Seeing as I'm still mourning being back in the UK and not sunning myself poolside I thought today I would write about holiday makeup! Well more travel friendly makeup and how to pack efficiently.
Unlike past years I decided to pack light for my recent holiday and only take cabin luggage with me with the maximum weight of 10kg and with of course liquid restrictions. In the past I've been a bit blurry on how many liquids I could take so I looked it up and as long as it's in the correct sized clear bag (I bought this one off eBay for 99p) you are allowed upto 1 litre of liquids (quite a lot!) in bottles no bigger than 100ml each. So with a quick overview of the makeup I planned on taking I knew I'd be fine! I did however pack lighter on the makeup front due to taking a few 100ml bottles with me however this made me take only the makeup I knew I'd use and resulted in me spending less time applying makeup and going makeup-free during the day.
Below is a look at what I took on holiday with me, along with tips on how to travel light...
Skincare
In some ways picking skincare to take on holiday is pretty easy as a lot of products now have travel friendly sizes and if you are subscribed to any monthly beauty box you will have a stack of samples you can try out whilst on holiday. Plus if you think in advance you can collect free sachets from magazines to use whilst on holiday. I did just that with my last holiday, taking 3 sachets of moisturiser to try out, a mini REN Micellar Cleansing Water (didn't love it tbh!), my trusty Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and a bar of Dead Sea Spa Magik Black Mud Soap that can be used on the both the face and body. I was tempted to take more but I decided to keep it minimal as the sun does do wonders to the skin and proper cleansing and keeping the skin hydrated is the only thing that's needed!
Makeup
If you're a makeup lover packing a compact makeup bag can easily be the most stressful part of holiday prep. Whittling down your makeup to select items isn't easy but definitely achievable, especially if you realise what you do and don't need. For me I decided to ditch primer, highlighter and to opt for multi purpose products such as brown eyeshadow for filling in my brows and using under the eyes and in the crease. My biggest tip would be to take an all-in-one palette with staple colours such as the above theBalm palette and sachet samples to try out. Rundown of my own holiday makeup bag - Dr Jart Beauty Balm, Essence Concealer, theBalm Autobalm Palette, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Clarins Mini Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - Rosewood Shimmer, Models Own Lip Stix in Beauty Blush, Benefit Roller Lash Mascara Mini and L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim. I also picked up a Makeup Revolution 'What You Waiting For?' Palette (£6.00 - Superdrug here) whilst on holiday! Side note - TOTAL love.
Extra Tip: If you are taking sachets with you, whether it be foundation, moisturisers or primer samples, instead of ripping off the top then wondering how you are going to store it without it leaking, simply prick the middle of the sachet with either a pin or the end of a hair grip (with the rubber tip removed of course). Then you can squeeze out exactly how much you need each time!
Hair
For my hair I kept it simple with a travel size shampoo and conditioner (50/60ml is just enough for a 2-week holiday) and a hair oil that could be used on both wet and dry hair - essential if you are going to be swimming in a pool or the sea. For my last holiday I took a OGX Macadamia Oil shampoo mini (from Tesco or Waitrose) as I love the brand and most shampoos from the brand are SLS-free and a Aussie 3 Minute Deep Conditioner, again because I love Aussie as a brand and because I can't get enough of the bubblegum scent! I also decided to take a sachet of L'Oreal Extraordinary Hair Oil (free in a random magazine) instead of risking a bottle leaking over everything, which actually worked out really well and lasted around 10 days.
Body
Packing SPF is a must! Of course you could buy it on holiday but from experience you don't want to risk buying outdated suncream which will give a lower SPF (this can happen if you go to a small resort) and it will most likely cost you more. Easily my favourite easy-to-apply suncream, well oil is Calyspo SPF30-50 Sun Protection Oil, it's the best non-sticky spray oil I've used. As I only travelled with cabin luggage I was restricted on liquids but I simply decanted the 200ml bottle into two 100ml spray bottles which I purchased in travel bottle set from Poundland. Another essential is deodorant, a mini will do just fine and can be picked up from any supermarket. The one product I don't pack however is moisturiser as I always like to slather it on and be quite liberal with it, so I always buy a big tub of moisturiser/after sun lotion whilst on holiday.
