In Flight Essentials | Short Haul Flights

Most of my previous flights to date have been long haul and therefore my in flight essentials have been hardier than what was needed for a two hour trip to Ibiza. That said I still wanted to have one or two items with me to ensure that I didn't look too travel wearing when I arrived at my hotel.

Avenue Thermal Water Spray*
Yes this is essentially a can of water but it's nonetheless a travel essential for me and always appears in my beach bag or as part of my sightseeing kit. For flights it's just the thing to refresh the face and combat dehydration from the cabin air. It's also handy to have on hand for sunburn and other irritations you might experience on your trip.

Soft & Gentle Orange Blossom & Grapefruit Deodorant*
This is in no way a contender for Sure Maximum Protection but it's perfectly adequate to freshen up before your land and board a sweaty coach to your destination. It was also handy to throw into my bag when I travelled to visit my parents on the Island or reach for when needed. Sometimes a spray is what you need to feel the gap when a cream would be too messy.

Bath & Bodyworks Hand Sanitizer
I travelled to the airport by train for this trip so on top of that, the flight and a coach journey a hand sanitizer was definitely required. I also knew I was in a middle seat on the plane and unsure how easy I'd be able to get in and out of my seat so wanted to ensure I could still keep my hands clean as necessary. The current flavour I'm using is Candy Apple from the Halloween range - it makes me smile every time I use it as it reminds me Apple Sourz from my youth!

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolour Cheek Gelee, Getaway Red
I love this Cheek Gelee from Josie Maran I often wonder why I haven't purchased more from the range. In any case this is a perfect blush for travelling as it requires no brushes and adds a flush of colour which can be needed if feeling a little peaky from travelling.

Trilogy CoQ10 Age Proof Eye Recovery Concentration*
I've become quite taken with this rollerball from Trilogy since featuring it in my Hydrating Skincare Favourites post. When I was putting together my inflight kit I knew this was perfect for travelling with me. For a two hour flight I knew I wouldn't be bothered with removing make up and applying creams and such but also that my eyes would suffer more than most. Having this rollerball to hand for reapplying when my eyes needed it ensured I didn't look like I'd spent the night in club already.


NYX Butter Lipstick, Coral Red*
Since appearing in my April Favourites I've found it hard to turn to any other lipstick lately, fearing this might actually be one I used up before the end of the year I use it so frequently. As I mentioned in that post it's the perfect red for the time of year and the formulation doesn't leave lips dry.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder
My Holy Grail Product and one I'm never without. A touch up of this powder and an addition of the aforementioned lipstick and cheek gelee and I was good to go on arrival. Obviously this powder was also perfect for tackling shine throughout my holiday.

Roger & Gallet Fleur d'Osmanthus Hand Balm*
I used this hand cream religiously on holiday. I don't know what was going on but whatever I seemed to do my hands were crying out for moisture. This was a fruity fragrance just perfect for a Summer holiday.

DrPawPaw Original Clear Balm*
Not only perfect for your holidays this is a product that could also come in handy during the festival season. A balm containing papaya, olive oil and Aloe Vera oil that is perfect for skin irritations such as sunburn. This tiny tube can be used to stray hairs, massage into cuticles and as a lip balm. I had it on hand mainly for it's lip balm properties but during the week I was away it was nice to have something for looking after my nails. Even better it's a UK made product.

So there's a peek at what I take on a flight with me, what are your essentials?

*PR Samples

Products I Used Up on holiday

A bonus empties post for this month thanks to my recent trip to Dubai with plenty to talk about so let's dive straight in.

Radox Invigorate Shower Gel*
A bottle of Radox shower gel often accompanies me on holiday especially when I am travelling with friends or family as it's a great sharer. Ben and I happily worked our way through the lemon and rosemary scent particularly as we needed as much 'invigorating' as possible due to being in ultra relaxation mode whilst away. It wasn't quite full when we left the UK but there was plenty for over the ten day period in addition to another shower gel I was using (more on that coming up soon).

