When it comes to packing for a holiday the one thing I like to do is plan in advance for what toiletries I will be taking with me.
Mainly because they really can take up a lot of room and weight but also I like to pamper myself a bit more on holiday with products I really love.
I've mentioned before that I like to create a holiday box where I keep travel minis I acquire, then nearer the time I decide on what I actually want to take with me. Travel minis are not only great for taking on holiday but for trying out products that are quite expensive full price before parting with your money.
So I thought I'd run through some of my favourite minis and what you can find online & on the high street as there is now such a huge choice available.
Facial Skincare Minis
Sanctuary Toner 30ml £2.99 here/Liz Earle C&P £5.50 here/DHC Cleansing Oil 30ml £4.50 here/Weleda Skin Food 30ml £4.95 here/Simple Eye Makeup Remover 50ml £1.32 here/Avene Thermal Water Spray 50ml £3.15 here/Weleda Face Cream 10ml £2.45 here/Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Toner 10ml £4.00 here.
When it comes to skincare I personally like to decant some of my moisturiser & face wash in to a travel bottle/pot (as I don't want to switch up my routine too much on holiday) and then purchase all the other things in travel size, such as a cream cleanser, toner and a water spritz. The things I like to spend a little bit more on is my cleanser which I will always purchase a 50ml Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish of as I know it will suit however my skin will be and it also comes with a muslin cloth. I also like to pick up a Avene or La Roche Posay Facial Water instead of a £1 version as I find cheaper versions do smell quite chemically and the mist isn't very fine.
As for other minis, Sanctuary Toner is a really low priced option for combination/oily skin and good because mini toners are hard to find on the high street. Also Weleda Skin Food is an amazing multi-use mini to take on holiday - good for dry skin,nappy rash, as a lip balm and on sun burn.
Moisturiser & Sun Cream Minis
The Body Shop Body Butter 50ml £3.00/ Tesoc Anovia SPF30 Sun Lotion 50ml £1.00/Korres Body Butter 50ml £3.00 Waitrose/ Kiko After Sun 9g £4.20 here/Nip + Fab Body Butter Smoothie 50ml £2.95 Boots/Soap & Glory Body Butter 50ml £2.50 here/Hawaiian SPF30 Sun Lotion 100ml £3.99 here/Champneys Body Butter 50ml £2.50 here.
For me suncream and moisturiser are essential on a summer/abroad holiday. I of course take away a full size sunscreen that is normally a 30 or 50 SPF dry oil spray but then also a mini suncream that I can keep in my bag when I know I'll be out for the day and not just next to the pool or on the beach. This year Tesco have come out with some super cheap 30 and 50ml mini sun creams, but if you want to go for a known brand then you can find mini Hawaiian Tropic Suncreams online and in various supermarkets.
As for moisturiser I find myself using it a lot more on holiday as I have the time and I feel my skin needs to be hydrated after swimming more and being out in the sun all day. So I like to take away a heavenly scented body butter. I really can't decide which my favourite moisturiser is between the Body Shop, Korres, S&G and Nip & Fab minis as they are all amazing.
Nail Polish & Manicure Minis
Essie Minis 4 set £10.99 here/Nails Inc 5 minis £15 here/Orly £5 each Boots/OPI 4 set £13.95 here/Seche Vite Mini 3ml £3.45 here/Pretty Quik Nail Polish Remover 30ml £2.50 here/Lavera Hand Cream 20ml £2.56 here/Mavala 5ml £4.50 here.
Mini nail polishes are definitely a must for holidays as it means you can take a few colours with you without adding any weight to your suitcase. My personal favourites would be both the Essie and OPI mini sets as they are affordable and also themed... Essie do seasonal sets for Spring, Summer, Winter and OPI do so many that you will be spoilt for choice. However if you are one for just taking one shade with you then Orly and Mavala offer a whole range of minis for under £5 and in that case I would highly recommend the mini Seche Vite Top Coat to keep your manicure looking glossy and perfect.
As for nail extras I cannot stand the nail remover wipes, they are just so greasy feeling, so this Pretty Quink Nail Polish Remover would be my weapon of choice as it's an easy to use tub and only dinky at 30ml. Plus I would take it still sealed so no risk of leakages and then throw it away at the end of my holiday. If you are one to take away hand cream like me to keep your nails in good condition than a wonderfully light and aqua smelling one is the one from Lavera.