Extras
For me extras are perfume, nail polish, hair ties and makeup brushes. General extras that seem to bulk up your makeup bag but are very much needed. Starting with perfume as it's pretty much a holiday staple for most, I like to take away a few choices, this year I went for Ted Baker Lyla perfume as it's the perfect size and so sweet smelling, a Cartier mini and a Travelo style atomiser filled with Vera Wang Princess in it. Travelo can be picked up from fragrance shops and Amazon but the much cheaper £1.65 version I decided to buy off eBay here did the exact same job! As for nail polish, again travel/minis are a must. I seem to have a ton of Ciate minis so I went for a vivid orange shade but OPI also offer mini sets as well as Essie offering mini trio sets online and in Boots stores.
Hopefully this has been helpful to all the over-packers out there!
If you are going on holiday this year - Stay strong, I know you've got this!
Fee xo.
When it comes to packing for a holiday the one thing I like to do is plan in advance for what toiletries I will be taking with me.
Mainly because they really can take up a lot of room and weight but also I like to pamper myself a bit more on holiday with products I really love.
I've mentioned before that I like to create a holiday box where I keep travel minis I acquire, then nearer the time I decide on what I actually want to take with me. Travel minis are not only great for taking on holiday but for trying out products that are quite expensive full price before parting with your money.
So I thought I'd run through some of my favourite minis and what you can find online & on the high street as there is now such a huge choice available.
Facial Skincare Minis
Sanctuary Toner 30ml £2.99 here/Liz Earle C&P £5.50 here/DHC Cleansing Oil 30ml £4.50 here/Weleda Skin Food 30ml £4.95 here/Simple Eye Makeup Remover 50ml £1.32 here/Avene Thermal Water Spray 50ml £3.15 here/Weleda Face Cream 10ml £2.45 here/Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Toner 10ml £4.00 here.
When it comes to skincare I personally like to decant some of my moisturiser & face wash in to a travel bottle/pot (as I don't want to switch up my routine too much on holiday) and then purchase all the other things in travel size, such as a cream cleanser, toner and a water spritz. The things I like to spend a little bit more on is my cleanser which I will always purchase a 50ml Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish of as I know it will suit however my skin will be and it also comes with a muslin cloth. I also like to pick up a Avene or La Roche Posay Facial Water instead of a £1 version as I find cheaper versions do smell quite chemically and the mist isn't very fine.
As for other minis, Sanctuary Toner is a really low priced option for combination/oily skin and good because mini toners are hard to find on the high street. Also Weleda Skin Food is an amazing multi-use mini to take on holiday - good for dry skin,nappy rash, as a lip balm and on sun burn.
Moisturiser & Sun Cream Minis
The Body Shop Body Butter 50ml £3.00/ Tesoc Anovia SPF30 Sun Lotion 50ml £1.00/Korres Body Butter 50ml £3.00 Waitrose/ Kiko After Sun 9g £4.20 here/Nip + Fab Body Butter Smoothie 50ml £2.95 Boots/Soap & Glory Body Butter 50ml £2.50 here/Hawaiian SPF30 Sun Lotion 100ml £3.99 here/Champneys Body Butter 50ml £2.50 here.
For me suncream and moisturiser are essential on a summer/abroad holiday. I of course take away a full size sunscreen that is normally a 30 or 50 SPF dry oil spray but then also a mini suncream that I can keep in my bag when I know I'll be out for the day and not just next to the pool or on the beach. This year Tesco have come out with some super cheap 30 and 50ml mini sun creams, but if you want to go for a known brand then you can find mini Hawaiian Tropic Suncreams online and in various supermarkets.
As for moisturiser I find myself using it a lot more on holiday as I have the time and I feel my skin needs to be hydrated after swimming more and being out in the sun all day. So I like to take away a heavenly scented body butter. I really can't decide which my favourite moisturiser is between the Body Shop, Korres, S&G and Nip & Fab minis as they are all amazing.
Nail Polish & Manicure Minis
Essie Minis 4 set £10.99 here/Nails Inc 5 minis £15 here/Orly £5 each Boots/OPI 4 set £13.95 here/Seche Vite Mini 3ml £3.45 here/Pretty Quik Nail Polish Remover 30ml £2.50 here/Lavera Hand Cream 20ml £2.56 here/Mavala 5ml £4.50 here.
