Preparing for a summer holiday is always an exciting time, but it can be stressful as well – especially when no amount of sitting on the top of the case will compress it enough! With only a limited amount of space, it can be difficult to pack everything you’d like to, without compromising on your beauty essentials. Below are four beauty ‘must haves’ that every woman should consider when packing for summer fun in the sun:

A suitable mirror:

Often overlooked, a sturdy travel mirror is a sound investment for those venturing on holiday – particularly when staying in a hotel. Every woman wants to look fabulous on holiday, and having a quality mirror to apply makeup with can make all the difference. Hotel mirrors are often mounted flat on walls, making it difficult to apply and check makeup. Occasionally they can reflect a distorted image. An acrylic pedestal mirror is ideal for taking on your travels, as it will be lightweight and durable. Alternatives would be an easel style mirror which will fold completely flat, or a jointed hand/stand mirror which will give the best of both options. This type of mirror has a jointed handle for using as a hand mirror and for packing flat. The handle can then be adjusted to form a base which can be angled to the position appropriate for your use. Look for one that is double-sided -with both true image and a magnifying side.

Makeup bags:

Being select in choosing what makeup to take on holiday is essential. You shouldn’t be taking all your makeup, rather a few versatile items which can be packed in a smaller makeup bag. Dependent on your personal makeup style, chose items that you would tend to wear in the evening, keeping makeup to a bare minimum during the day. Especially if in a very warm climate, as eye makeup will smudge in the heat of the day, and waterbased activities will play havoc with mascara! To keep skin looking its best, it is crucial to use a high SPF on the face to prevent premature ageing – as such foundation should be kept to a minimum during the day as it won’t offer protection from the sun, and will slide off if applied over a sun lotion product. Instead pack a light foundation or tinted moisturiser for evenings. A subtle bronzer is another holiday beauty ‘must have’ to show off tans, and also can be great to hide any hints of sunburn on the face. For poolside glamour and to prevent panda eyes during the day, invest in waterproof mascara, which will stay put even when cooling off in the pool. Instead of lipstick, chose a tinted lip balm which will add a dash of colour to your lips while preventing chapping, and usually providing an SPF too.

Once culling your makeup stash to the essentials, choose a gorgeous makeup bag to keep them safe in! Put the majority of your products into a main makeup bag, but it may also be worthwhile to take a smaller, more compact makeup bag that you can pop into a handbag. This is an excellent buy if going on long flights – keep a small supply of makeup in hand luggage where you can easily access it and sneak to the toilets so that you can keep yourself looking perfect whilst everyone else looks worse for wear! Make sure that you keep volumes under the specified maximum, according to current flight regulations. Small travel-size pots and bottles are available as sets that you can decant into if necessary.

Manicure set:

Nails tend to grow more in the summer months, so they will need more frequent trimming and shaping. Investing in a high quality manicure set is not only practical for summer, but all year round, and should last you a lifetime! Sun and salt from the sea can be especially damaging to nails, so a little more care than usual should be taken when cutting nails on holiday. Ideally a manicure set should contain nail scissors, nail clippers, a cuticle shaper and a nail file as a minimum.

Perfume atomiser:

To save weight and space when packing, purchase a perfume atomiser. You can decant a little of your favourite perfume into it for your travels. Perfume atomisers will spray a fine mist of scent, providing a subtle aura of perfume. Some retailed bottles of perfume spray larger drops of perfume, making isolated but strong areas of scent where sprayed. A handbag atomiser would be ideal for taking on holiday, as it will be small, lightweight, neat and durable, rather than risking a disaster if a delicate perfume bottle breaks during travelling.

Truly beautiful nails need care and attention on a regular basis and what better way to pamper them, than with an exquisitely crafted manicure set. When choosing a manicure set, bear in mind what requirements you need – Do your nails often snag? Are they fast growing? Do you have brittle nails? Different nail types may require slightly different implements, so it is worth considering this before you make a purchase.

A standard manicure set should always contain nail scissors, tweezers and a nail file, but many luxury sets have extra implements such as clippers, nail pliers and under nail cleaners.

Nail clippers are great for cutting down long nails, but can leave the tips of nails angular and square. To create a less jagged and more rounded tip to nails, manicure scissors are ideal as the blades are curved. This means they can follow the natural shape of the nails more easily. Another key advantage of nail scissors is that you can see exactly how much of the nail is being trimmed, which is sometimes difficult to judge with nail clippers. Nail scissors are also a good investment for those with brittle nails – to prevent nails from snapping it is best to keep them short. Cutting brittle nails with nail clippers may cause them to split, whereas nail scissors produce much less pressure on the nail when cutting, reducing the chance of this happening.

Nail pliers are more robust, and create a greater cutting force. As such, they should be avoided for use on delicate nails, but are perfect for thick nails – especially toe nails! Often, normal nail clippers or scissors just can’t adequately cut toe nails, but with professional quality nail pliers, cutting tough nails becomes easy.

