Holiday Essentials

Hey guys,

Recently I have been so busy with work etc that I haven't had any time whatsoever to blog and for that I apologise!

My boyfriend and I have recently booked a holiday so I have been writing my lists of what to pack and what I need to buy, you know, the usual things us organised ladies like to do, so I thought what better than to write about my holiday essentials for my next blog post.

When going on holiday, like all women, I end up packing far too many cosmetics and shoes and this always results in an argument at the check in counter when my bag is about 8kg over the limit, ooops! So this year I am really trying to streamline my packing, although I'm sure when it actually comes down to deciding on what outfit to take I know I won't be able to decide so will take everything, I mean a girl needs options right!

So, here it goes.

Obviously it goes without saying that sun cream is on the top of my list, I absolutely love the Hawaiian Tropic sun creams. They just smell so incredible! When I was younger I used to go such a lovely golden brown but now I just burn especially on my head and collar bone so I try to keep myself properly protected with an SPF of around 30 and pretty much sit under an umbrella for the whole time.

I am always really conscious over protecting my face to the suns harmful UV rays so I like to use a specialist sun cream on my face rather than using my normal body cream, in the past I have always used Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control for Face which has an SPF of around 50, it is a light fluid so doesn't feel like it's clogging your pores up. I have tried other products in the past but nothing has ever lived up to this, I always just go back to my trusty old faithful. I also make sure I carry a lip balm in my beach bag which contains an SPF, I love the NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in shade Aurore which has a lovely peachy tinge to it. The area around your eyes is especially sensitive and should therefore be treated completely different to the rest of your face. As part of my morning routine everyday I always apply eye cream, but on holiday I apply an eye cream with an added SPF, my current favourite is Korres Wild Rose Eye Cream with an SPF of 15.

So that's the sun protection covered, now it's time for hair, body and makeup.

I like to use a really moisturising and hydrating shampoo and conditioner to keep my hair looking its best as the chlorine and salt water can really dry out your hair. My absolute all time favourite is the Aussie Miracle Moist, it just quenches the most dehydrated of hair and leaves it looking glossy and healthy. I also take 2-3 pouches of the 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor to use throughout the week just to give my hair that extra boost it so needs when on holiday.

I try to keep my skincare routine as simple as possible when on holiday so I literally just stick to moisturiser, cleanser, toner, serum and eye cream. When I go on holiday I find my skin gets so dehydrated and dry which means it's often quite difficult to keep it hydrated and fresh looking. To try and combat this I use the Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturising Cream, which is packed full of vitamin c and wild rose oil. I then use Origins Pure Cream cleanser. I love this cleanser, it's rinseable but can also just be tissued off and is extremely gentle to skin with its coconut oil and glycerin so is great for my dry, sensitive skin when on holiday. I then just use the L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. My absolute serum staple is the Elemis Visible Brilliance, it just makes skin look bright from within and quickly sinks in.

As I have already mentioned I don't tan on holiday (I just burn) so I just use fake tan to give me a little glow, my all time favourite is St Tropez Bronzing Mousse. It's super quick, dries within minutes and doesn't streak...a great all rounder really. I also just make sure I take a good exfoliator to keep my pins looking bright, I love the Soap & Glory Pulp Friction as it lathers up so acts as a shower gel as well as an exfoliator meaning I have more room in my wash bag for makeup! Followed by a moisturising body butter from The Body Shop, I prefer the more fruity smells for holiday, the Satsuma scent is just to die for!

For my makeup, I like to keep this looking simplistic so I just opt for a tinted moisturiser, this years choice is Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Crème Compact with an SPF20 in shade Natural. A dewy look is always a favourite of mine so I brush a little bronzer over the parts of my face that naturally hit the sun, I love Clarins Bronzing Duo in shade 02. In keeping with my streamlining mode I am going to be taking NARS The Multiple in shades Orgasm and South Beach, these sticks are multipurpose as you can use them for cheeks, eyes and lips meaning this is all you need for every eventuality.

And there you have it, my essentials for a summer holiday. What are you summer essentials?