The Summer Series // The Beauty Bag

 

Hi girls, it's time for the next instalment of the 'Summer Series'. This time I'm showing you all the beauty products (not including makeup - that will be the next post) that I'll be taking with me on holiday on Monday! This includes sun protection, hair products, body products and skincare essentials that will keep me feeling my best during a week in the sun.

 

 

Firstly, and probably most importantly - here are the products that will be protecting my skin from the sun's rays. Nivea has always been my go-to brand for sun protection because it's always been my mam's favourite brand. She laughs at all my expensive skincare products pointing out that the original Nivea moisturiser is all she's ever used - and I must say her skin is great and everyone does comment on how young she looks. So their sun protection range was always a staple in my childhood. This year I am desperate to get a decent tan, but also know how important it is to stay safe in the sun, so the Nivea Protect & Bronze range sounded perfectly suited to my needs! This water-resistant sun cream claims to support the skin's natural tanning ability - whilst containing no trace of fake tan - using a plant extract that stimulates the body's own melanin production (the natural pigment that determines skin colour). I'll be using the factor 30 for the first couple of days until my pale skin has hopefully developed a base tan, then I'll move onto the lower factor 20. Sticking with Nivea, I also like their after sun range. I love the packaging of their products as the spray nozzle makes application so much easier and prevents waste. So I picked up the moisturising after sun spray, but also the after sun lotion for more intensive moisture if I burn. Both of these products contain aloe vera to soothe and cool the skin after sun exposure. I'll be keeping these in the fridge for an extra refreshing feeling.
Finally, I am taking my favourite face SPF product - the Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Cream in SPF 30 which is perfect for daily use in this country and abroad, as it is non-greasy, smells lovely and protects against UVA and UVB rays. This was a highly recommended SPF product by Caroline Hirons (my skincare crush), and I am loving it so far.  I'm also taking the Nivea Sun Protect Lip Balm SPF 30 which I forgot to photograph - BAD Holly.

 

 I always find my hair gets a bit dry and frizzy when I'm on holiday, so this year I thought I'd try some hair products that are specifically tailored for use on holiday. Cue the Charles Worthington Sunshine range. I'll be trying out the UV-Protection Shampoo and Conditioner as well as the Sunshine Protector Leave-In Spray to protect my hair from being frazzled in the constant heat. Hopefully these products, which contain moringa seed oil and added UV filters, will amp up the moisture and keep my long hair protected and refreshed (as the packaging promises). I'll also be taking my trusty Moroccanoil treatment to use every night after washing and before blow drying to keep my hair silky soft and help to keep split ends at bay.

I picked up this cute travel bottle set from ebay last week so that I could de-pot some of my larger skincare/bodycare goodies that I simply can't live without for a week. I'll be taking my absolute favourite bodywash - the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Fresh and Foamy Body Wash. I just repurchased this after using up my first 500ml bottle, I can honestly say I never want to be without this stuff - the sweet citrusy smell is so refreshing and delicious, I've even purchased the Sugar Crush Body Butter to go with it. I'll also be taking my Bioderma Sensibio H2O for removing my makeup, my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish cleanser, Vichy Aqualia Rich Moisturiser which will keep my skin hydrated throughout the day/night as it's a fairly heavy duty moisturiser and my Caudalie Beauty Elixir that I received in the Selfridges Beauty Box last month - this will be great for refreshing my skin throughout the day. I'll also be de-potting some of my Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask to use a couple of times during the week to inject some much-needed moisture into my sun-parched skin - I think I'll take this in my hand luggage and use it on the plane too as aeroplanes are notorious for dehydrating the skin - and we don't want that on a 5 hour plane journey!

 

I'll obviously also be taking the boring stuff - mini toothpaste, mouthwash, a toothbrush and some deodorant (Soft & Gentle Lotus and Watermelon if you were wondering!)

Hope this post wasn't too boring ha! What are your holiday beauty essentials?

Holly xo