July 22, 2019

The Five Products To Pack For Your Summer Holiday

…that you’ll actually end up using.

This post contains ad affiliate links (denoted by a ‘*’) & gifted items (denoted by ‘ad - gifted). You can read my full disclaimer here.

I. LOVE. PACKING. Can you tell from the 2789 videos that I’ve uploaded on the subject over the years? Or is it the fact that every summer I try and churn out at least a fortnightly post on the matter? Hot weather holiday packing is the best kind of packing in my opinion, and thanks for asking. No need to debate about whether you’re going to fit a massive puffer jacket in your suitcase or if it’s just easier to board the plane looking like a Michelin man, or for the need to pack big pairs of shoes, or chunky layers, or worry about your waterproofs; just light layers of clothing, a shedload of SPF and bug bite spray.

When it comes to beauty bits though, I’m proposing that there are five beauty products to pack that are going to change the game. Five multi-tasking formulas that are going to keep you protected, feeling nourished and silky and bronzed – ALL the beach holiday cliques and more. Here are the five items that add to your packing list immediately. You can thank me later…

1. A SOLID FACE SPF – My Recommendation: Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defence*. Because I am now an O.A.P these days and like to talk to my friends about mortgages, pensions and what age we want to retire, we also find ourselves discussing the importance of SPF on the reg. Ageing is on the brain, but way less likely to be showing itself on your face if you slather on a decent layer of it every morning. My mates complain of the formulas they use to be chalky, dry and ball up on the skin, but this stuff has none of the usual faffs associated with facial SPF’s. It just feels like your usual light-weight moisturiser, but with the level of protection you need – especially when you’re on holiday. It layers well and never feels greasy or clogging either. If I need an SPF for my face, I’m never disappointed by good ol’ Kiehl’s*. In the suitcase it goes.

2. A FAUX TAN SPRAY – My Recommendation: CHANEL L’Eau Tan (gifted). See above for the reasons why I don’t bake myself whenever I’m away. Add into the mix that I feel like I’m a half-cooked sausage after 30 minutes laying in the sun; and a bored and clammy sausage at that. It’s just not a bit of me. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to feel slightly sun-kissed when I’m in vacation-mode and for that reason I’d recommend throwing a light mist tanning spray into your bag. One, because they are easy to apply and two, because they can give a sheer veil of colour without too much prep, and a lower chance of streaking. This CHANEL tanning water is lush, although annoyingly limited edition, but the Garnier Ombre Solaire Natural Bronzer* offers a similar spiel for a fraction of a price.

3. A TINTED BODY SPF – My Recommendation: This Works Perfect Legs SPF 30 Skin Protector* (gifted). Of course you need to pack a solid body SPF – something that’s light and not too greasy – but why not double it up with a glistening body bronzer that will make your limbs GLOW just in time for sundowners? A two-in-one that’s perfect if you’re running low on your liquid allowance. I was skeptical when this first arrived, and I have to admit that the aggressive spray function doesn’t make for the cleanest application experience, but the end result is lightly bronzed pins that not only look pretty darn good, but are also protected. It doesn’t stain your hands either, so is nice and easy to rinse off once you’ve applied it all over.

4. AN INGROWN HAIR SERUM – My Recommendation: Fur Ingrown Concentrate*. If you have to do any bikini line maintenance when you’re away (I usually travel with my IPL machine and a razor and an in-grown hair solution – #HairyGirlProblems), then pop this in your packing and thank me later. Whatever maintenance you do to that area, ingrown hairs can crop up and cause irritation, redness and an innate urge to grab a pair of tweezers and yank it out no matter how many members of the unsuspecting public are around you. So keep a lid on them quite literally by applying a slick of this on the area post shave or wax. It helps keep that delicate patch of skin moisturised and nourishing, but also helps ingrown hairs make an appearance in the first place. I do like this formula as it’s small and dinky and easy to travel with, but the Tend Skin Solution* is the absolute boss and what I use when I’m at home.

5. A MOISTURISING BODY SCRUB – My Recommendation: OSKIA x Emma Hoareau Renaissance Body Scrub*. I’m a big fan of Emma’s work, so have been eying this up since she launched this collab and I have to say that it’s stunning. I’m a big fan of OSKIA’s Renaissance range anyway (everything is geared towards radiance – HELLO!) and this body scrub works like an exfoliating face mask. Apply it before you get into the shower or bath to let pumpkin enzymes munch away on dead skin, before sloughing even more of them away with the physical scrub and then getting the adding bonus of moisture and negating the need for a body oil post-bathe. It’s chunky, so it might be worth downsizing it to a smaller plastic pot to travel with, but it’s a nice one to have with you to scrub all the grease, grime and beach debris off at the end of the day and leave you with a subtle glow that’s just going to gleam in the golden hour light.