HOLIDAY BEAUTY PICKS FOR AN ITALIAN ROAD TRIP

 

- Advertisement information: this post discusses items gifted to me with no obligation to share them (marked *). In addition I have / have had a brand relationship with Monday Muse, Nudestix, Clarins, Selfridges, Glossier, Beauty Bay, Embryolisse, Liberty and Cult Beauty (gifting) and Caroline Hirons (affiliate) and Space NK (paid advertorial content). My blog has Skimlinks and RewardStyle installed to automatically monetise purchases of products I link on my blog, therefore this post may contain affiliate links. All opinions remain my own and please refer to my Disclosure Page  for further detail -  

I'm about to embark on a 2-week road trip around mid-Italy and I cannot wait! You can follow along with me on my lifestyle account but today we're talking beauty. Really, these are just the key highlights; I take exfoliating peel pads every time I travel, to be honest, and decant most of my hair products, so I don't want to be repetitive, but these are the products I'm taking and why I chose them (for the sake of brevity, I've linked my full review and swatch posts on everything below!)

I pack two cleansers when I travel: one for the morning and to use as a second cleanse in the evening, and then one that's going to remove makeup. I prefer products in tubes to oils or formulas in pump bottles (which might not travel well) or tubs that are going to be faffy to use, because I don't know how much bathroom space I'm going to have at each place we stay. So, I've chosen Monday Muse's the Cleanser | £28 | full review | as my non-foaming, skin-friendly cleanser for the morning and to clarify my skin after removing makeup. It's gentle and non-stripping but will still get the job done. I have the Jordan Samuel Skin Aftershow Treatment Cleanser | £24 | full review | for makeup removal. This unique formula comes out like a kind of jelly, but as you massage it onto warm, dry skin, it melts down into something oil-based to melt down that makeup. Then you can emulsify it with water and I personally prefer to remove it with a damp cloth. It doesn't leave behind an excess and I can trust it to work! I'm also taking a non-exfoliating toner (I always pack peel pads for me and my boyfriend, as I discussed here, so I won't repeat them in this post!) in the Laneige Cream Skin CeraPeptide Toner & Moisturiser* | £29.50 | full review. I did order the pump for this from South Korea but it's not arrived yet, so I assume it won't come in time now, but I still think this is great for just splashing onto the skin for a moisturising layer that's infused with peptides and ceramides.

In terms of serums, I'll be packing two to cover off my main skincare bases for AM and PM, something extra for 'just in case' and an eye treatment. For my morning routine, I have the Summer Fridays CC Me Serum | £65 | full review. This formula combines skin-friendly Vitamin C derivatives to protect the skin from free radical damage and help even out its tone. It also contains niacinamide and comes with a hydrating base that negates the need for a standalone humectant-based serum. It's a great all-rounder that I know my skin loves. It's a little wild but I'm also actually taking a newer product I'm currently testing as my PM serum, but my skin's liking it, so I thought 'why not?' The Theramid High-Concentration Vitamin A Serum | £31 | full review coming soon | is formulated with 3 forms of retinoid to boost collagen production, improve discolouration and both reduce existing fine lines and prevent future ones from forming: retinol, retinaldehyde and granactive retinoid. So far, my skin is smooth, plump, clear and I've not experienced any irritation. My full thoughts will be returned to you when I'm back home... I'm also packing a mini of the Zelens Power B Vitamin B Concentrate* | £41 | full review | just in case I want something super hydrating (with B vitamins like niacinamide and panthenol) and restorative to my skin barrier at any point. I only recently started using the Votary Super Bright Eye Gel* | £65 | full review coming soon | which I got in my Caroline Hirons Spring Clean Kit*. This is cooling, lightweight and the ingredients are suitable for AM or PM, so I can spare the space for it in my wash bag! It's formulated with brightening, antioxidant green tea, peptides for well-ageing and glycerin to boost hydration.

For moisturisers, I've packed two versatile options and I'm taking an oil just in case. The first is a little mini of the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate | £13.65 (30ml) | full review. This is just a wonderful all-rounder with a light, whipped kind of texture. It's simple, for when I don't want anything too active on my skin, and it works really well under makeup and alongside my skincare. For when I just want a one-step, do-it-all moisturiser (which works AM or PM, might I add), I'm bringing the Ole Henriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturiser* | £42 | full review. This is somewhere between a nourishing cream and a melting water-cream; it's so hard to describe but it softens my skin and provides lasting hydration without being heavy or smothering. It's formulated with skin-plumping peptides, niacinamide and skin barrier boosters like ceramides and cholesterol. It'll be perfect when I just want to slap on one product, apply my sunscreen and go! I am also packing a mini of the Zelens Power D Vitamin D Concentrate* | £47 | full review | which is my go-to for healing and / or maintaining my skin barrier. It's a lightweight oil powered by Vitamin D, ceramides, cholesterol and plant oils, and I'll be using it for an added boost as part of my PM routine. 

Lastly, for facial skincare, I have sunscreen and lip balm. My sunscreen of choice is going to be the Ultra Violette Fave Fluid Lightweight Skinscreen SPF 50+* | £37 | full review. I'm taking this product because it's lightweight, fuss-free to reapply, it doesn't run off into my eyes and burn them when I sweat and it doesn't pill. It has a hydrating but completely non-shiny finish and works just as well for a day walking around in the sun as it does underneath makeup. For me, travel skincare is all about finding multi-taskers like this!