Bumble & Bumble Surf Shampoo & Conditioner
I threw this sachets of the Bumble & Bumble Surf Shampoo & Conditioner (along with my surf spray) on a whim thinking they'd be ideal for days I wanted to let hair dry naturally and add a bit of texture. I completely fell back in love with the Surf range which I hadn't used over Winter and will definitely be stocking up for my trip to Ibiza in 3 weeks.

The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Cream*
This was a great holiday moisturiser, light, hydrating and contained SPF. You can see the rest of my holiday skincare regime in last weeks post or follow the link for my review of The Body Shop Aloe Range.

Clayspray Aloeveratherapy - White Clay and Aloe Vera*
Just because I was on holiday I didn't want to abandon my weekly face masks so poor Ben had to endure my walking out the bathroom with various versions on my face. I threw a Clayspray sachet into my make up bag as it was the perfect travel companion. I'm going to publish a more formal review soon of the Clayspray range but I can say I enjoyed this mask, feeling cool on application and quickly tighten (so Ben had a few moments of silence from my jabbering). The White Clay and Aloe Vera mask was to comfort and soften reactive skin which was just what I needed.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray*
Battling the excessive heat of Dubai a make up setting spray was essential to ensure my make up didn't slip off my face throughout the evening. A great combo with Chanel Les Beiges and I will certainly be repurchasing.

Korres Milk Proteins 3 in 1 Cleanser, Toner & Eye Make Up Remover
I'd had little opportunity to use such a small sample of Korres 3 in 1 Cleanser but my outbound flight was the perfect opportunity. As I was flying overnight I arrived at the airport with a face full of make up that I wanted to remove when I settled down to try and get some sleep. The Korres all in once cleanser contains lactose and amino acids to nourish the skin and add a hydrating film which is a necessity in the recycled air of a planes cabin. It quickly removed make up to provide the base for all my facial spritz applied throughout the flight.

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Hand Cream*
It was a no brainer that the Fleur de Figuier hand cream would join me on holiday along with the Fleur de Figuier Perfume. I can't bear dry hands and never more so than flying and I spent much of the flight and week away reapplying this cream so much so that it made it's way to the empties pile. Will I repurchase - most certainly.

Clinque Bottom Lash Mascara
This was one of my first 'the beauty blogger made me do it' purchases and something I don't use often but essential for nights out. By day I tend to leave my bottom lashes au natural but at night it adds a little something extra I like. I fully intended to repurchase this at World Duty Free on my way home but completely forgot so it will be added to the Ibiza Duty Free wish list in a couple of weeks. Lastly - how have the drugstores not duped this yet?

Palmers Foot Magic Scrub*
Days spent in flip-flops and nights in heels I didn't want to abandon my Palmers Pedicures whilst on holiday so took along this gritty foot scrub to treat my feet. It was great to apply in the shower and keep my feet tip top whilst away and I will definitely repurchase as I liked the harsher scrub for my feet than the body versions have.

Bath & Body Works Island Margarita Santizing Hand Gel
Previously this hand gel was kept on my desk at work and I threw into my hand luggage for the flight. The scent of this is amazing and frequently on using at work someone would comment on 'you smell nice' - not bad for something to fight germs. Whilst I did visit a Bath & BodyWorks at Dubai Mall I was completely overwhelmed and decided to wait for a haul when I hopefully visit Rose at the end of the year.

Clarins Moisturiser with SPF
I forgot to note exactly what product this was but remember receiving as a sample during a Sephora visit last year and being told it was a great SPF. Such a small tube I thought it was perfect to use quickly during my trip. As an SPF it worked great and I can report that this in addition to all the other facial SPFs I used created a great tan on my face with no obvious damage. As for the formula of this cream it was thin and certainly of the 'watery' variety but none the less was absorbed into the skin effectively.

