This year I’ve been lucky enough to go on quite a few holidays, and I’ve gathered a list of a few things that I think are key to looking your best but also keeping it simple on holiday.
SPF
Now this one is an obvious one, but I’ve found that I apply sun cream a lot more regularly when I have my own special one. It’s a lot more satisfying and luxe smoothing a higher end cream into your skin than smearing a standard Nivea sun cream all over your face, and body, and being an odd tinge of slimy white until it sinks in. I’ve been using the ESPA ProDefence SPF 15 because it fits nicely in with my skincare to makeup routine rather than being a separate chore to put on. I love how it smells, and how silky it is on my skin.
If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, the Body Shop SPF 50 is really nice underneath makeup and sinks in almost instantly. Although I have seen some controversy as to whether it is actually a sun cream and protects you against UVA and UVB rays, but I won’t bore you with that here.
Perfume
I really don’t have a good sense of smell, but this trick still works for me (albeit not for long). For the last couple of years I always try and buy a new scent in the airport, because scent is so closely linked to memories. Every time I smell Flora by Gucci it transports me back to being in our family holiday last year. This time I went for the Tiffany & Co. perfume because I was given a sample of it when I bought my necklace in America, and used it up straight away. I even got a few compliments at work about it.
Not only is the box and the bottle gorgeous, and look stunning sat in your bathroom, but it smells amazing too. It’s main scents are iris, patchouli and musk. I’m not one for sickly sweet fragrances, this is just light and floral enough for me. You can get it engraved when you buy online, but I bought mine in store so I could double check that I loved it, and there was no point engraving because it’s obviously mine and not matts on the dressing table, lol. However this is a great option for a gift!
Lip balm
I’m not a big lipstick wearer, I stick to the same shades of nude and usually go for a liquid lipstick, but these can be quite drying. When I’m on holiday I love to look glossy, shimmery and beachy, so lip balm is the way forward for me. I used to always buy an Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream lip balm in some form or another, so I’ve now got quite the collection of them dotted around that I am trying to work my way through.
I don’t buy these anymore because they are not cruelty free, but I wish they were because they really are amazing. My lips feel super soft and plump, but also look like I am wearing clear lipgloss, kind of the look I am going for. I’m on an eternal hunt to find something similar but cruelty free (and hopefully a bit cheaper), but until I do I’ve got quite a nice supply of my Lizzie A balm to keep me going. Also extra SPF on my lips can’t hurt can it?
Wet Brush
I really don’t know why I haven’t broadcasted my love for this before. I’ve got the pink paddle wet brush, and I could never go back to using a normal brush after this. I have really thick, pretty curly hair, that matts into a big knot whenever it gets the slightest big damp. After years of effing and blinding, tears, snapping brushes (think Princess Diaries), and pulling clumps of hair out, I’ve finally found a brush that doesn’t hurt or leave me with bald patches.
It still takes a lot of brushing, because it mainly brushes the surface and when you have hair as thick as me, the back gets really knotty when I’ve slept on it etc. I’d still rather take a bit longer to brush my hair and not rip it out of my scalp whilst doing so. I panic if I ever go anywhere and can’t find it immediately upon opening my bag. I’ve tried my mum and sisters normal brushes, and I don’t know how I coped for so many years with all the knots, breakage and sore head. My worst fear is my case being lost, because that means I can’t brush my hair for the duration of the holiday…
Moisturiser.
I must admit, I am a bit of a moisturiser hoarder, although I usually don’t use it twice a day as I should. On holiday, that’s a different story. I carry a moisturiser in my bag at all times. I find this super useful, and I had to lend it out to my family members a few times as well. It’s so handy when your skin just feels a bit tight, your sunburn hurts, your hands feel dry from too much shopping, or the skin around mosquito bites is raw from all the itching (my ankles are driving me mad). It’s so easy to pop on quickly on holiday, when you’re usually not wearing a lot so have easy access to skin.
I used a combination of the ESPA 24 Hour Balancing Moisturiser, but I save this for dry skin on my face because it’s a bit more expensive and feels more luxurious to use. My go-to has been the Eyewake Cream. I’ve worked with Eyewake before, so when they offered to send me their new face cream, I jumped at the chance. It’s cruelty fee and vegan, so right up my street, the packaging is also very simplistic and classy so it looks beautiful in our bathroom. It’s a simple, good moisturiser. Keeps my skin smooth, hydrated, and is handy to carry around.
