Women spend more on pre-holiday treatments than the holiday itself

by Taryn Davies | 23 July 2012

How much have you spent in preparation for your holiday?

We all want to look our best on holiday, having spent weeks/months getting bikini ready, so we need a few treatments to make sure we're at our best. But when does it go too far? 

According to new research by Debenhams, we're actually spending more money on getting beach body-ready than on the actual holiday itself. 

Women spend on average £472 on beauty treatments to make sure they look beautiful poolside – almost double the cost of a seven night trip to the Costa Del Sol.

Spray tans, manicures, pedicures, waxing and eyebrow tinting top the list of pre-holiday pampering appointments in Debenhams’ Beauty Halls, as women spare no expense to ensure they look and feel their best.

Sara Stern from Debenhams said: “Looking good on holiday involves a lot more than finding that perfect bikini. Women are willing to pay to look great, and while they are happy to snap up bargain holidays, they simply won’t compromise on the cost of feeling their best.”

Far from being a last-minute rush, women are spending almost 11 hours – the same time it takes to fly to Mexico, to beautify themselves. Preparation starts around three weeks before the trip with haircuts and massages, finishing the day before with waxing and spray tans.

Sara continued: “The shocking weather we’ve had so far this summer means women want to treat themselves even more as they prepare for their breaks – many of us haven’t even been able to bare our legs this year, so a spray tan is definitely up there on the priority list.

“Our survey results show that even for a one week holiday, women are prepared to invest serious money and time in looking body-beautiful on the beach. Our beauty halls have been jam-packed with women booking holiday beauty appointments. Three weeks of preparation for one week in the sun is obviously worth it to British beauties.”

Top of the summer break preparations are: