I travel quite a lot, often just for the weekend visiting family or friends, or for a few days with work. That means I kind of have products that I know and trust which I instinctively reach for when when I'm packing an overnight bag or a few things to pop on post-gym or swim (on those rate occasions!) I thought I'd do a post today talking you through those items.
Skincare
There's been a regular routine that I've been going for recently and this is pretty much a scaled-back version of it. I'm a little bit obsessed with the Pestle & Mortar Hyaluronic Acid Serum* | £36 | at the moment. This brand has an edited selection of products but I've been so impressed with everything I've tried from them so far. It's lightweight, non-sticky and incredibly hydrating, making it a perfect quick and easy skincare step. I will definitely do a full review of this but, in short, it leaves my skin incredibly soft, plumped and hydrated. It's no secret that I absolutely love the Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre* | £13 (30ml). It just has this beautiful, lightweight cream texture whilst being nourishing and softening. It also works well as a hydrating primer, evening out my skin's texture and taking care of any dry patches.
My current eye cream of choice is from the same brand - the Embryolisse Smoothing Eye Contour Care* | £25.49. This is a cream but in some ways acts a bit like a gel too. I usually struggle to get excited about eye creams but this has really impressed me because it's the perfect balance between being moisturising (but not heavy or greasy) and de-puffing. For the lips, I pretty much always reach for my Glossier Coconut Balm Dotcom | £10. It hydrates without being heavy and doesn't add too much shine. It smells amazing and can also be used on dry patches of skin for instant relief.
Makeup
I can't be without my Bobbi Brown Corrector (Peach) | £19.50 | so it's always in the mix! It's a potted cream corrector with a lightweight texture - the tone of this really helps neutralise my dark circles, so even with a lightweight base, they're still hidden. My go-to quick and easy base is always the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser (St. Moritz) | £29.50. It gives such a fresh, glowing finish, evening out my skin tone and giving my base a perfected look without being anything too shiny. I also love this because it's very natural but still lasts really well on my skin.
Obviously my concealer of choice was always going to be the Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer (Ginger) | £24. The pot packaging and the texture make this so quick and easy to dab on and blend out with your fingers and it gives a natural finish with good coverage. It works both for blemishes and under the eyes, which I love, and wears well without creasing. I tend to set my face with the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural (Medium-Dark) | £24.50. It has a bit of coverage but an almost radiant finish, so looks very natural and is impossible to over-apply.
There are a couple of cream products I often pack in my makeup bag (I recommend applying these directly onto foundation before powdering). The Iconic London Original Illuminator Drops* | £30 | can be mixed in with your foundation for added luminosity or you can use these in place of a normal highlighter. It's a gorgeous amber / rose gold tone with a slightly silvery shift to it. I'm also always a fan of the Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk | £15. It's just the perfect muted nude-peach tone and the formula is so unusual; it's partway between a liquid and a cream and gives an almost watercolour effect. It isn't anything overly dewy and goes on evenly, looking natural and lasting throughout the day.
In terms of powder cheek products I've been opting for the ColourPop Pressed Powder Highlighter in Bae Area | $8 |, Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Alluring Rose | £8.99 and Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Ipanema Sun | £32. Bae Area is a new product in my collection but I'm already getting so much use out of it! I love how smooth and pigmented the formula is and the glitter-free metallic finish. The golden-bronze colour really works for my skin tone too. Alluring Rose has been a bit of a rediscovery, however the burnished rose-toned shimmer can act as an all-in-one cheek product (highlighting, giving off some colour and creating definition). It goes on evenly and wears nicely on the skin, adding a subtle 'something' to the face. Ipanema Sun contains a very subtle sheen, however looks luminous-matte on the skin. It's pigmented but has the perfect warm-but-not-orange tone for adding dimension. It's such a great formula that applies perfectly, so it's my quick and easy go-to.
For eyeshadow, it just has to be the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon | £29. I love how this makes it look like you're wearing more than one colour on your lids with the way it catches the light. The cream formula is so smooth and blends out beautifully but sets down to a long-wearing finish. I take this all over the lids and also use it as a liner. For a soft everyday look, I often just use the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion | £15.50 | for tight lining. It has a creamy-to-apply but long-lasting formula and an incredibly pigmented, opaque black finish that gives my lashes a full look in such a natural way. For an evening look, I like to add winged liner with the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Carbon Black* | £14.50. It's so inky black and the precise tip is really great, however what I love most is that it really does last all day without fading or smudging. For mascara, my current favourite is L'Oreal Lash Paradise | £11.99. It gives volume without any clump and also a nice amount of length. I really like the feathered look it gives my lashes and it's a product I can take from day to night. It doesn't flake or smudge on me either.