Cuticle shapers, or a ‘hoof stick’ can be used to push and shape cuticles back from covering the nail, to the base of the nail bed. Not only does this give the nail a neater appearance, but it actually helps promote nail growth. Overgrown cuticles cover the nail plate and this impedes growth, so regular cuticle care can help those with shorter nails. Shapely cuticles are also an advantage for those who frequently paint their nails, as it creates a better shaped nail, and painting over the top of cuticles will result in nail varnish chipping more easily.

Longer nails may benefit from a nail cleaner, as these are specifically designed to reach under the nail and help remove any debris and dirt that collects under it.

Many manicure sets also have a nail file, which is always a great investment. Nail files are perfect for shaping the tip of a nail once it has been cut to a desired length, or for getting rid of jagged ends when a nail tears. Ensure that you file in one direction only for a smooth edge.

Manicure implements come in a variety of finishes: stainless steel, chrome or even gold-plated. Professional quality implements are considerably more expensive but should last a lifetime and carry a guarantee. Manicure cases are available in many different styles and finishes. A small neat one is perfect for keeping in a handbag for that unforeseen emergency! Leather sets are more expensive than those made from man-made materials, but make a lovely present to give or receive.

When it comes to makeup, many people are misled into thinking the highest priced products will easily out-compete their less expensive counterparts – but as many world-class makeup artists will testify: the secret to truly gorgeous makeup is in the application process, not the product itself. The key to this process is the right set of makeup brushes and a suitable mirror, whether it is wall mounted, with an integral light or magnifying. Even the most makeup savvy ladies can become unstuck by the dreaded ‘tide line’ around the jaw area – a problem that a lighted mirror could easily remedy. Before purchasing a makeup mirror, it is important to assess where you would like the mirror to be situated, and what key functions you need from it.

True Image Mirrors

A ‘True Image’ mirror is invaluable to show an image of how your makeup will appear to the outside world – in that the mirror does not distort or magnify the image. This is great for applying makeup evenly, and especially for admiring your handiwork as a whole once you have finished the application, to check if any areas need to be touched up.

Magnifying Mirrors

A mirror that offers a magnifying side is perfect for applying tricky eye makeup, and is especially helpful for plucking and shaping eyebrows. This type of mirror is also a great asset to anyone who usually wears glasses and would have difficulty applying makeup when they were removed. A magnifying side can be very useful for paying extra attention to skin imperfections and blemishes, particularly when applying concealer to dark areas under eyes etc. The majority of magnifying mirrors swing to give a ‘true image’ on the reverse side. A variety of magnifications are available. The lowest gives three times magnification (generally referred to as X 3 mag) progressing to X 5 magnification, X 7 magnification and a high X 10 magnification. The ten times magnification mirror will reveal amazing detail such as pore size, fine hairs etc. Although this can be quite a shock when you first use it – remember that others do not see this detail when they look at you! It is for your benefit only. Which magnification you choose really comes down to personal preference, which may be influenced by your visual acuity.

Pedestal Mirrors

Pedestal mirrors are ideal for applying makeup when placed on a dressing table, or positioned on a higher surface if standing. Pedestal mirrors come in a variety of heights and sizes, and many can be adjusted to the perfect height.

Wall-mounted Mirrors

Often in a bathroom, it can be difficult to find space on a surface to place a mirror, particularly one that is well lit to give the best position in which to apply makeup or perform part of a beauty regime. A wall-mounted mirror can solve this problem, especially in smaller bathrooms where surfaces can often become cluttered. An extendable wall mirror will allow you to angle the mirror however needed, and at the perfect height for you. A mirror with a magnifying side will also be extremely useful for male grooming, especially for precision shaving and trimming.

Illuminated Mirrors

For the best results, it is essential to apply makeup in good light conditions, particularly when applying foundation and concealer. However, in reality it may be hard to find a good light source and angle for which to do makeup in. Luckily a simple solution to this is to purchase a mirror that has a built in light source. This will ensure that no matter where you are, you will always have a beautifully illuminated visage, allowing an even application of makeup, particularly in the difficult jaw area which can often be obscured by shadows when applying. An illuminated mirror can also be indispensable for those who travel. Hotel mirrors can often be situated in poorly lit areas and mounted flat against the wall – proving tricky to accurately apply makeup with. A mirror with a built-in light source can either be mains supply electricity or battery operated. A battery operated mirror is extremely versatile in that it can be used absolutely anywhere – especially for use in bathrooms or for travelling.

Travel mirrors

It can be very frustrating to arrive on holiday and find the hotel bathroom mirror inadequate for your beauty regime needs. They can sometimes be situated in an awkward position whereby you have to lean over a sink or shelving to get close enough to do your makeup. You can solve all your problems by taking the right mirror with you. Obviously if you are flying, you don’t want it to be heavy so a lightweight acrylic mirror is ideal. You could choose one on a pedestal that will sit on any available surface, leaving both hands free. Alternatively, a jointed mirror that can be held in the hand for close inspections or bent to stand on a surface provides you with the best all-round use. It is also useful to check your hair from behind when viewed in another mirror. It can also be invaluable for shaving use. Acrylic mirrors are available in a variety of magnifications to suit all needs and usually have a ‘true image’ side too.

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It’s been a while, but there are some new beauty guides coming soon! Watch this space for beauty tips and guides to help you stay beautiful!

Montpellier Beauty Team