2011 Trips Abroad| Trip Testimonials | Terms and Conditions | What to bring on your trip | Preparing for your trip |
 
 
Our trips abroad are always the trip of a lifetime for any new or existing model, and so of course you want to look your best. So we have put together this guide for you to help you prepare for the shoot and ensure you look a million dollars in your images!
   

Fitness and diet

Inside the Academy you will find loads of advice articles on how to look your best, on what to wear for the shoots and how to pose, to how to style your make up and hair.

You'll also find sections on fitness and diet if you feel you want to tone up, and even more advice on ensuring your hair, nails, skin etc look their best as well.

So if you are not already a member on the Academy make sure you sign up to read all the articles, and to enjoy all the other benefits that you will receive as an Academy member as well.

All Academy members get discounted memberships at Fitness First gyms around the country so if you are looking to tone up make sure you check out our special offers section inside the Academy for more information.

If your looking to lose weight you will need to do cardio workouts such as jogging at least 4 times a week in the months leading up to the trip to see a difference. If you just want to tone up then we recommend 'The Tracey Anderson Mat Workout DVD' for a fantastic total body workout at home.

There are lots of tips inside the Academy on how to burn fat and what to eat to ensure you look good, just keep imagining yourself on the private beach right on the Red Sea shooting in your bikini!

That's all the motivation you need to start a fitness plan now! If you need extra motivation just think of how gorgeous you will look in your bikini posing for all of your portfolio images!
       

Kerri's guide to preparing for your trip - Passport and essential documents
       

Your passport

It sounds obvious that the most essential thing to bring is your passport but on the last Egypt trip a girl got hers stolen the night before the trip and sadly she had to miss out on coming with us! Firstly ensure your passport has an expiry date with at least 6 months left on it after the dates of the trip - as Thomson are very strict on this, check with them directly if you are unsure.

Secondly - keep it somewhere safe, ideally in your suitcase with other essential items, and do not use it as ID in the weeks leading up to the trip in case someone steals it! If you do lose it you can sometimes get a replacement if they have a few days notice, the first thing to do is inform your passport office. Sometimes your trip is covered under your insurance if you lose your passport so make sure you check to see if this is included so you can claim the costs back.

It's a good idea to photocopy your passport and leave a copy with family, and take another copy with you. If you then lose your passport out there then it's easier for your embassy to help you get home if you have these details. You will be required to fill your passport information in online on the Thomson website up to two weeks before the trip - Kerri will send you the link and log in to do this and it is very simple.

Your insurance

Make sure you get valid travel insurance for your trip, this will not only cover your belongings, but delays with your flight or unforseen circumstances that may arise, as well as sickness whilst abroad. It is a legal requirement that you have travel insurance before you travel, and you will need a worldwide cover. For a single trip this can cost as little as £10 just click here to visit the Go Compare website.

Tickets

I will be having all the tickets sent to me, so that's one thing off your mind! We will check in together at the airport and I will keep your tickets safe for the journey home as well so you do not need to worry about them.
       

Kerri's guide to preparing for your trip - transport to the airport
       

Airports on our trips may vary, and flight times may be early. Details will be given before you book onto the trip. I recommend finding a hotel nearby and travelling down the night before, you'll pay the same for a night at a hotel as you would for a weeks car parking at the airport - and the hotels always include up to two weeks free parking free of charge as well!

I always set up a private Facebook group for trip members only so you can look into car sharing with other models, or photographers going on the trip. There are always coaches going from most major cities to the airports so this is a cheaper option just allow yourself a couple of hours extra time to allow for traffic.

       

Kerri's guide to preparing for your trip - packing
       

As you buy new bits and pieces for your trip I recommend packing them in a case straight away so you do not lose them, as well as everything else you are taking which you will not need to use before you go - beach towels, beach bags, books etc. Then things like your wash bag and make up things can be put into the case at the last minute before you leave so you can use them before you go.

Make sure you buy a sturdy suitcase and make sure it is not too flash - the expensive, designer suitcases are always the first to go missing with dodgy airport staff looking for things to steal! Recent documentries have shown airport staff even in the UK nicking items from your cases so do not pack anything valuable - if you want to take anything expensive such as jewellery, please pack it in your hand luggage where you can keep an eye on it.

Wrap any curling tongs or straigheners (if they are GHD's put them in your hand luggage) in your beach towel to protect them from getting damaged when other cases are thrown on top of them - hard cases are best for protecting your belongings.

Roll your clothes or lay them flat at the bottom of your case to stop them from creasing, and I always bring a small travel iron with me to iron out creases when I get there. Pack any toiletries in waterproof bags so they do not leak over all of your nice clothes!