For eyeshadow, it just has to be the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon | £29. I love how this makes it look like you're wearing more than one colour on your lids with the way it catches the light. The cream formula is so smooth and blends out beautifully but sets down to a long-wearing finish. I take this all over the lids and also use it as a liner. For a soft everyday look, I often just use the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion | £15.50 | for tight lining. It has a creamy-to-apply but long-lasting formula and an incredibly pigmented, opaque black finish that gives my lashes a full look in such a natural way. For an evening look, I like to add winged liner with the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Carbon Black* | £14.50. It's so inky black and the precise tip is really great, however what I love most is that it really does last all day without fading or smudging. For mascara, my current favourite is L'Oreal Lash Paradise | £11.99. It gives volume without any clump and also a nice amount of length. I really like the feathered look it gives my lashes and it's a product I can take from day to night. It doesn't flake or smudge on me either.
My go-to brow products are: the NYX Micro Brow Pencil (Espresso) | £8 | and Benefit Gimme Brow Gel* (03) | £20. The NYX pencil has a subtle but long-wearing formula, allowing me to add quick and easy shape and definition to my brows. I use it both in the day and for more of an evening look. I love Gimme Brow when I just want a bit of hold, tint and colour. It's perfect when my brows are freshly-done and just need a bit of something, plus it never makes them feel stiff.
I tend to have a light and easy option but also something more pigmented to wear, in terms of lip colours. I love the Lancome Juicy Shaker in Vanilla Pop | £19.50 | because it's a super-hydrating tinted lip oil. It gives my lips a glossy look and a warm red-berry toned wash of colour. I also love my MAC Satin Lipstick in Mocha | £16.50 | because the formula is creamy, comfortable and opaque. You essentially get all the benefits of a matte lipstick but it isn't all all drying and has a very slight sheen. This is the perfect warm pinky-nude colour for me.
Tools
No sponger ever seems to do it for me like the BeautyBlender Bubble* | £16! It's an amazing multi-tasker too - I use it for foundation, more fluid concealers and cream cheek products. It's amazing when used slightly damp because it's so squishy and has the perfect level of bounce against the skin to blend in the product and ensure it's applied smoothly and flawlessly.
I'm a longtime fan of Zoeva brushes and I pretty much always pack the 106 Powder Brush | £12.50 | and 129 Luxe Fan Brush* | £10.50. These are part of the Rose Gold sets however are available individually, so I've linked the standard versions. A powder brush isn't something I get overly excited about! However this does the job of picking up the right amount of product and the shape and size allows me to apply powder to my face and also under my eyes. I love their fan brush too (I actually own a second, very dirty, one!) - it's amazing for subtly applying highlighter.
I'm also kind of obsessed with the Real Techniques Multitech Large Point Brush | £11.99. There's something about the bristles that makes this perfect for applying powder cheek products and the shape makes it amazing for blusher, blending out your contour or applying bronzer, as it nestles perfectly in the hollows of the cheeks.
Hair & Body
For hair, there are two quick and easy products that can help almost any situation! The Tangle Teezer x Skinny Dip Famingo Print Compact Styler* | £13.50 | is so handy for on-the-go. It's especially great if you've been swimming or exercising and just need to sort out the mess that's been created by tying your hair up on top of your head! I also like to use it when I've been out during the evening and used a lot of hairspray, as it's just brushes the style right out. I don't know how it does it but it gently smooths and detangles my hair without damaging it or causing breakage. I'm also loving the Colour Wow Style on Steroids Texture & Finishing Spray* | £20. As the name suggests, it's a great all-in-one styling product that adds a bit of very light texture, hold and volume to the hair. It's perfect if you find your hair looks a bit flat and lacklustre after you wash it. It's also lightweight enough that it won't leave an unpleasant residue in your hair.
Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own.
I'm a Glossier Rep, so get 20% off and free shipping on your first order here!
I'm a longtime fan of Zoeva brushes and I pretty much always pack the 106 Powder Brush | £12.50 | and 129 Luxe Fan Brush* | £10.50. These are part of the Rose Gold sets however are available individually, so I've linked the standard versions. A powder brush isn't something I get overly excited about! However this does the job of picking up the right amount of product and the shape and size allows me to apply powder to my face and also under my eyes. I love their fan brush too (I actually own a second, very dirty, one!) - it's amazing for subtly applying highlighter.
