I’m such a lucky girl, I’m off to Bali soon! While it might be Winter here in London, it is going to be a hell of a lot hotter in Indonesia. In fact, I have been checking the weather and it has been about 34 degrees each day and humidity is at about 95%, so it is going to be very hot and sticky.
With my pale skin, naturally wavy (frizzy) hair and 16 hour flight, the beauty odds really are stacked against me on this trip. So I have packed a huge wealth of skin and hair care products to help me get through the journey and humidity! I thought it would be good to talk you through it all!
Sun Cream
My skin is really fair, in fact, when I buy foundation I always buy the palest shade and occasionally, it isn’t pale enough. While I believe sun protection is important for everyone, I am extra careful with my skin, as I know how fast I burn. Dermalogica sun cream is by far my favourite and in my opinion, the best. It applies really easily and soaks in fast, it never leaves a white film on your skin, nor does it feel sticky or greasy. It smells nice and feels like a body moisturiser, rather than sun cream. It lasts really well and I have never had any sunburn when I have used it. I use it just as directed on the packet and I always use their after sun in the evening. It costs a little more than high street sun cream, but there is a time and place to save pennies, and it is not on suncream when in the tropics!
As for my face, I have been known to use Dermalogica sun cream straight onto my face, but I also have also packed the sun shield for my face too, I will probably layer them up knowing me. Just in case, you can’t be too careful when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun…
Hair Care
‘Big hair, don’t care!’ That’s usually my motto, but not when humidity is this high. I know my hair and it will frizz up like Monica from Friends in Bali, so I am prepared with John Frieda Frizz Ease shampoo and conditioner. I am hoping this set will keep the frizz at bay, I have also packed a Dove hair oil, which I have found really nourishes and smooths down my hair in the past, so I got a new bottle as I know it worked a treat when I last had it. If things go really wrong, I have a Ojon’s Moisture Therapy Conditioner, which I am hoping will give it a deep condition and keep it from frizzing up big style!
Body
When I am on holiday I always check with the hotel to make sure there is a bath in the room before we get there. I have been known to upgrade the room on occasion if there is no tub as when I am on holiday, I want to have at least one bath a day! With this in mind I generally always pack really luxurious bath products, and this trip is no exception. I have actually been saving these Sabon Bath Salts for a special occasion, they smell incredible and they have rose petals in there too. I can’t wait to sink into a bath tub with these bath salts!
I don’t usually pay too much attention to my feet, I’m too lazy and they are usually covered up with tights and boots anyway. But there is no escaping sandals in Bali, so I have been using Palmers Foot Magic scrub for the last few weeks to try and get my feet looking a little more human (as apposed to beast like… not even kidding). They are starting to look a little more normal thanks to this foot scrub and Lush Foot Lotion. I have packed supplies of both to make sure I keep up the good work while on holiday!
I spent about 20 minutes trying to decide which shower gel to take with me and eventually I decided on Seascape Unwind. I have only used this once and it is so nice, it lathers up perfectly, and fills the bathroom with the scent. It is so relaxing and smells like lavender and ylang ylang, it’s also natural and paraben free. It is also suitable to use as a bath product too! Post shower, I have one little bottle of Palmers and a dry body oil by Vita Liberata. Both of which are great products and between the two of them I know I will keep any dry skin at bay!
I have also packed Soap & Glory’s Hand Glove hand cream and Seascape sleep oil, these will probably both come in my hand luggage, as I never get on a flight without hand cream and I am hoping the sleep oil might help me catch some zzz’s on the 16 hour flight, and if they don’t I will use it to try and combat the jet lag when I get there!
Face
Oh lordy, my skin is going to look baddddd after a 16 hour flight! So I have packed accordingly!
My current cleanser and toner is by La Roche Posay, I really like using these as a duo, the cleanser removes all my make up and leaves my skin feeling really clean and soft, without feeling striped, apply onto damp skin and lather up in hands first, I always like a face wash that lathers up well as I feel like I don’t have to rub it into my skin as hard and these days, I’m all about preserving my face from wrinkles. The toner feels like it is tightening my skin and it removes any remaining dirt and grease. I feel like my skin looks a little brighter and healthier with this cleanser and toner duo, so I am happy packing them in my suitcase to go to Bali with me.
I’m obsessed with Jurlique’s Rosewater Balancing mist, I spray a little over my face before moisturising and it seems to soften my skin and add a little extra hydration. I’m hooked on this product and I don’t want to be without it for a week, I really love it! My moisturiser also has a rose scent to it, it is by Balance Me and it is a super rich moisturising cream. It is 100% natural and paraben free and it is rich enough to hydrate my dry cheeks. I have been a fan of Balance Me products for a long time now and whenever I don’t know which moisturiser to use, I always come back to this one. It is a bit of a favourite of mine!
After a long flight I know my skin will need a little extra help, so I have packed a ultra-hydrating face mask to help kick a little life into it. I use this about once or twice a week in the Winter, as it just gives my skin a boost, especially on my cheeks. I’m thinking I will run a bath and use this mask and it might make me look a little healthier. Same goes for my eyes, I know my dark circles will look pretty horrific after a long night flight, so I have packed the big guns… Time Bomb Black Ops Dark Circle Rescue. This stuff is amazing, I use it under and around my eyes and it really seems to even out my skin tone all around and really lift my dark circles. It’s not cheap, but it has lasted me a really long time so far and I love the results.
Finally, I’m not a fake tan kind of girl, normally, but I have been loving Vita Liberata‘s Trystal for brushing on a little tan/glow. You can use it anywhere on your skin; face or body. It is a brand new product which has never been seen before by any other brand. It is kind of amazing, so forgive me if I explain it badly. It works partly as a bronzer and partly as a self tan. When you remove your make up, you will find it has softly worked on your skin to give you a natural glow/tan which lingers like a false tan. There is no tanning mitt needed, as it brushed on as a power. It reacts with your moisturiser/ serum/ oil based foundation to formulate itself as a false tan. It works with your DNA, so it won’t turn you orange and it also won’t leave you looking 10 shades darker. If you use it a few days in a row, it will build up gradually and the effect is actually really nice. It’s not that I want to look tanned, I just want to have a little glow and this is so easy to use and really easy to control too. Of corse, if you do want a more tanned effect than I want, you just use a little more, it’s easy to build up the colour of both the bronzer and self tan, with the added bonus that you can see where you are applying it. There are no nasty surprises 4 hours later!
Phew! I don’t think I have ever travelled with quite so many products, I swear, I’m not normally such a diva, but I’m not normally in 30° heat and 95% humidity!
