Holiday Packing

I am a very excited lady right now. This year, in fact tomorrow, I am going to Morocco for a week and I cannot wait! It will be an amazing holiday with my wonderful family and my lovely boyfriend. However, what beauty products to pack on holiday is a dilemma I have every year. This is mostly because given the option, I would forgo all clothing and fill my suitcase with SPF 50 suncream to stop my pale and freckly Scottish skin from going crispy in the sun, and then squeeze every single other product I use into any crevice in said suitcase. You can never have too many beauty products. Ever. Fact.

We are only taking cabin bags on the plane (not my idea), so this year condensing the mass of beauty STUFF was a matter of priority. I have managed to do so, into three seperate bags (I am hoping to palm off some of the stash on my boyfriend/Dad/brothers) and I think I have done a pretty good job. So here is my personal list of beauty essentials for taking on holiday, any of which I would heartily reccommend at any time of the year.
I would like to thank Paperchase for creating the handy clear travel bottle set with matching handy clear plastic wallet to keep my things in, this post would not have been possible without you.

The wallet on the top left is my skincare selection, the wallet on the top right is make up and haircare  (I KNOW, RIGHT?) and the other three products are the stragglers.

 In this wallet, I have Dove's GoFresh Cucumber and Green Tea roll on deoderant, my scent of choice which smells lovely and fresh, is fairly gentle and very effective. Carex Aloe Vera Antibacterial hand gel, no germs for me. The next product is one of my favourites for the sun, Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream Sun Defense for Face SPF 50. I used this for 2 weeks last year in Spain, including a week outdoors at Benicassim festival, and my face was the only part of my body that did not burn. Also, I try to take measures to not come back covered in freckles and this is so protective it seems to help. The next product is a new one for me, Elizabeth Arden's Targeted Sun Defense Stick in SPF 50, but I have read great reviews of this in magazines and online, and I think it will be a great one for noses,ears and lips. On the bottom I have my Lush selection. From left to right, the first is Eau Roma Toner water, with lots of rose and lavender to soothe sensitive skin. My current body lotion, Sympathy for the Skin, which is not only sympathetic for sensitive or sore skin but has nutritious banana and softening vanilla. I plan on using this as a combined body moisturiser/after-sun. The next product is my facial moisturiser Imperialis, which has lots of floral extracts to balance the skin, and cocoa butter to lock in moisture. I then popped two cleansers into the handy little Paperchase pots, the top one being a gentle scrub called Angels on Bare Skin, for occasional use and my daily almond oil cleanser Ultrabland, which doubles as eyecream and lip balm.

 Look at my make up and hair products. THEY ARE SO TINY. It sounds whiny but I'm quite proud. From left to right again, the top left is my Eyes Right Mascara, and then my favourite lipstick, a beautiful matte MAC lipstick called Chilli which is just the perfect red. I have used this a lot on shoots as it seems to suit most skin tones. As a bonus, it is moisturising and smells like chocolate. The top black pot is John Frieda's Frizz Ease Hair Serum. If it's good enough for Julia Roberts, its good enough for me. The bottom pot is Dirty Hair styling cream, a gentle hold hair product from Lush for a mussed up effect. I then have my Lush Charisma cream bronzer and Lush Colour Supplement concealer in shade Light Yellow, which is able to be mixed with facial moisturiser to create foundation. It has fairly light coverage which ordinarily I would not go for, however, in hot weather I hate the feeling of wearing heavy foundation. I then have Lush's Coolaulin conditioner, a Retro product I got from Lushfest which is full of moisturising coconut oil for dry beach hair. Anyone with a fringe will know that dry shampoo is pretty essential in hot weather so I have a teeny can of Batiste in my favourite tropical flavour (It smells like Pina Coladas) for de-slicking my hair. I then packed Elizabeth Arden's Sheer Lights Illuminating Pen, which is essentially a very similar product to Touche Eclat, though I like the texture of this more. Finally there is Urban Decay's 24/7 eye pencil, my favourite eyeliner pencil, as its easily blendable and tends to stay put for hours. I did originally buy it for the name. The shade is called Perversion. Tee hee. 

I also packed Miranda soap from Lush, which is a holiday tradition for me. I don't buy it any other time of the year, so for me, just the smell is about going on holiday. I also got Lush's Retro Gentle Lentil shampoo from Lushfest, a block of solid shampoo that is based on a traditional Indian haircare recipe. The bottle is SPF 50 general suncream from Garnier, I haven't tried it before but if it does what it says on the label, I'll be happy.

Last but not least, there is my absolute essential, Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream Skin Protectant, but I intend to treat myself to a new one in duty free. This little beauty does EVERYTHING but it is especially good on insect bites, blisters and sunburn. I would not go away without it.