Superdrug Cotton Wool Oval Pads
I wouldn't usually throw my empty packs of Cotton Wool Pads into my empties post but as this are different from my usual Boots version I thought I'd offer comment. I picked these up during a Superdrug visit and I'm sure there was a usual 3 for 2 offer of similar so I had been using at home prior to my holiday also. On first use I wasn't too happy, they seemed to become wetter and soggier than their Boots counterparts but as I became used to them I was able to make things work - and avoid being  so heavy handed with my toners and the like. Their texture was also more wiry than I was used to which was also another plus against, that said they did perform their function adequately. Would I choose these over the Boots Cotton Pads? No but if I was in Superdrug and needed cotton wool pads I would happily pick these up.

Palmers Dark Chocolate & Cherry Tinted Lip Balm*
I picked the Palmers Tinted Lip Balm for my hand luggage as it's tint would add a little colour to my make up free face during the flight and likewise on the beach if I felt my lips getting a little dry. Unfortunately it was a casualty of the Dubai heat and managed to break, melt into the lid during my stay.

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Mosituring Boosting Masks*
I no longer fly without having one of the Hydraluron Sheet Masks in my case to apply at the other end to combat the cabin air. Whilst I don't find any benefits from using Hydraluron serum on a regular basis due to other products in my regime the masks are something I rely upon to give that extra boost the skin needs. If you have any long haul flights on the cards I'd highly recommend you pick some of these up.

So there you have a rather extensive holiday empties post. It's quite fun to have had a holiday three weeks prior to my next as I have a great idea for what I do and don't need to take along with me. Anything you spot that you always use up on holiday?

*PR Sample

BEAUTY EMPTIES | April 2015

Pixi Glow Tonic link

I'm not entirely sure why it took my so long to use this bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic as I used it on a fairly regular basis. As you can see it's even in the old style pump bottle. I do remember on purchasing it initially I wasn't particularly overwhelmed but due to it's age I don't feel it'd be fair to pass any comment and with it's affordable price I would repurchase again and give it another shot. 

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub link

Another product that has been in my collection for a ridiculously long time is the famous lip scrub from Lush in the popcorn scent. I originally reviewed this in 2013 here and whilst I did enjoy using the product I wasn't diligent enough with it's application and it is now in a dried up state so it's time to add a new one into my shopping basket. 

COLAB Dry Shampoo Extreme Volume in RIO link

I'm slightly dubious of the influx of products released by YouTubers and the flood of positive reviews and whilst many are not really targeted for me I had to swallow my words when I tried the COLAB Extreme Volume dry shampoo. I picked up the smaller size on a trip to Superdrug thinking it'd be ideal to tackle those hand luggage woes of mine (read about them here). I must concede that this is a great product that I love and have subsequently purchased the full size. I don't use this as a dry shampoo as I'm happy with Batiste for that purpose but as a product to give volume and texture to my hair this is perfect. 

L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray - Supreme Hold link

I'm not really a hairspray user, only if I've had my hair 'properly' style or worn up but it's always handy to have a trusty can of Elnett in my arsenal. I've tried the Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hairspray and it's just too wet for me and often ruins any style I've had or destroy any volume whereas Elnett keeps things in place without leaving things crispy. Definitely much add to my repurchase list. 

Laura Geller GlamLash Mascara link

Another product that made the empties pile this month is the famous GlamLash mascara from Laura Geller. I really enjoyed this mascara and would definitely repurchase. It did everything it said it would, lengthening, volumising and separating lashes, I always felt a little special wearing this and felt it finished off my simple eye make up looks but adding a little drama. 

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Dryspiun Finish link

I have gone through about three cans of Bumble & Bumbles wonderful Dryspun finish and repurchased every time but our happy journey may be at an end having discovered COLAB as mentioned above. These products work for me in a very similar fashion and if I can find one for a fraction of a cost then it's a win win. 

Lush Aquatic Toothy Tabs link

As I've mentioned often I'm taking a concerted effort to use products I have hence why you're seeing a lot of 'old' products starting to make their appearance in these posts. Another is the Lush Toothy Tabs which have been used for all my travels since their early review in 2013 here. Whilst I love this product I hate the taste of these and even Ben was horrified when I made him try one in Edinburgh. I would repurchase but need to find the right 'taste' for me. 

