Boots 'Holiday Essentials' Haul

Every time I go on my holibobs, there's always a few beauty essentials that come along with me. I hate being unorganised when I go on holiday and being the beauty obsessor that I am, the thought of forgetting to take along said essentials sends me straight into panic mode. With this being said, a trip to Boots before going away on holiday is one of my top priorities. With this being said, on Saturday my boyfriend and I made our way to Boots and rummaged around the isles like mad people looking for all things holiday. Here's what went straight into my basket ...

Hair

Batiste Cherry Dry Shampoo

If like me you wash your hair everyday on holiday (a days worth of chlorine or sea water sends my hair wild) you're probably wondering why I'm taking along a dry shampoo. Now although I won't be using it to refresh any oily roots between washes, I will be using it for volume and texture and to give my freshly washed hair a bit of body instead. Plus it smells like cherries, yum!

VO5 Give Me Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner

I've used the volume version of these vo5 shampoo and conditioners in the past and absolutely loved them. I found the shampoo lathers up really nicely and the conditioner makes my hair much more manageable and tangle-free. However, as I'm going to a hot destination, I decided to try the moisture range instead. My hair is prone to drying out and sitting in the sun all day will only add to that so I'm hoping this will help my locks remain healthy and glossy. I also thought these bottles were an ideal size for a weeks worth of use too - not too big and not too small.

Boots Extra Firm Hairspray

I can't say this is hairspray of choice but it was the cheapest mini I could find. I don't use hairspray a great deal so I wasn't willing to splash out on a mini bottle for one week away when I have humongous bottles of the stuff at home. This one is Boots own and has an extra firm hold so I'm sure it will do its job.

Toni & Guy Salt Spray

When I'm on holiday, I'm very lazy with my hair. When its hot outside and there's humidity in the air, the last thing I want to do is use heat on it. I tend to go for quick and easy styles like natural beach waves or top knots instead. Thats where a Sea Salt spray like this one from Toni & Guy comes in very handy. Just a quick spritz over the hair transforms locks from frizzy to 'messy chic'. I'm sure I'll be using this most evenings and the super cute mini bottle means its travel friendly too.

Sun Protection

Piz Buin After Sun

After a long day of baking myself in the sun, I love nothing more than slathering on a cooling After Sun. Not only does After Sun sooth the skin and heal any burnt bits faster, it also moisturises and leaves the skin feeling supple and soft. As well as all that goodness, this one from Piz Buin also contains a 'tan intensifying' plant extract. Oooh, golden glowy skin, here I come.

Garnier Golden Protect Factor 20

I bought this factor 20 Garnier oil to use on my arms and legs. You're probably wondering whey I'm only going to be using this on those areas but I'll get onto that in the next product summary. I really like the fact this is an oil SPF as I find them much easier to use than white lotions that seem to take forever and a day to absorb into the skin. I'm hoping it does what it says on the tin and helps me achieve a golden tan whilst preventing sunburn.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ Nutritive Oil & Gel-Cream*

Okay this is a little bit of a cheat as I was sent these products and didn't buy them myself. However, they are from Boots and they are a holiday essential so it made sense for me to include them. This new range of tanning products from La Roche-Posay are aimed at those who have very sensitive skin and need a high protection, hence the factor 50+. Now you might be thinking, "who in their right mind would wear factor 50, you won't get a tan". However, as someone with exceptionally sensitive skin and someone who once got so sunburnt they ended up getting an injection in hospital, wearing a high factor is hugely important to me. I'm planning on using the nutritive oil on my chest and stomach as they're both prone to sun burn and the gel-cream on my face which again, is very prone to getting burnt. 

Vichy 50+ Capital Soleil Velvety Cream*

Again, this is a bit of a cheat as it was sent to me along with the La Roche-Posay products and again its a high factor 50+ sun protection. Specifically designed for the face this SPF also contains hyaluronic acid and light silicone to instantly plump the skin and provide water resistance. I've tried it out as a normal moisturising cream and like most Vichy products, its absolutely lovely. It sinks in effortlessly and I imagine this will be a great one to slather all over my face without it clogging up my skin and making me look greasy.

Body & Miscellaneous

Boots Cucumber Cleansing Wipes

Yes I bought some face wipes, don't judge me. I know face wipes aren't the best things to use on the skin and they certainly aren't ideal to use instead of a cleanser but for a week away, they're handy to have. I decided to get these cucumber ones from Boots own range as the cucumber should have a nice cooling effect on my skin after long days in the sun. Also, when I go on holiday, the last thing I want to do is faff around with a laborious skincare routine. If I want to trade my expensive cleansers for some cheap face wipes for a few days, I bloomin' well will. I am going on holiday to relax after all.

Original Source Lime Shower Gel

Shower gel - a boring yet essential beauty product. After long sweaty days in the sun, this Original Source shower gel with its zesty lime scent is sure to leave me feeling refreshed and clean.

Sure Cotton Deodorant

Another boring yet essential product this time in the form of a Sure deodorant. I'm sure you all know why I bought this. Other than the fresh cotton scent, nobody wants to risk ruining their favourite holiday outfit with pesky sweat patches.

Venus Pro Skin Razor

I don't know why but every time I go away on holiday, I buy a new razor. I've got no idea why the one currently sat in my shower just doesn't cut it (no pun intended) but it just doesn't. Does anyone else do this or is that just me and my strange habits? Anyway, this one from Venus comes with 3 blades and shower gel shave bars. This means theres no need to use a shaving gel as the nifty little gel shave bars help to protect the skin and provide a smooth shave. Oh, now I can't that "Ooh baby she's got it" song from the Venus advert out of my head. Damn! 

