In case you haven’t already guessed, I absolutely adore traveling. I feel trapped if I stay at home for too long and love to experience what our beautiful planet has to offer. I’m not one for smothering on tonnes of make up, but I love the confidence that a slick of mascara and some concealer can give and think it’s marvellous that you can express yourself through your make up. You can create your own look and feel great. In all honesty, my ‘look’ is quite lazy and I literally put on a bit of eye make up and some lipstick before thrusting my naked face upon the world. It’s not because I think I’m too good for foundation and a full on routine, I just don’t think that it suits me and my slightly lazy make up routine. Anyway, here I am in Florida and holidays always make me rethink my make up collection. Partly because I love taking advantage of duty free and partly because my needs change depending on where we are jetting off to. Florida is mostly 28-30 degrees and sunny whilst we are here, so I now present to you my summer holiday make up essentials. Please remember that this is just what I do and may not be for everyone! 

1. A nice make up bag

You need a bag to keep all of your bits together. If you are travelling on an aeroplane, it’s worth picking up a clear bag. You can use a plastic one, or opt for a more sturdy one like this. If you sort it out before you arrive at the airport, it saves you lots of time at security (more shopping time!).

  
Once you are there, you might fancy popping your treasures into a prettier one. I used to swear by Cath Kidston bags for their durability and cute prints, but I have recently started using Maggs London bags as I fancied a change. This one is Lady Vivacious and the print is absolutely gorgeous. It looks great on my dressing table at home too. The Maggs London bags are machine washable, so super easy to keep clean!

  
2. Hand Sanitiser.

If you know me well, you will be fully aware that I am a bit funny about germs, so hand sanitiser is a MUST for me. I touch my face and products with my fingers quite a lot when applying make up and clean hands are paramount. No bugs on my face, thanks! 

My favourite sanitiser is from Bath & Bodyworks. They have a variety of scents with great names and cute packaging. I’m in anti bac heaven when I visit their shops!

3. A tinted moisturiser with SPF

Last year my face got sunburnt whilst in Streatham, London on a spring day that was about 12 degrees. Since then I’ve been freaked out about burning my face so found this little product from Garnier.

  
It moisturises your face and gives great protection from the sun. A complete gift from heaven!

4. Concealer

Everybody needs a bit of concealer from time to time, whether it’s to hide those dark circles from a long night or cover up a friend that has decided to appear. I use a concealer from Mac which I’ve been quite pleased with. 

5. Eyeshadow

I love having a little something on my eyes, just to bring them out and give a little pizzazz. I use an eyeshadow from Mac called Gleam. It’s quite natural and suits most occasions.

6. Eyeliner

Again, just to bring out my eyes, I always use a little eyeliner. I’m currently using one from Lancôme, but Mac have a great one too.

  
7. Mascara

You can’t go wrong with a slick of mascara to give you a bit of confidence and glamour. I’m currently using Benefit Roller Lash, but I also quite like Bobbi Brown and Dior for lift and definition.

8. Lips

This is going to sound utterly ridiculous, but I’m always worried about sun damage to my lips, so I wear a base with SPF from Carmex. I’ve recently started using Elizabeth Arden eight hour lip repair balm when I have dry lips and it’s great. I sometimes use Vaseline too. I hate dry lips! For colour, I swear by Mac. They have such a vast collection of colours and go on really nicely. If I fancy some gloss, I use Lancôme Juicy Tubes. They smell great too!

9. Perfume

I have been using Jean Paul Gautier Classique for years and am still so, so in love with the scent. It’s so sweet and feminine, I can’t imagine using another fragrance!

  

What are your make up essentials?

L x