It’s fair to say I am addicted to leaving the UK in the winter, in search of some hot weather. I spend the first half of the year planning where I’m going to go and the second half deciding what I’m going to pack.
It can be tempting to stock up on all the amazing beauty products out there, but it can also feel overwhelming. For many years, I would buy and pack a huge number of products and only end up using a few, which is a waste of money and precious luggage space.
After much practice, I’ve been able to refine what I take by focusing on one product for each core beauty area: makeup, body, SPF, hair and fragrance. Of course, I don’t only take five products with me – I’m not that healed of my product obsession – but it does allow me to use those products as a base, and I only add extra items to that category if I really need to.
Here’s how it works…
Makeup
For me, holidays are a chance to break free from routine and be more carefree with my look. I definitely don’t want to be applying a full face of makeup, especially if I’m in and out of the sea, but I still do want to look my best.
One of the best ways to do this is to find a lip and cheek product that adds just a touch of glamour when you need it. For me, the Lip and Cheek Stick, £34, Jones Road, is the perfect texture and is so easy to pop in your beach bag and apply without a mirror. Just a quick smudge on the apples of your cheeks, a dot blended on your nose and a swipe across your lips leaves you looking healthy and radiant.
My favourite shade is ‘Bright Coral’, but there are a range of other colours to choose from.
Body
There’s nothing more attractive than that holiday glow and I just love a product that enhances your skin’s natural luminosity.
Once the sun starts to go down, I want to bring out a bit of shimmer to highlight any areas that might have caught the sun. The Refy Body Glow, £28, Selfridges, is a gorgeous product that can be used all over your body.
I start by patting it on my cheekbones and across my decolletage and then mix it with a bit of body moisturiser and apply it to my legs, arms and any other areas of exposed skin to give an all-round glow.
SPF
We all know the importance of keeping our skin protected from the sun, but our face in particular deserves some extra love. I want to make sure I’m applying a high SPF 50, while also giving my skin some extra benefits.
There are so many affordable products out there but my favourite is the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50, £31, Sephora. Not only does it protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, but it’s also fused with antioxidant-rich niacinamide, which soothes your skin and provides a lovely glowy base.
What’s more, the bottle is adorable, and it feels like a luxury product without the price tag.
Top Tip – if you’re not sure how much to apply to your face, draw a line with the cream along your first and index finger. This will ensure you have enough coverage and are protected properly from the sun.
Hair
I have naturally wavy hair that I blow dry straight when I’m at home. However, when I’m on holiday, my hair goes from wavy to full-blown curly and no amount of blow drying will make it straight again – thanks for nothing, humidity.
I’ve learnt to embrace this, with a little help from some curl creams that have become essential whenever I jump on a plane to a warmer climate. My favourite is the Bumble & Bumble Surf Styling Leave-In Cream, £24, ASOS, which I use religiously when I’m away.
I apply it when I get out of the sea on unwashed hair to make sure my beach curls don’t get too frizzy, as well as when I shampoo and condition my hair. Not only does it help define curls, it also has the added bonus of UV protection.
Fragrance
Holidays and fragrance go hand in hand. If you’re anything like me, you’ll leave aside an extra 30 mins to spritz all the perfumes in duty-free on your flight out there – and usually leave with a purchase in hand.
I demand a lot from a holiday scent; I want something that’s going to make me smell amazing on my trip but also evoke memories long after I’ve come home. I want to spritz it on a gloomy February morning and be transported back to a tropical beach bar, margarita in hand.
Fragrance is such a personal choice, meaning it would be hard for me to recommend just one perfume. Instead, I urge you to buy a tester box of perfumes. It’s super cost-effective, there’s no danger of them smashing and you get to explore a whole new range of scents.
My favourite is the Maison Margiela Replica Memory Box, £33, LookFantastic. Samples range from ‘Sailing Day’ and ‘Beach Walk’ to ‘Under The Lemon Tree.’ I don’t know about you, but they sound like pretty amazing holiday memories to me!
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