Monday, 29 July 2013

A Couple of Days Away


I’ve just returned from a long overdue week off work spent making the most of the sunshine with all my favourite people; highlights include a trip to the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition at Bristol’s M Shed, countless frappuccinos and picnics in the park, a Made in Chelsea marathon, lots of al fresco dining, swimming and a much-needed hair overhaul at Sean Hanna Bristol, as well as an Orange Wednesdays date of Nando's (their gooey caramel cheesecake is the best) and seeing World War Z for our 3 year anniversary, all finished off with a relaxing couple of days back home in Leicester with my parents, brother and all the cats and dogs (8 in total – don‘t ask).

I tried to keep the products I brought with me to a minimum but as usual still ended up packing rather more than the normal, sane person - my parents are super thrifty when it comes to household essentials and I never know what’s going to be available when I visit (for instance my mum uses volumising shampoo which is not what I need, and no one in the house uses conditioner) so I’ve learnt from experience to come prepared!

Hair. Haircare wise I packed these Aussie Miracle Moist minis I picked up in Poundland recently; I love Aussie products (don’t get me started on the scent) and this range makes my hair so soft and manageable with relatively little styling needed afterwards, perfect for a low-maintenance weekend away. In an effort to use less heat (which let’s face it who can deal with in this weather anyway) I left my hairdryer and GHDs at home, meaning all the styling product I needed was my current love, Naked Little Miracle. My absolute best friend for keeping hair smooth and frizz-free, this silicone-free leave-in conditioner smells amazing as well as being super effective; for the price I’m so impressed. Two tangle teezers? A tad excessive perhaps; I use the purple one in the shower and the Macadamia Natural Oil No Tangle Brush (which I love because it has a handle) to detangle after towel drying.

Body. I have a few of these travel-size body washes stashed away (handy for impromptu swimming trips and the occasional gym session) and this N-Spa mango-scented one was my obvious choice given the current climate. With the UK sunshine looking like it’s here to stay I’ve been living in dresses, so I threw in a disposable razor as well as one of my many body lotions; although I’ve got a few on the go at the moment I was already half-way through this Garnier 7 Days one so thought I’d bring it along and maybe use it up during my stay; love the creamy consistency of this as well as the subtle scent. I also packed the Dove Go Fresh deodorant (pomegranate & lemon verbena scent, really nice) which I picked up recently, and of course my favourite Body Shop mango eau de toilette in its travel-friendly teeny 30ml bottle had to make an appearance.

Skincare. I try to steer clear of facewipes when it comes to cleansing but do always keep a pack lying around to chuck in my gym bag/for when I’m in a rush, and for travelling they are a lot more convenient than lugging around cleansing balms and micellar waters; plus these Garnier ones smell really nice and feel relatively gentle on the skin. Something a little more heavy-duty was needed for eye makeup however, so I also packed the Botanics Organic eye makeup remover, a really nourishing olive-oil based gel that removes every last trace of pesky kohl and mascara.

I got this Origins Checks & Balances facewash sample free on a Boots online order recently and really like it; the texture takes a bit of getting used to but it leaves my skin squeaky clean and glowing. I also brought along this St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub mini, an old favourite and one that really reminds me of my youth! The Simple hydro-mist has been a staple in my bathroom/handbag for a while now, and doubles up as a refreshing toner; another multi-use product I packed is the Origins Make A Difference rejuvenating moisturiser (a rich but lightweight gel-cream that can be used morning and night for plumper, healthier looking skin) and also threw in the Botanics Tinted Moisturiser for good measure along with the rest of my minimal-makeup essentials (but that’s a post for another day).

What products do you pack for a long weekend away?

Chandra

x

No comments:

Post a Comment