This time next week I’ll be in Tenerife sunbathing and sipping cocktails by the pool! I haven’t been on a proper holiday since I officially started working full-time 6 months ago so this break is exactly what I need. I moved to London in February, so the idea of bringing cool summer clothes and holiday products with me didn’t even cross my mind, which meant that I had to go out and purchase everything again! Although this sounds expensive (and very stressful!) it was sort of a blessing in disguise because I got to pick out some fresh clothes and products! Today I’d like to share with you my holiday skincare and beauty essentials.
Tips for Buying Skincare and Beauty For a Trip
I finally learned from travelling frequently that less is definitely more, something that I never really grasped until the last year or so. This time two years ago I’d have been flying home with full bottles of moisturiser and exfoliator, having used only 5% of them! After worrying that my case will be too heavy every time I flew, I have eventually learned that decanting products into smaller bottles is the smart way to go - I save room in my case and I’m not worrying about going over my baggage allowance on the way home if I’ve bought any goodies or souvenirs. Plus bottles and product decanters are SO cheap in Primark.
Something else that I find useful is to plan what I need in advance and purchase little bits at a time. I do this because it doesn’t feel like I’m spending too much money on a huge splurge - these can be dangerous! It also gives me more time to decide what I need, and gives me a chance to remember anything if I’ve forgotten about it. It’s also more cost effective, because I’m more likely to only buy the things I actually need, rather than want - although I admit that this does go on as well… it’s inevitable!
It’s always good to keep a basket or box, or a huge Primark bag on your bedroom floor if you’re me, of holiday products too. This way I can literally just grab them and pack them in my luggage straight away without wasting time looking for anything. I really don’t enjoy packing at all so I want to make the process as short and as sweet as I can!
The Essentials
Now we’ve got the tips and tricks out of the way, it’s time for my list of beauty essentials! Note that a lot of my product recommendations are from Superdrug because all of their own products are 100% vegan, and they’re good value for money too.
A Full-Body Moisturiser
This one goes hand-in-hand with my tips about decanting products. Buying a moisturiser that you can use all over your body and on your face is like killing two birds with one stone. You won’t need to take two separate bottles, and you can get away with taking a large tub because you know you’ll use it all. If you’re like me and you moisturise a lot on holiday, it’ll be your go-to product and possibly your best friend. I’m not fussy with my moisturiser, so I went for a 500g cheap tub of Superdrug’s Aqueous Cream.
Shower Gel
Depending on who I’m travelling with, I take either a small/decanted bottle or a full normal sized bottle of shower gel with me. It’s useful to have a chat with who you’re going with beforehand so that you can decide what you’re taking… you’re not going to need 3 bottles of shower gel between three people for example! I like to take a large bottle if I can because I use my shower gel as a replacement for shaving gel too… sometimes I even use it to wash my clothes!
2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner
I’m sort of lazy with my hair so I usually bring a bottle of 2-in-1 with me on holiday. Since I’ll probably be getting chlorine and salt water in my hair on the daily, I like to wash my hair every day when I’m on a summer holiday, so taking a huge bottle of 2-in-1 is ideal. If I’m going on a city break however, I usually decant some 2-in-1 into a small bottle.
Hair Removal
I always wax before I go on a summer holiday so that I can keep the body hair to a minimum, but I do like to take a couple strips with me just in case. I always take a razor as well so that I can touch up! This time I’ve chosen to take Superdrug’s Sensitive Wax Strips and the trusty Venus Classic Razors.
An Eyeshadow Palette and Other Makeup Essentials
I don’t know about you, but I hardly do my makeup properly on a summer holiday. It’s too hot for it to stay on my face throughout the day, and on the night time I just wear something really lightweight, but I do like to do my eye makeup. Nonetheless I still take an eyeshadow palette and mascara, some highlighter, concealer, blush and contouring cream with me. Some of my chosen products this year are Urban Decay’s Naked 3*, Urban Decay’s Perversion Mascara*, NYX Liquid Illuminator, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, NARS Seduction Blush* and Anastasia Beverly Hills Contouring Cream Kit.
Hand Luggage
I almost always forget about the airport rule where all liquids must be in a clear bag, but if I’m organised I usually take two lipsticks, some lip moisturiser, some hand cream and a small 30ml bottle of perfume too. I like to take my Roses des Chloé* because it’s a very light floral sent and fits perfectly in all my bags.
Other Important Beauty Essentials
As well as the list of main essentials, I’ve compiled a list of other essentials, ones that don’t need an explanation hopefully!
- Toothpaste and a toothbrush
- Roll-on deodorant (in a plastic container like this one because it’s lighter)
- Cleanser (I love LUSHs 9-to-5 cleanser, read my blog post on glowing skin to find out what my other favourites are!)
- Makeup wipes and cotton pads
- Don’t forget your suntan cream! Superdrug do great vegan ones.
*What Isn’t Cruelty Free and Vegan
Items that are marked with a star are NOT vegan. Urban Decay products are cruelty free but not all of their products are vegan. NARS products are no longer vegan because they’ve decided to sell in China, which means that they must test on animals. Chloé perfumes also test on animals.
I hope that this post has been both interesting and informative. All I have left to do is put my advice into practice and start packing everything together. Do you have any tips for packing holiday essentials? Have I missed anything off the list? Let me know on Twitter.
Thanks for reading!
- Emily
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