out how you can get your customers beach-ready, from their hair right down to their feet and everything in between. In this third instalment, we're looking at nutrition...
All of your customers know that healthy eating will help them feel better on a beach break. But all too often, they start planning too late and end up trying a crash diet at the last minute. “Ideally customers should think about changing their eating habits about one month before a holiday,” says nutritionist and food writer Fiona Hunter.
Even if a customer doesn’t want to lose weight, their skin could benefit from a small pre-holiday diet swap. Hunter says: “Eating more fruit and vegetables is the best thing someone can do for their skin.” Foods rich in selenium, such as Brazil nuts, and lycopene, such as tomatoes and watermelon, will help prepare and protect the skin from the sun. Although, she warns: “This is not a substitute for good sunscreen”.
While away it’s easy to overindulge, but this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Hunter suggests fresh fruit and yoghurt or an omelette for breakfast to look and feel well throughout the break. “If a customer starts off well they can have some more leeway to eat less healthily later in the day,” she says.
Once the trip is over, Hunter advises customers to eat plenty of red, yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, apricots and peppers. She says these foods are rich in beta-carotene, which will improve the overall tone of the skin.
If your customer is worried about slipping out of their usual healthy habits when they return, tell them not to panic and not to go on a crash diet. Hunter explains that after a week or two of following their usual routine, your customers will get back to normal. Some holiday habits can actually be beneficial such as eating proper meals. “This is a good habit for customers to keep when they get back so advise them to start planning lunches in advance rather than just grabbing food on the go.”