The last few holidays, it has come to my attention that a few culprits in the budget airline sector wish to absolutely smack you up the arse for the privilege of taking an actual, properly sized suitcase. I won’t name names (you know who you are, EasyJet, Ryanair, Monarch), but I find it incredibly frustrating, not because I want to take thousands of wedges and kaftans, but because you can’t take any friggin liquids and being the seasoned beauty blogger I am, there are a few essentials I cannot live without. When I say ‘essentials I can’t live without’ what I actually mean is ‘products that stop me looking like a tanned lovechild of Madge from Benidorm and Elton John after a day in the sun’.

So anyway, after a few holidays in the last couple of years, I have built up an indestructible make up/cosmetics/toiletries core product range that will assist you in your hour of need. Because of course, unless you are travelling to the Venezuelan Amazon or the jungle on the Thai/Malaysian border, you can pretty much get shower gel, shampoo and conditioner there. So save your room, and take these treats with you to look your best while you are round that pool at Ocean Club.

Benefit Give Me Brow

A year ago, a brow gel wouldn’t of occurred to me (two years ago before I got into blogging a lot of makeup wouldn’t of occurred to me – so I’d like to thank blogging for that. I’m sure my colleagues who have to see me first thing in the morning would thank blogging for that too), but now I can’t live without it.

Don’t get me wrong, there is one downside. You see, brow gel sticks to the hair, so if you have been a bit lazy with your waxing you might get a bit of a messy look. However, if you are on the straight and narrow, this is brilliant. Much better than pencil, and a lot more hardy. I quote often go swimming and still manage to have my eyebrows on, which is good because they are naturally so fair I look like I’ve had a whim and shaved them off.

Vitage Vitamin C Serum

Ok, so anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE this product. Basically, it evens out your skin tone. Technically, it does more than that. You can put it on and look so radiant, you don’t even need foundation. So for all those days at the beach where even the most waterproof of foundation will be worn off by the sheer willingness of the sand (yes, because sand gets in places you didn’t even know existed), just pop on the vitamin c serum. It’s used before moisturiser. I use it twice a day, but you don’t need to use it over time, it actively makes your skin look better instantly.

I honestly cannot recommend this enough. So much so, that I splashed out on a salon sized bottle, which set me back at least 8 bottles of prosecco.

Eyelure Eyelashes – Volume 101 Starter Pack

Eyelashes are the easiest way to avoid taking mascara away with you. I LOVE Eyelure eyelashes, and once got convinced to buy other ones which were so ropey I couldn’t even get them on (although I do struggle with eyelashes in general, usually my Mum does them). I always get mine from Boots, so here’s a little tip. The starter pack is £6.39 and a normal pack is £5.39. Now in the starter pack, you get a spare lash for testing. Say you are not as mind numbing atrocious as putting on eyelashes as me, and you don’t need this test lash? Well buy two packs and you have got a third for £2.00. That should well see you through all those crazy nights in Space and days on Bora Bora beach.

I like 101’s because they make you look just enough/not too much when it comes to slutty.

Perfumes: Check your magazines

I’m not ashamed to say, I do really love my perfumes and I love a treat now and again. My J’adore is the biggest bottle as well as my Stella McCartney. Now as much as I could decant one of these into a travel bottle, not only does that take up liquid space, but I’d also have to wear the same one all week unless I took ALL perfumes and no other liquids. Now I like a good change up when it comes to smells. Sometimes, depending on what moisturiser you have on or what shower gel you have used you could overdo it and smell like a whore’s handbag.

 So if you do like a change do one thing. Check your magazines. Vogue is great for this. Whever I go away, I go through my last few months Vogues, find the perfume samples, and cut around the cardboard. Because they are not actually classed as liquid (and certainly just show up as pieces of paper) you can take as many as you want without panic.

L’Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream

You could have the most pleasantly moisturized hands in the world, but I promise you, at some point on the holiday after all the sand and saltwater you are going to feel like you have been doing community service at the side of a road in Utah. This hand cream not only smells wonderful, but it gives a really deep moisturize, perfect for those times you come in minging from the beach and want to look fresh and clean for that holiday night out.