A couple of hair highlights are the travel sized Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist | £14 | and the Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo* | £13. A heat protection mist is essential, but I really don't like the 'wet' feeling of most products on the market; instead, this is more of a dry mist that won't wet your hair for heat styling in-between washes. The dry shampoo is for if I'm on-the-go and want to extend my wash out just a little longer. This adds volume, reduces oiliness at the roots and has a pretty much transparent finish. It's not white or powdery and doesn't irritate my scalp. I'm also packing a mini I got from an advent calendar of the Dizziak Deep Conditioner* | £22 (for full size) | full review. This is a rich, nourishing conditioner that's intensive enough to act as a hair mask too. It deeply moisturises my dry, damaged hair without ever leaving it heavy or thick with product.

I then have some minis from a Christmas gift set in two of my favourite body care products, so of course I'm going to take the opportunity to bring them along for the trip. The Naturium Glow-Getter Multi-Oil Body Wash* | £16 (for full size) | full review | is foaming but nourishing and hydrating with glycerin and plant oils. It offers a gentle cleanse that still works without stripping my dry body skin. I follow it up with the Naturium Bio-Lipid Body Lotion* | £16.50 | full review. This packs nourishing oils and butters into a quick-to-apply and fast-absorbing lotion that's perfect for travel and works so well on my skin.

Ok, let's get into makeup. A product I've used for many years that's coming with me on this road trip is the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser* (St. Moritz) | £38 | full review. This offers a long-wearing, radiant but not overly shiny complexion boost. It lets my natural skin come through, evens out my skin's tone and offers a 'my skin but better' coverage. I just love this stuff and have repurchased it for almost a decade now because nothing else ever quite comes close. As a concealer, I'll be taking the Merit Beauty Minimalist Complexion Perfecting Stick* (Suede) | £40 | full review. This concealer stick is long-wearing and offers the perfect level of coverage for under the eyes and for spot concealing. It's nothing too hydrating, so it's pretty crease-resistant, though I still set it with my current go-to powder: the GloWish Luminous Pressed Powder* (Light Medium) | £27 | full review. This is a non-cakey, non-drying powder with a little coverage that sets my makeup and takes away some of that surface shine. I'm sure I'll need it at times on this trip and the packaging is so slim and compact.

I'm all about stick products when it comes to cheeks; I'm a cream product person and just dabbing on and blending with my fingers or a brush is the kind of quick and easy makeup application I need when travelling! I'm packing my Merit Beauty Bronze Balm in Seine | £32 | full review | because it's so easy and foolproof to apply; simply swipe it on and blend it out. It never looks too orange or pigmented on my skin and the texture is really forgiving. For highlighter, I'm packing the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand in Goldgasm | £30 | full review. This is a liquid highlighter with a spongey applicator for a natural finish. It has a pearly, dewy luminescence and the warm peachy gold tone is perfection! 

In terms of blush I'm covering off my three main colour bases. I'll be taking the Merit Beauty Flush Balm Cream Blush in Terracotta* | £32 | full review. Again, it's a low-maintenance cheek product that you can swipe on, dab / blend out a little and go with. It has a natural pigmentation, a dewy finish (though it doesn't get shiny if set with a little powder over any areas prone to it) and it lasts on my skin. This is a natural tan colour on my skin tone for 'true nude' makeup looks. I'm also packing Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Colour Stick in Sunkissed | £30 | full review. This works for the cheeks and the lips, and the warm rosy-tan means you can get a bronzed look without separately applying bronzer, making it perfect for low-maintenance makeup days. It's matte but not dry, and has wonderful longevity and is so quick and easy to apply without a patchy, uneven finish. I'm also bringing the Refy Cream Blush in Citrine | £14 | full review. This is a pigmented but buildable warm peachy tone that's perfect for injecting life into the complexion. It makes my skin look fresh but not shiny, it goes on evenly and it lasts all day long!

Onto eyes, I won't go into brows and eyeliner, because they're honestly always the same! For eyeshadow, one product I'm definitely packing is the Nudestix Magnetic Luminous Eye Colour in Copper Foil | £20 | full review. This is a one-swipe eyeshadow crayon that you can also use on the lower lashline, and even on its own it looks dimensional and interesting. You swipe it on, blend out the edges and have a wonderful warm coppery-gold eye look. For mascara, I'm packing Glossier Lash Slick | £20 | full review. This is a tubing mascara that I repurchase every summer because a) it lengthens and separates my lashes for a lovely, natural look, but also b) because it doesn't flake, smudge or get in eyes when the weather is warm.

Finally (congrats if you made it this far!) I have lip stuff and honestly; I'm realistic, so we're keeping it low-maintenance and hydrating. I have the Clarins Lip Comfort Oils in Chocolate & Apricot | £25 each | full review. These lip oils are nourishing and provide a glossy but not sticky finish, plus a nice wash of colour that's definitely visible but still nicely subtle. Chocolate is a kind of warm plummy-brown and Apricot is a more vibrant orange tone. I'm also taking my beloved Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Original & Vanilla Beige | £23 each | full review. This nourishing blend of plant oils and butters never fails to keep my lips soft, smooth and hydrated. The original version is clear and not too thick or gloopy, so can be worn AM or PM, and Vanilla Beige offers a subtle rosy nude tint alongside that amazing formula. Finally, I'm bringing a new addition that adds something my lip wardrobe definitely needed; the Suqqu Moisture Glaze Lipstick in 09* | £30 | full review coming soon. This is a moisturising but pigmented lipstick in a warm brown colour with a reddish undertone that I think is going to be my go-to evening lip choice.

What are your go-to holiday beauty products and why?

Don't forget to follow me on:

Bloglovin | Instagram

Read more posts from this series here!