Packing can be a bit of a pain. Choosing what to take and what to leave behind can be an almost impossible task, especially when it comes to the contents of the bathroom cupboard. I mean, if you’re used to having shelves of products to choose from, how can you possibly leave any behind? Don’t worry! There are five things that can form the core of your travel kit and anything else is a bonus!
Keep that skin protected
It’s vital that you keep your skin safe from the effects of the sun, so the first thing on the list should be a high sun protection factor (SPF) cream, lotion or spray. You’ll know by now what level you need for your own skin type, but dermatologists recommend a minimum of 30SPF, which theoretically means that it would take thirty times as long for damage to occur. Don’t neglect your lips and eyes, though; a lip salve with built-in sun protection and some good sunglasses are absolutely essential too. If you have a poor eyesight, bringing your dailies total lenses will also be essential.
Treat your skin well
As well as protecting your skin, you’ll need to keep it well moisturised. You could find that cream-based moisturisers feel too heavy on your skin in higher temperatures and they could make you feel the heat more intensely. A good-quality body spray is a much better investment as it is likely to be absorbed more efficiently and shouldn’t be adversely affected by the climate. Throw a bottle in your beach bag for top-ups.
Be kind to your hair
In the kinds of temperatures you’re probably hoping to encounter on holiday, your hair can suffer, resulting in an unattractive Worzel Gummidge look if you aren’t careful. That’s why conditioner is essential! Buy the best one you can afford and be generous with it, using it every night and letting it double up as a heat treatment; apply some conditioner and leave it on as you sit in the sun for half an hour or so before rinsing off in a beach shower or in your hotel room. Your hair will feel gloriously soft and look rich and shiny.
Tip-top lips
Your usual lipstick is unlikely to be up to the challenge of continental or tropical heat, so I’d strongly recommend that you get yourself a couple of heat-proof products. There are many to choose from which have a high SPF and won’t wilt in the high temperatures, saving you from ending the evening looking like the Joker on a bad day! As long as you have two or three shades, you should be prepared for any eventuality.
Evening eyes
Now, I’m going to cheat a little when it comes to eyes because it really depends on what Mother Nature has given you. If you have pale lashes and really need some help in that department, then a good waterproof mascara will be your fifth essential, but if you have naturally dark lashes and are happy with them, then a good eye pencil would be more useful. Perhaps we should just agree to call it ‘eye defining products’ and leave it at that.
These five things, I feel, are the essentials around which you should build your holiday beauty chest. You may have other things you see as vital, such as hair straighteners or concealer but as long as you keep your skin and hair in good condition, the rest is just the icing on the cake.