Hair Ties & Grips

Another thing I buy before every holiday, hair ties and girps. As I mentioned earlier, I tend to throw my hair up in messy buns and what not when I'm away so these essential for helping me achieve that. I bought them both in blonde shades so they should go undetected in my hair. There's nothing worse than blonde hair with loads of black hair pins everywhere. No no no!

So there we have it, a few holiday essentials I picked up on a recent trip to Boots. Of course this isn't everything I'll be taking with me - I already had most of the other essentials like toothpaste, plug adaptors and insect repellent at home. You can't forget about insect repellent - those damn mossies!

Have I missed anything? What are your holiday essentials?

Lots of Love,

My Summer Beauty Favourites

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a great weekend and enjoying the sunshine. I've been shopping for some holiday essentials today so expect a post all about the things I've been buying very soon. I recently wrote a guest post over on Sabrina's blog but I want to share it on my own blog too, just incase you missed it over there. Instead of doing a normal 'favourites' post this month, I thought I'd share my Summer Beauty favourites instead as these are the products I've been using a lot lately or am likely to start using over the next few weeks and on my holiday.

I don't know about you but whenever the seasons change, the products I use change too. I really like natural dewy skin, messy beach hair and a golden bronze tan throughout the warmer months with a pop of colour here and there to brighten things up. With that being said, here are the products I'll be using this Summer ...

The Body Shop Body Butters (Strawberry & Mango)

I'm sure you've all heard of these lovely body butters as they're one of The Body Shops most popular products and I can definitely see why. The two scents I use are Strawberry and Mango and they smell incredible - perfect fruity scents for the Summer months. I find them incredibly moisturising too and they sink into the skin so effortlessly. If you like using tan in the summer (which I'll talk about next), then you must try one of these body butters as it makes the application process much smoother and streak-free.

St.Tropez Tanning Lotion

Lets face it, when the weather gets warmer, clothes get smaller. Whether its strappy dresses, denim shorts or bikinis, we're usually flashing a lot more flesh in the Summer months. I don't know about you but having a tan makes me feel much more confident to show to some skin so I'll always have a bottle of fake tan to hand during the summer months. This one from St.Tropez is great for providing a natural olive glow without looking orange or over the top. I usually apply it with a tanning mitt just before bed and leave it to work its magic overnight. I go to bed looking like casper the friendly ghost and wake up looking like I've been soaking up the sun on holiday. Yippee!

Clarins BB Cream*

As I said earlier, I really like natural dewy skin in the Summer as the thought of wearing a thick and heavy foundation on warm days just isn't appealing. I usually opt for foundations with light coverage or BB Creams which are just perfect when you're after a light, natural and effortless base. This new release from Clarins which I was kindly sent from Escentual is fabulous as it isn't as thin as other BB creams I've tried. Its more comparable to a lightweight foundation which is great as it still gives me a good medium coverage without feeling heavy. I find it gives my skin a lovely radiant and natural glow too. The only problem I have with it is the shade - 01 (the lightest shade) is still too dark for my skin. However, I'm hoping when I get a bit of a tan that it will work for me as the formula is beautiful!

Nourish Cooling Toning Mist*

If you're prone to getting a bit hot and flustered when the weather warms up, this product will be a life-saver for you. As the name states, it cools and tones the skin and can be spritzed on bare skin or over makeup. I've been using it on bare skin and it instantly refreshes and brightens my whole face. I imagine it will be perfect for those humid days when I need to cool down or refresh my makeup. It will be coming on holiday with me too as a poolside face refresher!

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

One thing lots of girls desire to have, especially in Summer time, is beach hair. Natural tousled waves that look effortless, a little bit messy but still chic. Well, with the help of Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, beach babe hair is easy to achieve. Spritz this spray over damp hair, allow your hair to dry and ta-da, perfect beach waves. I tend to go for the 'messy' hair look a lot more during the Summer months, particularly when I'm on holiday as humidity and hair straighteners are a no-no. Products like this are great for adding style to your hair without any any heat or effort.

Topshop 'Infrared' Lipstick

I'm a huge fan of Topshop lipsticks and Infrared is my all time favourite. I find it the perfect summer lip shade - a bright, vibrant orange that looks great with a tan. Its really moisturising too, bonus!

Bourjois 'Healthy Glow' Cream Blush

Bourjois recently released a range of four cream to powder blushes which are absolutely fabulous. As I said earlier, dewy and 'fresh' looking skin is something I always strive for in Summer. I don't like the idea of wearing lots of powders on my face when the weather is warm so cream blushes are great to pair with a light foundation or BB Cream. Although these Bourjois ones have a cream to powder formula, I find them somewhere in between as they aren't too shiny or too matte - just right. My favourite shade from the range is Healthy Glow, a perfect peach. Can you tell I've got a thing for peach/coral/orange shades yet?

Models Own 'Hedonist' Nail Polish

From the Models Own's Hed Kandi range, Hedonist is Summer nails in a bottle. Much like the Topshop Infrared lipstick, its a bright (neon!) orange shade which in my opinion is the ultimate Summer colour, does anyone else agree? I love wearing this on my toe nails with tan sandals or wedges.

Origins A Perfet World SP5  25 Moisturiser

Until recently, I never considered wearing SPF apart from when I'm laying on a sun lounger on holiday. However, after going for a 'skin scan' recently that showed me what was going on underneath the top layer of my skin, I discovered I had quite a bit of sun damage. This really spurred me on to start using a moisturiser with SPF in it so I splurged on Origins A Perfect World moisturiser. It contains antioxidant white tea and SPF 25 to protect the skin from UV rays and prevent premature line and wrinkles. Its nice and light too and sinks in really easily making it the perfect choice for the summer months.

So there we have it, my top products for Summer! What are your favourite Summer beauty products?

Lots of Love,