I recently saw a Summer Travel Essentials blogpost that featured toe rings and stationery, and while I don’t know your life and if toe rings are an absolute essential to you, it got me thinking. What are my travel essentials, for summer or other times of the year? As I’ve just returned from a three week trip, I’ve got a few things on my mind I’d love to share with you – let’s just say I’ve learned from my mistakes!
Trouble-shooters
I should’ve learned by now that my skin gets really, really angry with me after long-distance flights, no matter what I do. (Read our post for our best tips to stay comfortable on a plane!) In case of break-outs, I always pack something to treat them, and also some skincare essentials that are good for not irritating my skin further. So, here’s what I always pack to appease it:
- Some calming facemask (I either go for hydrating sheet mask or Fuller’s Earth that I mix with yoghurt to make a super-calming mask)
- Something to treat break-outs – in this case the mini-bottle of Origins and Paula’s Choice BHA 2% toner (forgot to include that in the pic)
- Some ultra-rich body lotion, because my shins suffer as well as my face (in this case, it’s L’Occitane)
- Facial moisturizer that does nothing but calm my skin (Bioderma Toleriane)
For the plane: nasal spray, nasal moisturising cream and eye-drops (I tend to turn into a red-eyed bunny on long-distance flights. Gah.).
What I tend to forget
… even if I print out lists (have you seen ours here?) and what-not. Top offenders? Sunglasses, hats and flip-flops. Flip-flops are great even if you don’t go to the beach – yucky hotel bathroom? Flip-flops to the rescue! Can’t walk any longer in your chic shoes after a day of sightseeing? Flip-flops! Caught in the rain? Flip-flops won’t be ruined like your nice shoes!
Also essential: Sleeping mask (not only for the plane, but also for hotel rooms without proper blinds) and ear-plugs. Not only great for those instances when a screaming child is sitting next to you on the plane, but also if your hotel has paper-thin walls and your neighbour is really into Japanese pop or is – ahem – very active with their partner…
For your summer vacation
A light wrap, be it a scarf or a nice light cardi, because it’s always chilly on the plane and the AC can be freezing in some countries.
It’s here where the aforementioned sunglasses, hats and flip-flops come in, obviously. You’ve no idea how many hats I bought at some beach or street vendor because I forgot mine or thought, wrongly, that ‘it’s not getting that hot’. You’re always wrong. Even if it’s September in Sicily, it will get hot on a boat. So there. Pack that hat.
Makeup you’ll need
Makeup that plays well in the heat and goes over your sunscreen of choice. (We’ve also some tips and tricks for wearing makeup in the heat here.) My favourite sunscreen is Skinceuticals, and I love to layer MAC’s Loose Mineral Foundation over it in the heat. Over that, bronzer. I get red cheeks in the heat, so why should I use a blush as well? It goes without saying (this is a beauty blog, after all) that I consider waterproof mascara, a colourful eyeliner and a great red, orange, pink or coral lipstick a must-have, right? My favourites are L’Oreal Miss Manga waterproof (to make your favourite mascara waterproof you can also apply Esteé Lauder’s Little Black Primer OVER it), MAC Lipstick in Vermillion Vee (sadly LE), ColourPop LippieStix in Trixie and Kiko Double Dare Eyeshadow & Eyeliner in 05 (while I can’t endorse the eyeshadow – it slides around even over primer – the liner is an intensely gorgeous teal) or MAC Chromographic Pencil in High-Def Cyan (OTP for years!).
How to curb that over-packing habit
I’ve also learned that my habit of over-packing can actually be curbed when I just pick tried-and-true beauty items and then pack one neutral palette, because then you’ll be covered no matter what makeup emergency might occur.
This also goes for clothes: pack one nice ‘good’ dress with some shoes that go with it and boom! Covered.
And one last tip: I never let my significant other talk me out of shoes I want to pack. I did that once, removed one pair of comfy sandals and suffered the whole vacation. I learned from that. Or, just pack comfy shoes.