Mini nail polishes are definitely a must for holidays as it means you can take a few colours with you without adding any weight to your suitcase. My personal favourites would be both the Essie and OPI mini sets as they are affordable and also themed... Essie do seasonal sets for Spring, Summer, Winter and OPI do so many that you will be spoilt for choice. However if you are one for just taking one shade with you then Orly and Mavala offer a whole range of minis for under £5 and in that case I would highly recommend the mini Seche Vite Top Coat to keep your manicure looking glossy and perfect.
As for nail extras I cannot stand the nail remover wipes, they are just so greasy feeling, so this Pretty Quink Nail Polish Remover would be my weapon of choice as it's an easy to use tub and only dinky at 30ml. Plus I would take it still sealed so no risk of leakages and then throw it away at the end of my holiday. If you are one to take away hand cream like me to keep your nails in good condition than a wonderfully light and aqua smelling one is the one from Lavera.
Haircare & Styling Minis
Moroccan Oil 25ml £11.99 here/Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask 20ml £4.70 here/The Body Shop Hair Butter 50ml £3.00 here/Macadamia Leave-in Cream 60ml £2.69 here/S&G Conditioner 50ml £2.50 here/Label M Sea Salt Spray 50ml £4.00 here/Bastiste Dry Shampoo 50ml £1.50 Boots/Bumble & Bumble Hairspray 50ml £7.50 here or free with this month's ELLE magazine!
Another important aspect of my toiletries stash is haircare. As I use SLS-free shampoo I tend to decant whatever shampoo I'm using into two 100ml bottles and then purchase a few nice hair products such as a hair mask/hair butter and a styling product. For conditioner my favourite is the Macadamia Deep Repair Mask which I take a few sachets of and then I normally pick up a full size Aussie conditioner at Boots before boarding the plane as I do get through a lot due to swimming daily.
As for styling products I would love to take my beloved Moroccan Oil however the small glass bottle is weighty so I take a cream product such as the Macadamia Leave In Cream which really helps control frizz in humid weather. Dry Shampoo is also an essential for me and fortunately whilst writing this post I actually spotted a great offer on Look Fantastic here when purchasing two Label M product (including minis) you receive a lovely summer printed scarf for free. So you could pick up the dry shampoo and sea salt spray for only £7.50 with free p&p and receive the lovely scarf. Also this month you can pick up the Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hair Spray for free with the September Issue of Elle (£4.00)!
Fake Tan & Exfoliating Minis
Xen Ten Bestsellers Set 3 minis £9.99 with £5 voucher £9.99 here/St. Tropez Gradual Tan 75ml £7.00 ASOS, The Body Shop Body Scrub 50ml £3.00/Bourjois Bronzing Primer 18g £9.99 here/Garnier Bronzing Face Mist 75ml £6.95 here/Sanctuary Body Scrub 50ml £2.50 here/St. Moriz Mini Pack of 3 £3.49 here.
Last year I made the mistake of applying a gradual fake tan before I went on holiday and not taking anything with me. This resulted in my tan fading within a few days due to shaving and the amount of swimming I was doing. So this year I have vowed to be prepared (I'm having a winter sun holiday in late November)! I think the self tan sets that you can purchase will be my best option for me with the Xen Tan and St Moriz sets being the most affordable... though St Tropez is a perfect fake tan as well. For exfoliating my scrub of choice would always be a 50ml mini from The Body Shop in an amazing fruity scent.
For an instant top up tan when you want to look extra bronzed a spray mist is ideal, it is light weight and very quick and easy to use. The Garnier Bronzing Mist is specifically for the face but there is no reason not to use it on the chest and the tops of the shoulders. Also a new product that isn't a travel size but small and compact is the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, I absolutely love all the bronzing products that Bourjois do and this looks like a really lovely product that won't leak.
Woosh that was a longer post than I expected it to be! But hopefully I have covered everything and given you a few ideas if you are going on holiday this year.
Fee xo.
Xen Ten Bestsellers Set 3 minis £9.99 with £5 voucher £9.99 here/St. Tropez Gradual Tan 75ml £7.00 ASOS, The Body Shop Body Scrub 50ml £3.00/Bourjois Bronzing Primer 18g £9.99 here/Garnier Bronzing Face Mist 75ml £6.95 here/Sanctuary Body Scrub 50ml £2.50 here/St. Moriz Mini Pack of 3 £3.49 here.
