Beauty Dare: Packing light...

It's important to pack light when travelling - whether it be to work on the daily, or on a long trip away. No one wants a bag full of beauty products weighing them down. However, there are a few products I find essential to feeling and looking presentable. Rather than lug them all around, some beauty planning can help you pack what you need for when you need it, saving a whole lot of space in your carry on or suitcase... which means all the more room for beauty shopping once you hit your destination!

NAILS

HOME: Pre trip, take the time to file and paint your nails. A double coat, plus a good quality top coat should help your mani last at least 3-4 days. Just enough time to locate a nail salon at your destination, or else buy a new nail shade to suit your holiday vibe. Nothing says beach holiday like a festive bright pink mani.

I am also obsessed with Sally Hansen's Everyday Strength Medium Nail Board files - the perfect files in my opinion. Nice and big, and not to gritty, they are my mani must-have.

AWAY: More of a paint-it-yourself kind of gal? Be sure to pack a few polish options as well as remover wipes - so much more compact than a bottle and 20 cotton balls. Try the La Fresh Nail Polish Remover Acetone Free Wipes. Made with Vit E, they nourish while removing.

HAIR

HOME: Pre-plan for the drying effect of air travel with a hydrating mask for your hair. The Suigo Vital Nutrition Instensive Hair Repair Treatment is a fave here at bb. Apply to still damp locks, pin hair up (and wrap in gladwrap if you are feeling particularly beauty minded) then sit back and wait 20 minutes for the mask to do it's thing before washing out. It'll give your locks a helping hand to stay nourished pre-holiday.

AWAY: If you like to rely on hotel shampoo and conditioner, you'll definitely want to pack a nourishing oil to make sure your strands aren't stripped of all their moisture. Even if you pack your own haircare, a little moroccan oil will certinaly keep you from needing to snip off 3inches of dry strands post-holiday due to neglected locks. Try the Orofluido Beauty Elixir (I've kept a little sample vial of it and simply refill from the large bottle once my reserves run low). Rubbing a touch through freshly washed locks will retain shine and moisture.

FACE

HOME: A little beauty prep will be worth a thousand facials once you arrive refreshed at your destination (well, almost).Get your skin into holiday mode before you’ve taken off. A scrub followed by a mask will help you slough away any skin stress for a relaxing result.

Try the La Clinica Rebalancing Vitamin A Facial Scrub. Comprised of super fine granules and natural plant extracts, it's kind to skin. If your skin in particularly dry and dull, try using dry or with wet finger tips only. You’ll get a more instense exfoliation.

Follow with a mud mask to further draw out any impurities that can otherwise pop out during long haul flights or irregular cleansing on vaycay. I LOVE Cellilux. A slight tingling during the first 5 minutes gives way to a cooling and tightening sensation. Once washed off, skin feels incredibly fresh.

AWAY: One of my top travel tips is to carry a hydrating mist with you at all times. I’m packing the Janesce Softening Refresher Mist to perk up dry and tired skin. Once at your destination, get off to a good skin start by cleansing thoroughly (twice is best after a little skin neglect en route - the first will take away surface impurities and the second will get rid of excess sebum and cleanse right into pores). I am a big fan of the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Gel foaming cleanser for when my skin is feeling prone to breakouts. I also like their effaclar duo cream – applied to the t-zone you can avoid excess sebum build up that causes pore congestion. No one wants whiteheads on holiday!

BODY

HOME: If you are travelling far, chances are you won’t be able to pamper with a hot shower on the duration of your journey to your final destination. All the more reason to have a relaxing and rejuvenating one before you take off! Try a shower gel with essential oils to really distress and get into holiday mode.

AWAY: Keep your skin worthy of being bared in all of those special holiday pieces you’ve packed in your suitcase. A great hydrating moisturiser is a must, as is a hand cream to keep that mani you painted earlier in check. The Swisse Hand Cream with Vitamin F and Pomegrante comes with a zingy refreshing scent, ace for a mid-flight pick-me-up.

Your legs will probably also need a little TLC post flight (especially if it’s a long one). Try the Gat … with its zingy, cooling and tingling sensation to bring a little life back to heavy calves and feet.