Welcome to my vacation blog post! I recently returned from a family getaway in beautiful Mexico and I wanted to share with you the products that made the trip with me and my daily skin care routine. When I travel, I try to bring a minimum number of products with targeted ingredients. I like to give my skin the nutrients it needs but also a break from being covered in makeup. All of the skin care ingredients I use are based on the advice of my good friend, Heather Happy, an expert and well-known esthetician at Cool Springs Plastic Surgery.
Makeup Remover
One of the most important products to remember is makeup remover in order to have a fresh, clean face after a day in the sun. For removing my makeup, I packed Bioderma Sensibio H2O, which I have linked to Amazon for you to easily purchase and try for yourself. This is a must have product for me and my professional kit. I love that it’s not greasy and takes makeup off beautifully.
Cleansers
For cleansing my skin, I used CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, which is good for most skin types. If you are prone to having dry skin, CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser will be a better option for you. After cleansing, I gently go over the skin with Paula’s Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner on a soft cotton pad. This balances out the skin and removes excess makeup with active botanical astringents and antioxidants.
Serums
My favorite part of my skincare routine is when I use Oz Naturals Vitamin C Facial Serum with Hyaluronic Acid. This vitamin C serum is very important for fading the appearance of brown spots, protecting against dirt from the environment and providing anti-inflammatory benefits to the skin. Essential C is a second a vitamin C serum that Heather told me about and is another amazing option because it is a lipid based antioxidant (instead of water) and it absorbs and penetrates better into the skin. This product retails for $108 and lasts approximately 4 months, however, it is only available for order through Heather, (615) 771-7718, who works at Cool Springs Plastic Surgery in Franklin, TN.
A second serum that I use to maximize my skin care routine is Paula’s Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster. Like vitamin C, Niacinamide is great for so many things. A few benefits include reduced pore size, lightened skin discoloration and source of antioxidants to protect the skin from premature aging.
After the serums, I use my favorite SPF and moisturizer combo, which is currently Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30. A little goes a long way with this product. I also packed Aveda Tulasara Wedding Mask Eye Cream even though I usually prefer eye creams that are packaged in a tube to assure the active ingredients stay active, but the Tulasara is rich, creamy, and feels great. Here is a good, yet less expensive option for anti-aging eye cream: Roc Retinol Correxion Eye Cream Treatment. NOTE: do not use this if you are pregnant or nursing due to the ingredient retinol.
12 Vacation Makeup Essentials to my 5-minute Routine
- Benefit POREfessional – to prep my T-zone and chin for foundation application and keep oil and shine to a minimum
- Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer – oil free, light to medium coverage (if you are oily, skip your moisturizer and use this in its place) make sure to start in the center of your face and blend the product out
- Tarte Creaseless Concealer – a little goes a long way – just use this in the corner of your eyes where you need to conceal and brighten
- Laura Mercier Secrete Camouflage – spot treat blemishes with a pointy brush and buff the edges with a clean eye shadow brush to blend with your foundation
- Anastasia Brow Wiz – make your eyebrows pop! Use small strokes in the same direction as your hair, create a nice, natural arch and then brush them with the spoolie (resembles a mascara wand) for a natural finish or a light matte cream powder for a softer finish
- COVERGIRL Nudes TruNaked Eyeshadow Palette – an inexpensive palette that compliments all skin tones. Use with a small angled brushed and also use as an eyeliner
- Benefit – Dandelion Blush – a very beautiful blush color for light to medium skin that also smells amazing
- Tarte Tarteist™ PRO Glow Highlight & Contour Palette – a great palette for bronzing too
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil – eyeliner
- IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara
- Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter and Glow Liquid Eyeshadow – for all you mermaids out there! 😉 – this eye shadow is fun and adds some bling to your look
- Dior Addict Lipstick – high shine with lots of pigment & a comfortable way to wear bright colors
Thanks for Reading
I hope you enjoy this list of products! They are all linked to where I purchase them to ensure you get the right product at the best price. As always, please reach out to me for any questions or help!
Be sure to see some of these products in action by watching my vacation video here. These are all great products with targeted ingredients to keep your skin looking and feeling great. Just make sure you wear a big floppy hat! One day of sun exposure can ruin months of a good skin care routine.
xoxo ~ Megan