Kerri's guide to preparing for your trip - Beauty

You want to ensure you look your best from head to toe for your trip and it's amazing how much the little details are noticed in your images - the last thing you want is chipped nail varnish and roots! So here's my guide to ensure you look your best in your shoots and feel amazing as well - as when you look nice you will appear much more confident in your images.

Your Hair

Make sure your hair is in good condition before the trip with some deep conditioning treatments the week before (lay in the bath with a hair mask or treatment on and leave it on for half an hour) this will ensure its silky and soft when you arrive.

Take a deep conditioner with you as well or a leave in condition such as Aussie Miracle products, as you do not want to come back to the UK with frazzled hair!

If you highlight your hair make sure you do not have roots as you will find your hair grows quickly abroad and roots will worsen towards the end of the week - make sure it is freshly done a few days before you go. If you dye your hair get it done a few days before as well as the colour will fade quickly if your in the swimming pool and sea and washing it every day.

Trim off any dry ends so they do not split in the sun, and protect your hair with a hat and a sun protecting spray so it stays in good condition throughout your trip.

I use Boots 'Sun, Sea, Swim' range to protect my hair, especially before I go in the swimming pool or in the sea! In fact I usually use so many products it usually comes back in better condition than when I left!

    

Your Nails

If you wear fake nails make sure you get them done a couple of days before so they are less likely to break, and take some stick on ones with you to replace any that break off as there's nothing worse than long french manicured acrylic nails with one or two missing!

If you have natural nails get a manicure or do one yourself, and take a nail varnish remover and more varnish with you in case it chips when you are away. Don't forget to take nail files in case you chip one! If your nails are short (which mine are from all the martial arts I do) just have them neatly manicured with a pale pink natural polish on them, this looks just as nice.

Don't forget your toes! French manicure looks fantastic on toes and this is what I always go for. You can get away with bright colours on your toes and nails when your abroad - just match them to the colour of your bikini's for each shoot!

If your nails tend to break easily use a strengthening polish a week before you go on the trip, and continue to use it whilst abroad. Never use this for more that two weeks at a time though as it makes your nails weaker in the long run as they start to rely on it!
   

Your Skin

Make sure you moisturize your skin every day leading up to the trip - and scrub off any fake tan. The worst thing you can do is have a spray tan as this stops you from tanning and you will not get a tan whilst you are away!

Do not use fake tan at all for two weeks - and I never use sunbeds as they are bad for you however I recommend a couple before you go, so your skin gets used to the sun.

Give your skin a body polish the day before, scrubbing off the dead skin cells so you tan evenly and your tan lasts for longer as well. You will be sunbathing each day so you'll be nice and brown for your shoots.

Make sure you use lots of after sun lotion every day, and use a high factor so you do not burn as there is nothing worse than looking red in your images! Burning will also lead to peeling which looks horrid!

When sunbathing most girls went topless in March to avoid marks, even thought I was a Page 3 model I still get shy when I'm on holiday and like to cover up so I just pull the straps down on my bikini top or wear a strapless one.

Try to avoid tan lines by constantly changing your straps, and wearing smaller bikinis when you sunbath.

Waxed skin can get irritated by the sun so I recommend just shaving. You can use bronzing lotions on your body to make you look browner for your shoots - use the wash off ones and it wont affect your tan.

Your Face

My face never tans and is always pale, no matter how much my body tans so I just keep it out of the sun with a hat and protect it with a high factor to prevent wrinkles. So I always fake tan my face and take a face tanning spray with me so my face matches my body as I tan! I also take a couple of different bronzers to match how brown my body is as you can get quite dark by the end of the week in Egypt!

I always dye my eyebrows dark brown and my eyelashes black using a kit from Boots, then I don't mind sunbathing by the pool with no make up on during the day! I usually exfoliate then put on a face mask the day before as it makes your face glow.

Preventing Heat rash

It is so hot in Egypt a lot of people get this and it's horrible! I only started getting it a few years ago on my chest from too many shoots abroad (Maxim magazine covering you in baby oil on the beach in Mexico really does not help!) and it is itchy and painful and turns your skin bright red! My skin used to then burn and peel so it's best to try and avoid it as it can ruin your images. Even if you have not had it before I recommend taking antihistime tablets a week before your trip and continue to take them throughout the trip. Sun tan oils instead of lotion also causes it as it clogs up your pores.

Piz Buin sun tan lotion is the best one for preventing heat rash and since I have started using this and taking the tablets I have never got it since. Take an aloe vera gel with you if you do burn easily or get heat rash, to treat it in case you get it.