Haircare & Styling Minis
Moroccan Oil 25ml £11.99 here/Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask 20ml £4.70 here/The Body Shop Hair Butter 50ml £3.00 here/Macadamia Leave-in Cream 60ml £2.69 here/S&G Conditioner 50ml £2.50 here/Label M Sea Salt Spray 50ml £4.00 here/Bastiste Dry Shampoo 50ml £1.50 Boots/Bumble & Bumble Hairspray 50ml £7.50 here or free with this month's ELLE magazine!
Another important aspect of my toiletries stash is haircare. As I use SLS-free shampoo I tend to decant whatever shampoo I'm using into two 100ml bottles and then purchase a few nice hair products such as a hair mask/hair butter and a styling product. For conditioner my favourite is the Macadamia Deep Repair Mask which I take a few sachets of and then I normally pick up a full size Aussie conditioner at Boots before boarding the plane as I do get through a lot due to swimming daily.
As for styling products I would love to take my beloved Moroccan Oil however the small glass bottle is weighty so I take a cream product such as the Macadamia Leave In Cream which really helps control frizz in humid weather. Dry Shampoo is also an essential for me and fortunately whilst writing this post I actually spotted a great offer on Look Fantastic here when purchasing two Label M product (including minis) you receive a lovely summer printed scarf for free. So you could pick up the dry shampoo and sea salt spray for only £7.50 with free p&p and receive the lovely scarf. Also this month you can pick up the Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hair Spray for free with the September Issue of Elle (£4.00)!
Fake Tan & Exfoliating Minis
Xen Ten Bestsellers Set 3 minis £9.99 with £5 voucher £9.99 here/St. Tropez Gradual Tan 75ml £7.00 ASOS, The Body Shop Body Scrub 50ml £3.00/Bourjois Bronzing Primer 18g £9.99 here/Garnier Bronzing Face Mist 75ml £6.95 here/Sanctuary Body Scrub 50ml £2.50 here/St. Moriz Mini Pack of 3 £3.49 here.
Last year I made the mistake of applying a gradual fake tan before I went on holiday and not taking anything with me. This resulted in my tan fading within a few days due to shaving and the amount of swimming I was doing. So this year I have vowed to be prepared (I'm having a winter sun holiday in late November)! I think the self tan sets that you can purchase will be my best option for me with the Xen Tan and St Moriz sets being the most affordable... though St Tropez is a perfect fake tan as well. For exfoliating my scrub of choice would always be a 50ml mini from The Body Shop in an amazing fruity scent.
For an instant top up tan when you want to look extra bronzed a spray mist is ideal, it is light weight and very quick and easy to use. The Garnier Bronzing Mist is specifically for the face but there is no reason not to use it on the chest and the tops of the shoulders. Also a new product that isn't a travel size but small and compact is the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, I absolutely love all the bronzing products that Bourjois do and this looks like a really lovely product that won't leak.
Woosh that was a longer post than I expected it to be! But hopefully I have covered everything and given you a few ideas if you are going on holiday this year.
Fee xo.
Xen Ten Bestsellers Set 3 minis £9.99 with £5 voucher £9.99 here/St. Tropez Gradual Tan 75ml £7.00 ASOS, The Body Shop Body Scrub 50ml £3.00/Bourjois Bronzing Primer 18g £9.99 here/Garnier Bronzing Face Mist 75ml £6.95 here/Sanctuary Body Scrub 50ml £2.50 here/St. Moriz Mini Pack of 3 £3.49 here.
Last year I made the mistake of applying a gradual fake tan before I went on holiday and not taking anything with me. This resulted in my tan fading within a few days due to shaving and the amount of swimming I was doing. So this year I have vowed to be prepared (I'm having a winter sun holiday in late November)! I think the self tan sets that you can purchase will be my best option for me with the Xen Tan and St Moriz sets being the most affordable... though St Tropez is a perfect fake tan as well. For exfoliating my scrub of choice would always be a 50ml mini from The Body Shop in an amazing fruity scent.
For an instant top up tan when you want to look extra bronzed a spray mist is ideal, it is light weight and very quick and easy to use. The Garnier Bronzing Mist is specifically for the face but there is no reason not to use it on the chest and the tops of the shoulders. Also a new product that isn't a travel size but small and compact is the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, I absolutely love all the bronzing products that Bourjois do and this looks like a really lovely product that won't leak.
Woosh that was a longer post than I expected it to be! But hopefully I have covered everything and given you a few ideas if you are going on holiday this year.
Fee xo.
