Summer Vacation Here We Come! Or, a Guide to Efficient Packing of Your Cosmetics

It's summer time! Time to relax, enjoy the weather, and go out of town for a worry free vacation. We women, usually, have a hard time figuring out what we are going to take with us. This applies to everything - dresses, shoes, hats, bathing suites, skin care, make up and much more. The Glamorized Skin Team will help you with this dilemma. In this article we will guide you through packing your toiletries and make up essentials for your next glamorous trip.

Let us start with skin care products. Based on your skin type (oily/combination or dry/sensitive) you should take the minimum amount of  necessities with you. You will need a gentle cleanser, exfoliant, disinfectant (only if have acne prone skin), and a good moisturizer/serum with SPF for morning and without SPF for night. A good amount of sunscreen (SPF 45+) to keep your whole body protected from the sun throughout the vacation, is a good addition to the list. Additionally, you will need to pack a small amount of your favorite shampoo, conditioner and a full body moisturizer to treat your skin after a full day at the beach. We would not recommend taking body soap, shower gel or a large amount of moisturizer because most hotels provide these things for you in sufficient amounts. Finally, you should check with your airline/airport policies regarding the size and the amount of containers you are allowed take in your carry-on if you are taking your essentials on board.  We like to keep small containers from samples and gifts, which are under 3 oz., and re-use them each time we travel. To sum up below is a list of skin care necessities we recommend to take with you:

- Face Cleanser

- Exfoliant and Disinfectant (optional)

- Moisturizer AM (w/SPF) & PM (w/o SPF)

- Body Sunscreen (SPF 50+)

- Small bottle of body moisturizer

- Small bottle of shampoo and conditioner

Now lets discuss your make up necessities. You should first read our article about what skin tone/shade you have and which color scheme would suit you best (Color Wheel Your Face). Once you figure out your shading, you should concentrate on colors that will make you look fresh and well rested. If your vacation will not involve "black tie" events you should probably forgo taking with you heavy foundation, which will only make your your skin look artificial in the sun. All you will need is a tinted moisturizer with a well formulated sunscreen (over 30 SPF preferred). For our cool tone blondes a peachy shade blush and golden eyeshadow will make you look fresh and ready for various activities. A touch of a dark eyeliner and one to two coats of your favorite mascara will transform your day look for an evening outing. For brunettes, a pinkish-purple blush and light brown/purple eyeshadow with a little shimmer will make you look ready for a day at the beach. A touch of black eyeliner, a deeper brown eyeshadow in the crease, and black mascara will create a more elegant, evening look. Do not forget a good lip gloss/balm with sun protection for the day and a sheer lipstick for an evening. To sum up, here is a list of make up necessities you should take with you:

- Tinted Moisturizer (SPF 20+)

- Sheer Foundation (optional for evening use)

- Compact Powder (or loose if preferred)

- Light Eyeshadow

- Dark Eyeshadow

- Eyeliner (liquid or pencil)

- Mascara

- Lip gloss/balm (w/SPF)

- Lip gloss/sheer lipstick (w/o SPF for evening)

Additional Tips:

- Try not to take all your eyeshadow colors and lipstick colors with you. Choose the ones you look best in because you won't have time to use them all during your vacation anyway.

- If you have sensitive skin and cannot use moisturizer or body cleanser with fragrance, bring your own; the ones provided in the hotel will have fragrance.

- Do not forget a nail file (non-metal) in case you break or chip a nail. Also bring a clear nail polish to maintain your manicure.

- Try to pack you clothes in outfits (including shoes, handbags, and hats) so that you would not have to think about it while away.

- When flying, do not apply much make up before you board. However, 30-40 minutes before you land, wash your face and apply your exfoliant and moisturizer/sunscreen as usual. Then, apply your make up to look fresh when you arrive at your destination.

- Finally, do not forget to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and ready for all your planned (and unplanned!) activities. Skip the high sodium drinks or alcohol on the plane to help you stay hydrated and fresh.

I hope these tips will help you pack your luggage more efficiently and make your make up routine a breeze. I also wish you all great vacations this summer, no matter how long or short they are. If you can think of additional tips or tricks for vacation packing, please share with your fellow readers.