Mini-breaking might not always be super lavish, but the beauty and wellbeing heroes stowed away inside your travel bag can be. With summer just around the corner, it’s almost that time again: longer weekends spent sunbathing (or snowboarding), catching up on quality rest, finally treating yourself to the all-indulgent spa day you’ve been waiting for and even giving your skin that extra bit of TLC from the comfort of your home. Along with our passports, hand sanitizers and mini must-haves, here’s your definitive packing checklist for every kind of vacay, plus a snapshot into what *our* carry-on bags would be incomplete without.
Calling all jetsetters and home-away-from-home bodies, this one’s for you...
BEACH GETAWAY
Dreaming of sandy toes and an ocean breeze? Live out your fantasies with an escape to a faraway island decorated with palm trees, and bring your trusted holiday beauty essentials along for the adventure.
“My favourite thing about a beach getaway is doing my evening make up in *literally* five minutes, thanks to the glorious glow I’ve earnt during the day. For my post-beach hair and make up routine, I like to slick back my strands with the amika Curl Corps Defining Cream as this is designed to protect my tresses from humidity. Then, for my face, I love draping the Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer across my forehead, cheeks and jawline. Next, a sheer wash of colour courtesy of the NARS Afterglow Liquid Blush, which amps up my skin’s radiance just in time for golden hour selfies. Finally, I seal my look with the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray and just to make sure I smell divine, I drench myself with a generous helping of the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Firmenza Body Oil.” — Amy, Product Writer
CITY BREAK
Got a thing for skyscrapers and high-rise buildings? Immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of your favourite city and unlock your inner Serena Van der Woodsen. Think: off-duty model meets socialite...
- SPF
- Concealer
- Liquid blush
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body mist
“A city break in my mind translates to packing super light, which I’m happy with thanks to my favourite multitasking minis. First and foremost. I’m packing my Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF30, a skin care staple delivering broad-spectrum protection and serving as the ideal base for my make up. Next up is my VIEVE Modern Radiance Concealer, a creamy, medium-to-full coverage offering a natural-looking finish. And lastly, I don’t go anywhere without my Saie Dew Blush. Doubling up as a blush and lipstick, I dapple this practically anywhere I want (even on my lids) for a refreshing wash of colour.” — Rina, Junior SEO Copywriter
SPA TRIP
‘Unwind, rest and repeat’ is the mantra if a spa sanctuary is calling your name. When you’re in need of some quality you-time, swap out doom-scrolling on social media for bathrobes and ASMR. Leave the make up at home and pack heavy (or light) with your skin care saviours.
“If I’m going to the spa that means I’m stripping it all back (that means no make up whatsoever) so I only pack a few essentials to keep me feeling my best while being bare-faced. First up, I need my SPF on hand (as sometimes spas have outside pools) and I’ve been loving the Ultra Violette Clean Screen Fragrance Free Sensitive Facial Skinscreen SPF 30 as it’s super lightweight and refreshing to apply. Next, I can’t live without my trusted lip balm and I’m obsessed with the Summer Fridays Butter Balm in ‘Vanilla’ because not only is it super nourishing but also leaves lasting shine. Lastly, after lounging in the sauna, my skin needs a surge of hydration, so a spritz of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir is the perfect pick-me-up to revitalise and refresh my face.”— Anya, Junior Copywriter
STAYCATION VIBES
Be it a cabin with an evergreen landscape, a hotel overlooking the city or even just a week off work at home, if you really enjoy curling up, then grab your overnight bag and get packing these staying-in essentials. Besides binging a new TV series and getting lost within a page-turning novel, it’s the perfect opportunity to go the extra mile with your skin care and body care routine. DND mode = activated.
- Face mask
- Body scrub
- Sleep mask
- Bath oil
- Night cream
“As a certified indoors person, I absolutely love a staycation. First things first: an everything shower. There’s something about a Pinterest-board worthy bathroom that has me reaching for my MUTHA The Nudist Body Scrub, a gentle exfoliating hero that leaves my limbs feeling so supple. Expertly blended with amino acids, luxuriating oils and skin-softening brown sugar, this vanilla-scented dream works to seal in moisture that won’t wash down the drain. Take your eyelash extensions seriously? The Slip Silk Contour Sleep Mask – Rose is a must-have. A step up from your average overnight mask, this snooze-supporting staple offers a plush, foam-filled layer of comfort for your eyelids and has me catching all the zzz’s I may have missed out on. Finally, it’s time to really get the wind down party started... with a face mask. Designed to restore my skin’s glow, Benefit’s The POREfessional Deep Retreat Pore-Clearing Mask has surely been invited to many-a staycation. Boasting a texture-refining cocktail of kaolin clay, bisabolol, ceramide-like molecules with a vibrant lilac hue, this decongesting mask gently whisks away excess oils from the skin’s surface without stripping away moisture.”— Precious, Midweight Copywriter
MINI MUST-HAVES
