Women of Britain are becoming happier in their own skin, shunning the heavily made up looks we see in celebrity selfies and being papped on red carpets, according to research.

A survey commissioned by QVC to celebrate June Beauty Month found that 68 per cent of women said they would not want to emulate a celebrity beach look at all.

In fact, in the lead up to a summer holiday only 1.2 per cent of women use their favourite celebrity as inspiration showing they are happy with their own look.

Women do want to feel their best to boost their confidence on the beach, with 28 per cent undergoing a full body make over including manicures, pedicures, facials and applying fake tan before jetting off to the sun.

When it comes to preparing for a summer holiday, men are surprisingly willing to go that extra mile to look like their idols David Beckham, Johnny Depp and Tom Hardy. Twice as many men than women admit to having cosmetic surgery before a summer holiday.

Findings have shown that women in the North of England are twice as likely to spend more than £200 on pre-holiday beauty treatments with applying fake tan a number one priority.

In contrast those in the South spend only £80 on pre-holiday beauty treatments choosing manicures and pedicures as their main indulgence.

Once on holiday, women in the North spend up to three hours preparing for a day at the beach, whereas women in the south spend less than half an hour prepping for a day in the sun.

Research shows that while 70 per cent of the population buy sunscreen before their holiday only 34 per cent actually apply it.

Only eight per cent of under 35s even took sunscreen with them, with twice as many women using sunscreen during the summer compared to men. But when asked what would be their worst beach or pool nightmare, men were more concerned about getting burnt on the first day than women.

Sue Leeson, QVC marketing director, said: "With a summer holiday being a highlight in most people's year, it's surprising that Brits don't spend more than half a day preparing and packing. QVC can offer a one-stop destination for all your beauty advice and travel collections so you can tick that off the list and avoid those beach disasters."