I'm also kind of obsessed with the Real Techniques Multitech Large Point Brush | £11.99. There's something about the bristles that makes this perfect for applying powder cheek products and the shape makes it amazing for blusher, blending out your contour or applying bronzer, as it nestles perfectly in the hollows of the cheeks.
Hair & Body
In terms of the body product that's always in my wash bag, it has to be the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Useage Dry Oil | £17 (50ml). I just love this intensely nourishing but non-greasy oil - it does an amazing job on my super-dry skin and can also be used to hydrate the ends of your hair. My favourite hand cream is the Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream | £12 (75ml). Annoyingly, this little 30ml travel size seems to be out of stock! However it gives amazing, lasting relief from dry hands and nails without feeling heavy or slippery in the slightest.
For hair, there are two quick and easy products that can help almost any situation! The Tangle Teezer x Skinny Dip Famingo Print Compact Styler* | £13.50 | is so handy for on-the-go. It's especially great if you've been swimming or exercising and just need to sort out the mess that's been created by tying your hair up on top of your head! I also like to use it when I've been out during the evening and used a lot of hairspray, as it's just brushes the style right out. I don't know how it does it but it gently smooths and detangles my hair without damaging it or causing breakage. I'm also loving the Colour Wow Style on Steroids Texture & Finishing Spray* | £20. As the name suggests, it's a great all-in-one styling product that adds a bit of very light texture, hold and volume to the hair. It's perfect if you find your hair looks a bit flat and lacklustre after you wash it. It's also lightweight enough that it won't leave an unpleasant residue in your hair.
Which products that you know you can rely on?
Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own.
I'm a Glossier Rep, so get 20% off and free shipping on your first order here!
These are all so many great products, I have not used any myself
ReplyDeleteCandice | Beauty Candy Loves
Gimme Brow is one of my ultimate failsafes too. It goes everywhere with me. The Pestle & Mortar Hyaluronic Serum has been on my wishlist for so long - it sounds great!
ReplyDeletePumpkin Lemonade
I can't rave enough about this serum! xx
DeleteMac Mocha is such a nice shade, I don't know why I don't have it! My NYX Micro Brow Pencil came in the mail yesterday! I'm wearing it today and it's looking exactly like the ABH one - I think I'm not going to buy the ABH anymore, the NYX is so much more affordable! xx
ReplyDeleteCarolina's Makeup Life
Yes, I agree - there are just those products that I automatically reach for when I need to go somewhere because I can just rely on them to do the job without any surprises. Haha! I ordered Dusk Cloud Paint and cannot wait to try that formula as it sounds amazing xxx
ReplyDeleteUmmBabyBeauty
Hope you love it as much as I do :) xx
DeleteSo many fantastic products! NARS Tinted Moisturiser and MAC MSF Natural are my got two base products too. I'm still on the hunt for my perfect brow product, the NYX Micro Brow Pencil is next on my list to try! Xx
ReplyDeleteTania | When Tania Talks
I love that NARS concealer, it's always in my makeup bag. I love the NUXE oil too. I really need to check out the NARS tinted moisturiser, I think i would love it xx
ReplyDeletewww.lpagebeauty.com
I finally got the chance to try out the Stila Stay All Day liner and I love it! Definitely need to get a full size, great recommendations x
ReplyDeletewww.beautyfromkatie.blogspot.com
I just always, always go back to this eyeliner! xx
DeleteI really want try the Balm Dot Com but I just cannot give into the hype of it all yet - even though really I have because I want it so much! lol The Stila liner looks so so good too! :)
ReplyDeleteErin || MakeErinOver
I seriously need to place a Glossier order! I've been so restrained recently! X
ReplyDeleteLittle Luxuries By Lynsey
Ah there are so many fab looking products here! I really want to try the Iconic drops, as they look really beautiful and a lot of people seem to love them! Great post xx
ReplyDeleteHannah | luxuryblush
They're so beautiful and versatile! xx
DeleteThe NYX micro brow pencil is my go to as well! Great picks :)
ReplyDeletehttp://claresloves.blogspot.co.uk/
I feel like we have so many of the same products. When I find things that work for me, I stick with them!
ReplyDeleteDanielle xx
http://www.fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/
Great picks! That Iconic London Original looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeletewww.upyourvlog.com