So I'm currently feeling veeery excited right now as I'm going to Portugal tomorrow! I couldn't be more excited to spend a week chilling by the pool, eating nice food and sipping on cocktails. Total bliss! Now although holidays are lovely and relaxing, packing my suitcase can become quite stressful. "Which outfits should I take? Do I really need five pairs of shoes? How am I going to choose just THREE lipsticks? Oh crap, this is going to be well over my baggage allowance." These are just a few of the thoughts that regularly go through my mind when packaging for a holiday so I thought I'd put together a little blog post with an 'essentials' guide - the things that I regard as holiday must haves and the things that I must remember to pack into my suitcase! So lets get started, there's a lot to get through ...
Sunglasses
When the sun is shining every day, sunglasses are a must have so I'll be taking my Rayban aviators and LVNDR wayfarer sunnies away with me this year. They look great, hide my early morning dark circles and protect my eyes from those nasty UV rays!
Sandals
When I'm on holiday I spend almost every day wearing sandals so packing a couple of pairs is always essential! I recently got these tan and orange ones from Primark and I absolutely love them - the cross over style is really flattering and the pop of colour makes them a bit different from all my other tan and black sandals! I have to thank the lovely Em from Em Talks for introducing me to these - I saw them on her Instagram and went to hunt them down straight away!
Passport, Euros & Headphones
My passport is an obvious must have as I won't be able to get to Portugal without it and I've got some euros at the ready to spend while I'm there (or maybe in duty free - you know how it is around discounted makeup ladies!). My headphones are an essential for me too and I love these pink ones I was very kindly sent my Benefit. I just need to make a playlist of all my favourite music now!
Bikini
A holiday wouldn't be complete without a bit (okay, a lot) of sunbathing, swimming and trips to the beach so a bikini is an essential. I always take quite a few bikinis away with me but my favourite this year is this one from TRIANGL in the style 'Miami Mint'. I'm sure you've heard lots about these bikinis already as they're the 'it' swimwear of the moment but if you haven't, I'd highly recommend checking their website out. They do a gorgeous range of swimwear and underwear, all of which is very high quality and supportive - if you know what I mean! However, one thing I will point out is that they're pretty small fitting so I'd recommend going up a size if you're going to order from there.
Lashes
I'm a huge fan of false eyelashes and when I'm on holiday, I like to pop them on in the evening to make me feel more glam. For me a holiday is seven days of relaxing during the day and getting glammed up in the evenings for cocktails so these lashes will help me do that. The Vintage Cosmetic Company 'Gracie' lashes are my current favourites as they look so natural and blend into my natural lashes really well. I've also decided to give some newbies a try including the Millie Mackintosh 'Portabello' lashes as I like their natural fluttery look and the Eylure individual lashes. I've never tried individual lashes before but these ones are meant to lash four weeks so I'm planning on popping them on tonight before we leave for the airport - with any look they'll last look great for the whole week I'm there and I won't have to worry about applying any others!
Mini beauty products
Okay I'll share one of my guily pleasures with you all - minis! Don't ask me why but I just love things so much more when they're in minature form - wether its food, makeup or stationary (you name it), I'm always drawn in by a miniature! They're just too damn cute. I headed to Boots this week to get some last minute essentials from their miniature section and it was 3 for 2 so I went a bit wild and grabbed everything I could possibly need for a week in the sun. Nivea deodorant, Impulse body spray, Batiste and Charles Worthington dry shampoo, Aquafresh toothpaste, Original Source shower gel and Toni & Guy hairspray and salt spray (which isn't included in this photo for some reason). I also picked up my favourite Herbal Essences Bee Strong shampoo and conditioner when I was there and some trusty large oval cotton pads!
