I usually plan posts and take photos weeks or even months before I get around to writing them but this post was a lot more spontaneous! I took the photos before I went to Goa and now that I’m back, I get to give you mini reviews of some of these newly tested skincare bits! The makeup is something you might have read before though! I also used a few of these again on a short visit in Delhi this week.
I always make it a point to use up my minis and samples when I’m travelling. I also like to be very compact. Well, compact by beauty blogging standards! I used my Anya Hindmarch In-Flight bag which fits just the right amount of products! I’ve used it 7-8 times now and it’s lasted well, the zip is still very smooth and I was worried about getting scratches or scuffs but none of that has happened! I kept makeup in the shallow ‘Touch Down’ section and skincare in the deeper ‘Take Off’ one. I also had haircare and other bits in a separate bag but I don’t think you guys would be interested in which toothpaste I use!
First order of business is my contact lens solution, I always have a travel size one with me. I use the Renu Fresh Contact Lens Solution, nothing major here. I have very neat sample size of the Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover. I don’t normally use bi-phase makeup removers but Bioderma isn’t the easiest product to travel with. This has one of those leak proof caps which makes it perfect! It also takes off all my makeup quickly. It did take longer to remove my mascara though, which was a Bobbi Brown one incidently.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser is the one product that I’ve come to love the most out of this exercise. I’m tempted to buy a full size one as my second cleanser! I know it’s very well talked about but I had never tried it before. I love the cucumber scent, it’s so soothing and calming! I haven’t used a foam cleanser in so long that this made me miss them a bit. Does anyone else just feel happy looking at bubbles, even tiny ones?
This tube of Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré is almost out now! It’s just a really simple and basic moisturiser that’s great as a primer as well! It’s great at keeping your skin moisturised throughout the day and also evening out the skin texture. You do get a little bit of shine but massaging it in well reduces most of it. I also love keeping this with me on planes. Another moisturizing variant I tried was the Glossier Balm Dotcom. I did a little Glossier haul last month and I picked up the Phase 1 Set. This is a very very thick lip balm, almost like an ointment. It can also be used in other areas where there is severe dryness. Since it is so thick, I only ended up using this on my lips before bedtime. Two days at the beach and I had developed really dry scaly skin on my knees which was horrifying! I used this over it and it instantly repaired it for rest of the trip! I’m very impressed but it’s something I would use only in extreme conditions.
I seem to have an endless supply of these 88ml lotions, thanks to my mom! This time I picked the Bath & Body Works Body Lotion in Georgia Peach which you will enjoy if you like peaches! These are great at moisturisers for summer if you have dry skin in general. Only a shopping addict like me would buy duty free on a plane! There was an Hermes set of four 25ml perfumes for a steal, ofcourse I picked it up! It’s not holy grail but I enjoy citrusy scents like Hermes Le Jarden De Monsieur Li. It’s great for day time, a bit grassy and clean scent wise. It’s not very intense but it lasts well for 5-6 hours, I could still faintly smell it on me in the evening.
Sunscreen is a must and I’ve talked before about the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 50+ in my skincare routine post. It’s just a great sunscreen with a matte finish, smells a bit powdery but that doesn’t bother me. I haven’t tried any other sunscreen for years so do leave your recommendations below! I forgot to photograph it but I also carried a spray version of this that I used for my body.
Summer’s here and one of the reasons I don’t like it is because my very fine hair always ends up looking clumpy at the roots. I can’t live without a dry shampoo! I had picked this one up at Sephora and reserved it strictly for travel. So glad I got to use this because it’s amazing! Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk is a lot finer than Batiste and you get a lot of product with one pump. I feel like it also distributes evenly over a larger area. I’m not swayed much by hairspray scents but this one ain’t bad. I also carried a tiny Molton Brown Shower Gel which I’m sure I nicked from a hotel a long time ago.
I lot of these are repeats from my Minimal Makeup post but I don’t miss a chance to talk about these! It’s hot and humid in Goa so I wanted a weightless base. I went with the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand as usual. It has SPF but still photographs well at night. I used one layer all over and build it up in areas that needed it. To set the makeup and mattify, I brought along the super fine Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light. You do get that blurred effect with this, the hype is real but you need to perfect the amount of product you use.
My favourite concealing duo at the moment is the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Dark Peach and the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Med-Dark Warm. The corrector has the right orange pigment to cover the discolouration near my eyes. The concealer is a close match to my skin tone and conceals really well. It’s a creamy liquid and very pigmented. It blends seamlessly and doesn’t look like I have a lot of product on.
