Five beauty essentials you need to pack for your summer holiday
Heading off somewhere hot? Lucky you. If you’re wondering what to pack in your beauty bag, we have just the helpful pointers to ensure you take some of the key items your hair and skin will need while you’re away.
Be it protection from UV rays, emergency hydration or travel-friendly cleansing, these essentials will have you covered. Here, we explain the skin essentials you need to add to your packing list, and hair expert Nicole Petty from Milk + Blush explains the top hair must-have you’ll want to put in your suitcase…
Multi-purpose hair styling products
“When you go on holiday abroad, one of the biggest stresses is abiding by the airline's baggage weight allowance. That’s why packing a few products that fulfil multiple hair needs is essential,” says Nicole.
“For example, a texturising spray adds extra volume to your locks, absorbs oil and gives your hair a grip for braids or updos. Similarly, a hair oil adds hydration to dry ends, can act as a barrier to chlorine, gives hair shine and can be used to smooth any flyways before styling.”
SPF for your hair and for your skin
“Wearing a hat may seem like a sensible solution, but it's not the only thing you can do to protect your hair from sun damage. Look for water-resistant UV protection sprays, heat oils/primers, or mineral parting powders that will lock in moisture and colour while protecting your hair from the heat and elements,” advises Nicole.
If you’re looking for the perfect travel-friendly essential, look to Paul Yacomine Solarium Sun, Sea and Chlorine Protection For Hair, a spritz-on blend of oils that shields hair against the summer elements while also deeply conditioning. A bottle usually costs £28 but new subscribers to the OK! Beauty Box can snap it up for just £4.95 here in the Good To Go Edit.
And in case you need reminding, always pack a targeted suncream for your face. Factor 50 is ideal when you’re out in the sun – and don’t forget to reapply it often.
Makeup with skincare benefits
The best thing about a summer holiday is it gives your skin a chance for a break and a reset away from heavy day makeup. If you want to give your base a bit of coverage while you’re away, pack a BB or a CC cream instead of a thick foundation.
You can also shop liquid blushers and bronzers with added skincare benefits. They give you the perfect “no-makeup-makeup” glow, and your skin will reap the rewards of the added ingredients at the same time.
A sun hat
“While hats provide extra cover for the scalp against strong UV rays – especially in areas where your hair is thinner – they protect the hair from sun exposure, too,” Nicole says.
“When exposed to too much sunlight, the UVA and UVB rays can strip moisture from the hair and damage the hair's protein and cuticle, resulting in dry/brittle ends, frizziness, split ends, discolouration or even thinning.”
Travel-friendly skincare
If you’re a skincare enthusiast, you’ll know that a lot of your precious luggage allowance gets taken up by your large pots of skincare. If you’re going away for a short period of time, our top tip is to invest in some empty and reusable plastic pots and tubes. You can pick these up for under a tenner at Boots and Superdrug stores, and it means you only have to bring a small amount of your creams with you.
Also, we wouldn’t travel without Magnitone’s completely unspillable and almost weightless Wipeout Swipes. They’re made from a super-soft, machine-washable microfibre material and cleverly remove all traces of makeup with just warm water. If you fancy trying them, you’ll also find them inside the Good To Go OK! Beauty Box. Altogether the box’s contents are worth over £115, and there are plenty of other useful travel friendlies inside too.