SPF & After Sun
A huge essential when you're going away somewhere hot is SPF to protect the skin and prevent getting a nasty sunburn. I used to be quite careless with protecting my skin when I was a teenager, usually going for the lower factors in hope of getting a better tan. That's something I'll always regret as I'm sure my skins been damaged in the process! However, I have redeemed myself as these days factor 30 is the lowest I'll wear. I just don't want to risk damaging my skin further - as I'm sure you all know, sun damage is the biggest cause of skin cancer and premature ageing so its definitely wise to keep the skin protected at all times. The selection of SPF's I'm taking away with me this year are the Piz Buin Tan & Protect tan accelerating oil spray (my fave!) and a new Garnier Dry Mist as it sounds really easy and convenient to use. I'm also taking Eucerin tinted spf 50* (currently 1/3 off on Escentual) for my face and Benefit's brand new Dream Screen which is factor 45. Its safe to say my skin will be nicely protected!
Reading Material
As well as the usual trashy magazines I like to indulge in on holiday, there's nothing better than sitting by the pool and getting really lost in a good book. Much like the magazines I enjoy to read, my book genre of choice whilst chilling on holiday is usually something very girly, light hearted and witty. The book equivalent of a chick flick if you will. I've got two to take away with me this year - 'Killer Heels' by Rebecca Chance and a new one from Sophie Kinsella (my favourite author), 'Wedding Night'. I can't wait to get stuck into them both!
Statement Jewellery
I love statement jewellery at the best of times but when I'm on holiday I feel like I can really go all out with my outfits and jewellery. I don't know why but I always get a new found confidence when it comes to fashion on holiday so I'll be wearing anything and everything that's bright and bold. My favourite necklace at the moment is this neon one which I found on ebay - its an identical dupe for a Zara necklace and I get compliments every time I wear it!
Nail Polish
Before I go away I'll be ensuring my nails are nicely painted and my top picks for holiday nails are these lovely pastel shades - Essie Sand Tropez* (only £6.80 on Beauty Bay) which is a pretty neutral, Bourjois Peace and Mauve* (couldn't find this shade online sorry) and Barry M Huckleberry! I've not decided which shade I'm going to go for yet but I'll probably throw them in my case along with the Bourjois magic nail polish remover for touch ups whilst I'm there!
Denim Shorts
I pretty much live in denim shorts when I'm on holiday as they're so easy to throw on over a bikini in the day time or dress up with a nice top for a night out. They're definitely one of the most versatile holiday pieces I'll be taking and I love the acid wash style of these ones from Miss Selfridge. They look great with a belt through them and a cami top tucked in!
Makeup
I try to keep makeup minimal when I'm abroad and let my natural tan shine through instead. However, as a beauty lover, I'm not one for going completely bare faced so there's still a few essentials I'll be taking along with me. The Bourjois CC Cream* is ideal for a light and dewy base, the Benefit Fine One One* is great for adding a peachy pink glow to my cheeks and for my lips I'll be taking a selection of lip crayons including the Bourjois Colour Boost and Relvon Matte balms. I'm a big fan of bright lips so a selection of pinks and oranges will be getting packed into my makeup bag. I might treat myself so a new MAC lippie at the airport too!!
Gradual Tanner
You're probably wondering why I'm taking products containing fake tan somewhere I'm going to get a natural tan but the reason I do this is because I like to pop them on towards the end of my holiday to enhance my natural colour and also keep my skin moisturised which in turn will prolong my tan when I return to the UK. I'm planning on slathering myself in these new Elemis Total Glow* products tonight too so I don't resemble casper on the first day!
So there we have it, my holiday essentials! Of course I'll be taking lots more with me but these are just a few essentials that I couldn't be without. I'm sure you didn't want to see my underwear and toothbrush, lets be honest! This is the last post from me until I get back in a weeks time but don't worry, I've enlisted some guest posters to keep my blog constantly updated while I'm away. There's some fab content coming up so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for their posts so you can have a read and go and give them a follow. If you're interested in seeing what I'm getting up to while I'm away, head over to my Instagram @kayleighjcouture where I'll be posting lots of updates including holiday outfit of the day's!!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Lots of love,
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