Travel Beauty Essentials - The Non Makeup Edit

When it comes to travelling and beauty products I think that I am pretty low maintenance on the haircare/skincare side of things and tend to just bring what I can fit into those clear plastic ziplock bags they give you at the airport (I avoid checking in my luggage on short trips). I also want to save space in my bag for a bit of cheeky duty free shopping (see previous post)! So here are my non makeup essentials.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo & conditioner 50 (travel size) - this is my all time favourite shampoo and conditioner  as I have very fine hair but lots of it, and this fantastic range cleanses and conditions my hair without weighing it down, but it leaves my hair feeling nourished and healthy. And the scent is so fresh and clean-smelling which I love.

Simple Face wipes - I don't use these on an everyday basis but makeup wipes are a godsend when going on holidays when you want to remove your make up before your "proper" cleanse, and it's also great for a quick refresh and get rid of the sunscreen and sea salt after a day at the beach.

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed 20ml - this was a GWP sample I had "found"/stolen from my mother in law's bathroom cupboard, I'd never used it before but I love it! It's a creamy foaming cleanser that's great for normal/combination skin, and I find it is effective enough to cleanse the skin properly of all the makeup, sunscreen, dirt and oil that builds up during the day and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean. Will have to grab a full sized one when I'm next in duty free!

Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil 30ml - I have had this bottle for at least 2 years and use it every other day and it seems to be neverending! I use this in the evening and treat myself to a facial massage to really work this into the skin, and I am rewarded in the morning with really soft dewy skin! Oily skin gals, never fear, this oil is great for our skin and doesn't clog pores and just sit on top of the skin, even oily skin needs good hydration and I actually find using this helps to reduce the oiliness of my skin with regular use.

La Roche Posay Effaclar H Compensating Soothing moisturiser 40ml - on the nights I don't use the Clarins oil I have been using this lovely moisturiser from La Roche Posay. It's very hydrating and soothing after a day in the sun.

Soap & Glory Clean on Me Body Wash travel size - this is my all time favourite bodywash and I have the full sized version at home in my shower. The scent of this is so uplifting and not too fruity or overpowering, but what I love most is that it foams up and cleanses your skin but it never dries out your skin, it feels incredibly soft and nourished. Love this stuff!

Body Shop Mango Whip Body Lotion 60ml - this stuff is wonderfully moisturising and nourishing for the skin and smells delicious, like juicy mangoes, what's not to love? I love hitting up the Body Shop and buying the minis from the  "pick n mix" section.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Body Oil 50ml - this is a recent purchase that I bought for my wedding day in Australia, thinking that on the big day we would be basking in glorious sunshine (but alas, it rained, but that's a story for another time). I did however get to use it subsequently and have brought it along for our little trip to France, which is rather apt as, to me, this lovely shimmery oil smells like what those glamorous sunbathing French women, it smells divine, a really warm almost spicy concoction that brings to mind balmy summer nights strolling on the beach. Heavenly stuff that makes your skin glow and feel like a beach goddess.

Tangle Teezer - once you've tried the Tangle Teezer you can never go back. I've had mine for years and it's great for detangling my long tangle-prone hair especially after a day at the beach!

Stay tuned for my make up travel essentials!

What are your holiday must haves?

Lisa x

PS I do use sunscreen at the beach, we are staying at my husband's family flat on holidays so I didn't need to bring any with me, just in case you were wondering!

The New Kid

Well hello there! After being inspired by so many amazing bloggers out there, and then umming and ahhing and making all the excuses under the sun for about 2 years, I have finally started my very first blog, elle elle beauty! I am going to use this as an outlet to express to you, my yet-to-come readers, all my thoughts and pretty pictures of all the things that I think make life worth living (okay so might have slight tendency to be overdramatic). t I love all things beauty, but I'll also throw in a few random things now and then on food stuff, travel stuff, fashion stuff and home decor stuff, just to spice things up a bit. 

So without further ado, for my very first post I am going to tell you about my my current favourite foundation, and it is Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer. I have oily skin so I need a base that is going to last the whole day on my face without sliding off, and I have found that this combo has really worked for me the last few weeks.

Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer is a recent discovery for me but having read such amazing reviews for it I had to try it for myself. A word of warning: this is extremely pigmented and less is definitely more, which is good as it comes in a really dinky little pot and is on the pricey side at £38 for 18g of product, but I think given the pigmentation levels it will last just as long if not longer than a regular bottle of foundation. The first time I swatched it in Space NK, much to the horror of the sales assistant, I dug out a moderate sized blob from the pot and swiped it on my hand, and oh my days, you could've covered my forearm with it, it was that pigmented!

Told ya it was dinky.

Remember, less is more.

Lesson learned, the way I apply it is to get a teeny amount about the size of a pea on the back of my hand, and mix it with either an oil free moisturiser or for a nice glow I mix it with NARS Light Optimising Primer (so underrated on the beauty blog scene!), then I buff it into my face using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. When using it alone, make sure your skin is well moisturised as you will need a good amount of "slip" to get a nice thin layer of coverage on your face, or else you may end up with the dreaded cake face. I have a few faded acne scars on my cheeks and whether I use it diluted or "neat", it has a really good medium coverage that is buildable and it leaves your skin with an amazing glow, and I get lots of nice comments when I wear this foundation!

A swipe so you can see how thick and pigmented it is.

Blended out, you can see the finish and the glowiness.

Oil control wise, I still need to powder to set the foundation, and this will keep me shine free for a good 3 to 4 hours. I then will need to blot 1 or 2 times during the day using either the Body Shop Tea Tree Blotting Tissues or Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot face powder. When I get home after work it does show a bit of wear but its still mostly sitting pretty on my face and not sliding off in a horrific waxy mess.

You can also use it as a concealer as it gives amazing coverage, however I tend not to use it for this unless I have a mean mother of a spot to hide! Instead I like to use a lighter (in colour and texture) concealer such as the Maybelline Instant Anti Age Eraser Eye in Light.

Lastly shade-wise I would definitely recommend swatching in store as when I looked it up online I thought I might be the shade SX11 but that was way too dark for me when I swatched it in real life, and SX08 is the perfect shade for me. (For reference I am a NC30-35 in MAC).

I am really loving this combination for my face right now, and for me the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, when applied right, is the perfect balance of long-lasting coverage whilst still looking natural.

See you in the next post!

Lisa x