I hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far! I happen to be on a beach vacation currently, beyond happy to be here enjoying the sunshine, getting my blonde and tan on. Recently, I have tried to make my packing more efficient and purposeful - before, I would throw my favorite items into a suitcase, and then mix and match once I arrived. Now, I try and plan outfits ahead of time, especially if I already have set plans (and a few extras just in case different plans come up too). For the most part this trip I feel fairly well prepared for, but there are a few tips I will definitely remember for next time I thought I would share with you all:
1. Pack bronzer.
I am SO fair skinned that I rarely, if ever, use bronzer. It normally looks terrible on my skin. However, after spending days sitting in the sun, my skin has gone a shade or two darker, and now my foundation looks so strange on my face! Luckily my sister brought along some bronzer so I have been adding bronzer to my foundation when getting ready for dinner each night! Luckily, she and I share the same favorite bronzer (Benefit's Hoola Bronzer).
2. Pack a variety of sunscreens.
My family usually just buys sunscreen upon arrival to our vacation destination so we don't risk sunscreens exploding in our suitcases, but I'm pretty sure they're more expensive here. Additionally, my family usually sticks to something like SPF 30-35, whereas due to my fair skin I burn with 35 on so I pack 50. BUT I got sunburned (wearing SPF 35) so I purchased a higher SPF (70) the day I burned to protect my sunburn in the future days. Additionally, since I have pretty sensitive face skin I purchased TWO types of face sunscreen - one that's a lotion and one that's made for sensitive faces. Oy vey. Also, not all sunscreens are created equal and if you haven't found the sunscreen that suits your skin, definitely don't be afraid to shop around and try a bunch of different ones. For example, I used the Neutrogena sunscreen on my face for YEARS and it broke me out (all of the Neutrogena products do for some reason), but I assumed that's just what sunscreen did. False. False False. This trip I have tried this Hawaiian Topic face lotion sunscreen and this Coppertone sensitive faces sunscreen and have been REALLY happy with both, and neither of them have broken out my skin.
3. When burned, stay out of the sun for a day.
Even when I try my hardest, I still manage to burn. I reapplied sunscreen about a million times, and ONE time I laid down on my towel, didn't realize it rubbed off practically all the sunscreen on my back, got into the water, and BAM! BURNED. I burned pretty badly - so much so that I woke up in the middle of the night in pain. The next day, my family opted to do a long hike so I was in a long sleeved shirt all day, with my back fully protected from the sun. When I went out the next day to hang in the sun I put on some 70 SPF (multiple times) and my skin was absolutely fine.
4. Bring hydrating lotion, not aloe.
Everyone is obsessed with aloe gel as some sort of miracle after sun gel. This, my friends, is a myth. Or at least it does not work at all for me. In fact, I would say, it makes my sunburn even worse. When my skin burns, it dries out, gets tight (sunscreen I'm pretty sure actually dries out your skin too) and then the burn is just miserable. But putting lotion that is really hydrating and full of shea butter really works well for my skin, and is my 100% go to for after sun care, whether I am slightly or very burned. My favorite lotion right now is the Bath and Body Works Ultra Shea Body Cream.
5. Paint your own toes.
At the beach, your toes are always out, so I always try and have mine done prior to hitting up the beach. BUT one huge downfall of the beach is that the sand will 100% ruin an expensive pedicure. So instead, I opt to paint my own toes the day before I leave so I have a fresh pedi for the beach, but I'm not too upset when the sand totally ruins the polish.
6. Bring a leave-in conditioner.
The sun, sand, and ocean have left my hair SO DRY. Luckily, my sister and I brought along our two favorite leave-in conditioners which have been absolute game changers: the Organix Argan Oil and Coconut Mist. Additionally, we usually do an afternoon workout session, and prior to that I shower to rinse all the sand and salt off my skin and to rinse my hair out. A couple days ago, when I rinsed my hair, I put in conditioner and left it in, braided it, went to the gym, and came back and showered and fully washed my hair - it was SO hydrated. Best. Trick. Ever.
7. Buy water bottles.
Now normally, I am ALL about reusable water bottles (and if there was a reusable water filling station here with filtered water I would be all about it but I'm not too sure of the tap water quality here), but on vacation I have an exception. I usually have my reusable water bottle sitting next to me at all times, but since I don't usually bring it on vacation, buying water bottles in bulk - rather than using the ones in the room - is a game changer for the ending room charge and my hydration level! I usually stop by a grocery store on our way in and grab a large case of waters and replenish as needed.
I hope that was helpful!
Labels: Travel
