My Summer Vacation Hair, Beauty and Skincare Essentials
My Summer Vacation Hair, Beauty and Skincare Essentials
For my recent holiday, I took a lot of time whilst packing to really think about the products I brought with me so that my hair and skin stayed healthy and glowing in the heat, sea water and pool water.
I'm going to talk briefly about some of the products I took with me. Hopefully this can be of use to those of you who are going on a holiday soon and need some guidance on the best products (in my opinion) to use on a hot beach holiday!
Hair Essentials
Herbal Essences bio: renew Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo & Conditioner
Argan oil has so many benefits for your hair which is why I chose to take this particular shampoo and conditioner duo with me on holiday. The main benefits that I was drawn to were that Argan oil maintains a hydrated and moisturised scalp and that it also protects hair from the damaging effects of chlorinated pool water and salty sea water. To get the most out of the oil for both reasons, it is best to use the products as soon after chlorinated or salty water exposure as possible. I made sure I washed my hair every evening after swimming in both waters.
(I know it's supposedly a bad thing to wash your hair every day but I've never noticed a negative effect on my hair and when I'm on holiday putting suncream on and getting my hair wet, I like to have a shower and feel fresh from head to toe for the evening).
L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil
Following on from the Argan oil shampoo and conditioner, I liked to use this hair oil after each hair wash as well, just for a further healthy boost! It also has heat protection so, for the day ahead, it stops me worrying about heat damage from the sun. I use this product all the time, it is part of my regular hair-washing routine, combing it through towel-dried hair and then leaving my hair to naturally dry, usually overnight. It tames frizz and gives hair such a smooth, glossy look which I've never managed to get from other products in the past, or other hair oils for that matter!
Alternatives:
Wella Shockwaves Ultra Strong Heat Defence Volumising Mousse
I used this product maybe only a couple of times when I was away, but when I did use it, it was a lifesaver! Essentially it is a strong hold mousse for wavy/curly hair. My hair can be a bit temperamental at times, not knowing whether it's curly, wavy or straight. Sometimes when I allow my hair to air dry, it becomes a mixture of all three hair types and this makes it hard to tame/style quickly without having to straighten the whole lot or scrape it back into a bun (which I ended up doing multiple times anyway!). This product allows me to keep my waves and curls looking tidy with minimal effort, as well as giving the straighter sections of hair a little volume boost. I take around a palm-sized squirt of the stuff and scrunch the product into the ends of my hair. I don't tend to use it on the full length of my hair as I don't feel my hair needs it at the roots/lengths as it's the ends of my hair that are usually the issue.
(It also smells lush)
Skincare Essentials
Garner SkinActive Nourishing botanical gel wash with Honey Flower
I've been a fan of this product for months now and I have been washing my face with it every day. I have very sensitive skin and other skin problems that are being treated with prescription medication. Therefore, I am always careful when choosing products that I will be putting on my face so as not to aggrevate it further. Because this product is made with 96% natural origin ingredients, it means that there are no harsh chemicals that will react with my skin. The gel is great for dry skin which is essential when you've been exposed to sea and pool water as well as the sun. It has a lovely honey fragrance and takes off my face makeup better than any makeup remover I've used in the past.
(I decided to take a travel size pump bottle of the gel with me rather than the full product as I always worry about leaking! The pump bottle was from Muji: £3.50).
Nivea Sun Moisture Mousse Face Cream SPF 50+
I thought I'd mention suncream in this post even though it is quite obviously an essential skincare product when you are exposed to the sun. I wanted to mention this one in particular as it is an absolute game-changer when it comes to applying suncream to my face. Regular SPF30-50+ suncreams can feel very greasy and thick, especially when applied to the face and can be incredibly uncomfortable and pore-clogging. This product on the other hand is amazing for applying to the face. It is light, being a mousse, so the inevitably greasy feeling of suncream disappears after a few seconds. It doesn't make your skin overly shiny and I've seen no negative effects on my skin including no breakouts occurring as a result of using the product. It is also incredible for wearing under makeup. Normal suncream is virtually impossible to use under makeup, it causes it to slide off and look patchy. However, I forget this product is on once it has settled into the skin so building makeup over the top is no problem at all! (I would suggest using a primer before applying foundation/concealer).
Beauty Essentials
Collection Powered by Witch Mattifying Pore Minimiser
I've only recently started using primer under my makeup (I know, I've obviously been living under a rock) and I've tried a couple of others before this one. This is by far the best primer I've tried. It is a light gel so once it is worked into the skin, it dries and feels like it isn't there. It has Witch Hazel so, even though primers essentially 'clog pores' to get the desired effect, this one works to reduce breakouts with this particular ingredient. I used this product on its own over the top of the Nivea Sun Moisture Mousse Face Cream SPF50+, for use during the day to reduce any shine from sweat and also used it in the evenings underneath my makeup to make it last longer.
Garnier SkinActive BB Cream Original Light Tinted Moisuriser
I didn't wear foundation once on holiday, I just feel like a full coverage foundation is unnecessary and uncomfortable in hot weather. This product is so much better for these weather conditions. It has good coverage so evens out skin tone, blends out really well and is a perfect match for my skin tone (There is a medium shade as well, although that isn't significantly darker than the light shade ... they could do with bringing out more shades). I'm not very skin confident so covering redness and blemishes is a must for me. If I can get that effect without wearing foundation then I AM SOLD. Big thumbs up to Garnier for this product!
(It also has SPF15, although I'm always a little sceptical about SPF in makeup and beauty products. I'm sure you would have to cake the product on to gain the full SPF that it says. If a product states that it has SPF, there should be guidance on how much to apply to get this level of protection).
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Finally, the mother of all setting sprays: Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. My boyfriend still cannot understand how this product costs £24 for what he has described as "water". In my opinion, it is 'magic water' and is totally worth the £24. The first few times I used it, I was a little disappointed as I didn't see a huge difference in how my makeup lasted. It wasn't until I had a busy day commuting in and around London on a hot day, being exposed to sun, pollution and sweat, that I realised that it worked wonders. It didn't disappoint on holiday either, keeping my makeup in tact all evening. As I said previously in this post, I didn't wear makeup during the day so I couldn't try the product out for a full day but from using it in the UK it was incredible.
If you have any questions about any of the products I have featured in this post, feel free to leave a comment below or alternatively drop me a private message on Instagram.
Katie Rose x
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