Skincare On the Go.

Sarah Chapman Daily Essentials Collection // Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV defence SPF50 PA+++ // Bioderma Crealine H2o Solution Micellaire // Avene Eau Thermale // REN V-cense Revitalizing Night Cream // Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-wrinkle Eye & Lip Cream* // Foreo Luna Mini // Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm. //

Packing is such a chore for me. I'm forever tormented by doubts and ominous what-if scenarios in which obviously I'm going to need the only thing I decided not to pack and of course it takes me literally hours to makeup my mind and get my bags ready. This time, however, picking up my skincare goodies was somehow surprisingly quick and utterly painless to be honest. Maybe after years of beauty blogging I got really good at guessing what my skin really needs...

The very first product that I always pack is a mini bottle of Bioderma Micelle Solution (£4.50), which I use mainly to take off the bulk of my makeup before the actual cleanser or to quickly fix any mistake I might do with eyeliners and such. It's extremely gentle, so it's perfect for the eyes, and rinse-free and so very convenient to keep at hand. Other favourites I can't travel without are the Avene Thermal Spring Water (£3.15) - simply perfect to soothe congested skin, keep redness at bay and also doubles up as a toner and setting spray -, and my Foreo Luna Mini (£99) to deep clean and unclog my pores, get rid of dead skin cells and above all to enjoy a mini facial twice a day even on the go. I'm obsessed.

I make sure to pack an eye cream as well and my current choice for the day is the Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-wrinkle Eye & Lip Cream (£26)*, as it works well underneath concealer and keeps my under-eye area perfectly moisturized all day long, which is pretty much all I ask to an eye cream these days.
Something I use daily and I need to take everywhere I go is the Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm (£9.50). This stuff is so good it's easy to overlook the not-so-travel-friendly glass jar. A good helping before bed makes wonders for my chronically dry lips and leaves them nourished and uber soft, ready for the bright lippie of the day.

I also like to travel with some kind of rescue treatment in case my skin acts up for the long journey, the conditioned air or simply because I'm a little stressed out. My current favourite is the Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial (£45), which is amazing to perk my skin up, bring back some radiance and decongest my complexion. The full-size is not so ideal for travelling purposes but luckily I've found a little deluxe sample of it inside the Sarah Chapman Daily Essentials Collection (£49), which is a great way to try out the best-seller of the brand but also a genious little set to carry around on the go. It includes the Ultimate Cleanse that I use to remove my makeup at nighttime and cleanse my skin in the morning, a light creamy serum that tightens and gives a nice glow to the skin, and a daytime moisturizer with basic spf.

Samples are obviously a great solution to save space and try out new beauty things at the same time. With me I'm taking a tiny tube of REN V-cense Revitalizing Night Cream (£32), a resurfacing balm with an amazing calming scent, that doesn't feel too heavy on the skin. Finally, a while ago I popped at the Kiehl's counter and managed to snatch a mini sample of one of my favourite spfs, that I've been saving for my trips. The Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily Moisturizer Spf50 PA+++ (£31) is a great non-sticky lotion that protects the skin from both UVA and UVB rays and doesn't interfere with my makeup at all, but actually does feel a bit like a primer as well. A real must have if you're going to spend some time outdoors all year around, really.

There you have it. I'm quite happy with my little capsule skincare wardrobe.
What skincare staples are you taking away with you on holiday?

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June Favourites.

The.Body Shop Mango Body Sorbet // Caudalie Polyphenol Anti-wrinkle Defense Serum* // Dove Hair Therapy Leave-in Conditioning & Care Spray // L'Oreal True Match Foundation // Sephora Pro Airbrush Concealer #57 Brush // MAC Prep+prime CC Cream spf30. //

This favourites post comes a wee bit late this month, and with 'wee bit late' I mean that is horribly overdue, but I had very little time to sit down and write in the past few weeks. However, despite being a busy little bee, I still managed to treat myself to a lot of retail therapy and I'm really happy with some of the products I've found. I've also switched up a couple of skincare products in my routine and finally got my hands on a foundation I've wanted to try for months.

Starting with skin, I've been enjoying the latest offering from the Caudalie serum range a lot lately. The Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-wrinkle Defense Serum (£35)* is light and moisturizing, and packed full with anti-oxidants that aim to tackle premature ageing whilst protecting the skin from daily aggressors such as stress and smog. A few drops every morning leave my skin feeling instantly nourished and looking fuller and more glowy whilst not suffocating it like some moisturizing products can do when it's really hot outside.
If on one hand I'm always happy to take two more minutes to look after my face, on the other hand I'm extra lazy when it comes to moisturizing my body and I'm always on the hunt for a very low maintenance body cream or lotion that doesn't need to be rubbed in for three hundred years. The The Body Shop Mango Body Sorbet (£8) is super refreshing and hydrating, with a delicious scent that lingers on the skin for a few hours without being too overpowering; on top of that, it's nice and cooling and sinks in pretty much immediately without leaving any residue behind.

On to haircare, I've rediscovered the Dove Hair Nourishing Oil Care Leave-in Spray (£3.59) again lately, as I'm trying to apply minimum heat on to my hair to avoid melting in the process and I needed something to smooth the frizz out and make them look more shiny and glossy. Not only does this leave-in conditioner make my hair so much more manageable and easier to brush through and style, but it smells utterly divine and keeps my locks soft and tangle-free in between washes without weighting them down.

Lastly for makeup, I have three amazing new discoveries that I'm sure will live in my everyday makeup bag for quite some time. I've wanted to try the L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Perfecting Foundation (£8.49) for months and my sky-high expectations weren't disappointed. It is indeed a very beautiful foundation that could easily rival its high-end counterpart, that is the Armani Luminous Silk, for high pigmentation, gorgeous radiant finish and longevity, and the spf17 makes it excellent for the day. N1 is the perfect match for my skin tone - something that has never happened before with a drugstore product - and I just love how great it looks on the skin. Another recent purchase I'm completely obsessed with is the Sephora Collection Pro Airbrush Concealer Brush #57, which is incredibly soft and therefore blends my concealer without tugging at the delicate skin around the eyes, buffing the product in so beautifully the result is seriously close to perfection.
My last pick for this post is the MAC Prep+Prime CC Colour Correcting Spf30 (£24) in Adjust, which really does help correcting any redness and makes my skin appear more even and glowy. I love it as a primer but I absolutely adore it as an effortless base for lazy or scorching hot days, when I can't be bothered with foundation or full-on makeup. It doesn't really add any coverage but it corrects beautifully any discoloration, perfecting and smoothing the complexion.

What have you been loving lately?

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