Let’s move on to eyes! For day, By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon is the perfect cream eyeshadow that will last through humidity and stay on without creasing! I didn’t find this to be as long lasting as it usually is in drier weather, but whenever I checked on myself, it was in good shape. For night, I usually did a layer of Bronze Moon and the Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Diamond Dog on top. This eyeshadow you guys! You need to swatch this! I have never had a brown eyeshadow with silver shimmer in it before and it’s a combination that will blow your mind! When you put this on, it gives that watery glossy effect on the lids! It’s not oily, it’s that perfect glossiness you see in magazines! I was going out every night so I knew I wanted something quick that made an impact, Diamond Dog was perfect. I also loved that the shimmer didn’t travel around my face and stuck to the lids.
So I have very watery eyes which always leads to any liner on my waterline or lashline smudging and turning into a mess. I think I’ve finally found one that doesn’t! I wanted to try a gel liner for a long time but I just cannot be bothered with the traditional pot and brush kind. I bought a MUFE one a long time ago and never used it. I decided to try the Hourglass 1.5mm Mechanical Gel Liner in Obsidian on a whim and much like that Aerin blush, it’s one of those surprise gems! This does smudge on my waterline eventually but that’s only towards the end of the day. It stays put for almost 7-8 hours unlike some of the others I’ve tried like the Stila one or Mac Technakohl. It’s a very tiny pencil and it’s super pigmented and smooth to apply! I never have to redo the same spot. This comes in a value pack of three as well and I might just get it!
I feel like just curling my lashes changes the look a lot, I did that a lot during the day and kept mascara just for night. I’ve been using these Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers for years now. For mascara, I brought along the a sample size Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara. I find this one to be alright. It’s not waterproof which is a not ideal but it coats lashes well, doesn’t look clumpy, you can layer on a lot. It gives a good balance of volume and length which I like! For brows, I used the trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown. Can’t go wrong with this. I love the Hourglass Arch Brow too which is quicker to use but I just fancied using this one for a change.
I’m gonna talk about the Aerin Multi-color for Cheek and Lips in Natural again! You guys know I LOVE this. The rosy nude shade is perfect, it’s very easy to blend and the finish gives off a nice sheen. It’s usually dry in my city and I don’t really get oily around my cheeks which is why this lasts well here. In humid Goa however, this melted off my face in 2-3 hours. That’s disappointing and might be something to keep in mind you are thinking of buying this.
I usually go on and on about how Charlotte Tilbury makes great products in mediocre packaging but this one product is the exception. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Light comes in fantastic sturdy and gorgeous packaging with a very handy mirror. I find both shades well suited for my skintone even though they might look light in the pan. The contour shade is buildable and doesn’t look ashy on me, it has the right amount of grayness though. The champagne highlight is gorgeous and not too glittery! I would highly recommend this!
Two lipsticks I randomly picked for the trip and have been loving more ever since are the Nars Lipstick in Dolce Vita and the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bond Girl. I wanted a sheer option for day and a matte one for night. Dolce Vita is more of a pink nude that can be built up to be almost opaque. But it is a sheer slippy formula and I found myself reapplying it many times throughout the day. No complaints though because it’s very lightweight on the lips and the colour is worth it! Bond Girl on the other hand is a lightweight matte in that perfect mix of brown and red. It lasted through snacks and drinks but it came off after that amazing Goan curry!
I only carried three brushes with me (and forgot to photograph the third). Hakuhodo B5521BkSL Highlight Brush was reserved for the Filmstar Bronze and Glow. Zoeva Concealer Buffer Brush was used for concealer and the Zoeva Full Face Brush for powder. The rest was applied with just fingers!
Is this too much or too little for a weekend getaway? Also prepare yourself for the wall of links! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend!
Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover – Sephora, Nordstrom, Nykaa
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser – Sephora, Nordstrom
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré – FeelUnique
Glossier Balm Dotcom – Glossier
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk – Sephora
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand – SpaceNK, Sephora, Nordstrom
Bobbi Brown Corrector in Dark Peach – Bobbi Brown, Sephora, Nordstrom, Nykaa
Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Med-Dark Warm – Sephora, Nordstrom
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light – SpaceNK, Sephora, Nordstrom
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon – SpaceNK, Beautylish, Feel Unique
Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Diamond Dog – Sephora, Nordstrom
Hourglass 1.5mm Mechanical Gel Liner in Obsidian – Sephora, Nordstrom
Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara – Sephora, Nordstrom
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown – Sephora, Nordstrom, Cult Beauty
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers – Shu Uemura
Aerin Multi-color for Cheek and Lips in Natural – Nordstrom
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Light – Beautylish, Nordstrom
Nars Lipstick in Dolce Vita – Sephora, Nordstrom
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bond Girl – Beautylish, Nordstrom
Hakuhodo B5521BkSL Highlight Brush – Hakuhodo
Zoeva Concealer Buffer Brush – Zoeva, BeautyBay
(some of the links above are affiliate links)
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