Last year I made the mistake of applying a gradual fake tan before I went on holiday and not taking anything with me. This resulted in my tan fading within a few days due to shaving and the amount of swimming I was doing. So this year I have vowed to be prepared (I'm having a winter sun holiday in late November)! I think the self tan sets that you can purchase will be my best option for me with the Xen Tan and St Moriz sets being the most affordable... though St Tropez is a perfect fake tan as well. For exfoliating my scrub of choice would always be a 50ml mini from The Body Shop in an amazing fruity scent.
For an instant top up tan when you want to look extra bronzed a spray mist is ideal, it is light weight and very quick and easy to use. The Garnier Bronzing Mist is specifically for the face but there is no reason not to use it on the chest and the tops of the shoulders. Also a new product that isn't a travel size but small and compact is the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, I absolutely love all the bronzing products that Bourjois do and this looks like a really lovely product that won't leak.
Woosh that was a longer post than I expected it to be! But hopefully I have covered everything and given you a few ideas if you are going on holiday this year.
Fee xo.
When it comes to packing for a holiday whether it's in this country or abroad I enjoy hunting down my holiday essentials a head of time. I actually create a little holiday box a few months before which I add to with travel minis (you can see the holiday box I created for my holiday last year here).
I of course pick up a few travel minis from Tesco and Asda but I've found the best place to pick up holiday essentials is eBay. So here are some great bargains I've found so far...
Makeup Bag - Chains Ahoy
£4.29 free p&p here
When it comes to makeup bags I am a bit fussy on the design, but then I think there are so many horrible ones out there! So I was really impressed when I came across this nautical themed one. A perfect design for holidays and it's also a good size at 30 x 21cm. Also come in a fun robot print as well!
Tigi 5pcs Air Tight Travel Kit
£2.99 free p&p here
Travel bottles are essential for minizing space and weight in your suitcase. This set is not only cheap but contains 3 good sized bottles for shampoo, conditioner and fake tan or de-tangling spray (a must if you're going to be going swimming!). Then the two pots would be great for foundation and moisturiser. It also comes with a handy clear bag that is good in case anything leaks. I will definitely be snapping this up.
EcoTools Bamboo Makeup Brush Kit
£2.89 free p&p here
Now I'm not 100% sure on the authenticity of this brush set but having purchased the bigger sized set I know the quality of the brushes is really great. A travel set like this along with a few of your favourite brushes is really all you need. Also how cheap?!
Portable Power Battery for iPhone 3GS/4/4S
£3.95 free p&p here
I'm sure if you're a fellow iPhone user then you will agree when I say that the battery life totally sucks! Most days my phone will be dead by the afternoon so this for me is something I may just have to get. However this is more for if you are travelling within the UK really and may be taking more videos or photos and staying out all day. Just pop this on to the port at the bottom of the phone and you can instantly bring your phone back to life for up to 6 hours!
Refillable Perfume Atomiser
99p + 54p p&p here
Self explanatory really - think the Travelo but cheaper! This cuts down on having to take heavy perfumes with you on holiday and also means you can take it on the flight with you (as it's under the liquid limit). I will be making sure to purchase at least two of these for my upcoming holiday and fill them with my favourite fragrances.
Seche Vite Top Coat Mini 3.6ml
£2.45 free p&p here
Seche Vite is my new favourite top coat however there is no way I would take a full bottle of it with me on holiday. But a top coat over manicures is 100% needed on holiday, with going swimming, going to the beach and being in the sun. So this mini bottle is absolutely perfect! So pleased I came across this.
CND Solar Cuticle Oil Mini 3.7ml
£2.85 free p&p here
Another lucky find! This is the cuticle oil that all the top nail artists use so for me this is a great way to try it out without purchasing it full price. But again a great size for taking on holiday to keep your nails and cuticles in perfect condition.
Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitiser Gel
£2.84 free p&p here
I feel I've mentioned these so much in the past month but hand sanitiser is without a doubt needed when travelling and on holiday. But these cute little anti-bac gels come in so many different scents to suit your tastes and the holiday you are going on.
I also spotted something I'd never even heard of - Paper Soap Leaves, £2.46 here! These a thin paper like discs that are actually soap. They come in all different fruity scents and look ideal for keeping in your handbag and travelling with. I decided to purchase the cherry ones so I'm sure I will be writing a post on them soon enough.
Fee xo.
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