Bath & Bodyworks Wild Madagascar Vanilla EDP link

This was a new fragrance release when I was in BBW during one of my US trips and I fully intended to include in my giveaway. Cheekily after testing I decided I liked it too much and kept it for myself. It was the perfect Winter scent and had a spiciness to it which stopped it from being sickly sweet. 

Simple Kind to Skin+ Illuminating Radiance Cream link

This was a sample I used on one of my nights away and I enjoyed using it. It certainly added radiance after a night out and gave my skin the boost it needed that I could head home with a pounding head but looking more awake than I felt.

The Breath Co Oral Rinse* link
Originally reviewed in this post I was surprised how much I enjoyed using a mouth wash as it's not something that's ever been part of my routine. I have subsequently repurchased the toothpaste having missed it and finding it more palatable than other toothpaste brands. I haven't rushed to repurchase this but I think it's definitely something I should reconsider as it's worth the extra step.

Simple Kind to Skin Facial Cleansing Wipes link
I've featured the Simple wipes in my empties post before as the handy 7's pack is ideal for unexpected overnight stays. Without my regular skincare line up and wanting to do the least in simply removing make up for one night I don't find that these wipes leave my skin dry and make me feel almost saintly for making the effort!

What have you been using up this month?

*PR Sample

CLOSED / US Drugstore Beauty Giveaway

Whilst I was in the US last year I threw a few extra beauty bits into my shopping bags to share with readers. For whatever reason they were hidden in the back of a cupboard and I think it's high time I got my giveaway ready for you.

One lucky person could win a goodie bag filled with the following:

The Wet Brush Mini link
I love my Wet Brush as you will know if you're read this post and whilst luggage allowances restricted me to bringing home a full sized one for you I hope a mini to throw in your handbag will be just as pleasing.

NYX Matte Lipstick in Shocking Pink link
If you're looking for a dupe of Mac's Candy Yum Yum then Shocking Pink from the NYX Matte Lipstick range is just for you. This is a long lasting, non drying formula I really enjoying wearing. In fact typing this post it's time to dig my own out.

Victoria Secret Rollerball in Heavenly link
I can't actually tell you from my own experience what Heavenly by Victoria Secret smells like as this was a free gift during one of many large sprees in store. It's apparently one of their first fragrances and I can tell you from reading online that it is a warm fragrance with white musk, sandalwood, vanilla and white peony notes. If you're lucky enough to win report back and share what you made of it.

Milani Baked Blush in Deliziouso Pink link
Milani Baked Blushes are highly regarded in beauty circles and deservedly so. Don't let this bright pink blusher scare you its very wearable with a light hand. It's perfect as we head into Spring. Whilst I have this blush in my own collection I've never reviewed it here but you can find all you need to know on Temptalia here

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara link
I actually brought this mascara for myself but due to an excessive collection of mascara's I decided to throw it in to the giveaway pile. If it made it's way onto my shopping list I had obviously seen it reviewed somewhere.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk link
Another product I picked up was also seen on American YouTuber's channels and I reviewed my copy here. Unfortunately it creases on me but as an eyeshadow base it's fantastic. Reviews are mixed across the board so I hope that if you're lucky enough to win you'll be in the thumbs up camp.

Bath & Bodyworks Hand Sanitizers in Pumpkin Pecan Waffles & Vanilla Berry Sorbet link
You also have the opportunity to win two of the famous Bath & Bodyworks hand sanitizers. I picked up two different scents for you, Pumpkin Pecan Waffles and Vanilla Berry Sorbet. Both smell amazing and who can fault any of these little bottles.

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Eyeshadow Palette link
I'm a big fan of Wet n Wild's afforable eyeshadow palettes and they're quality is comparible to Mac and other high end brands. I reviewed the Comfort Zone palette in this post and the fact remains I'm still a big fan and love to bust this out regularly.

This giveaway is open to all UK residents (sorry overseas friends)

Good luck!

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