A guide to beauty essentials to pack for a winter-down-under trip.
Winter in Melbourne, Australia is a sort of interesting lovechild of July in San Francisco and early April in New York City. In other words, it’s all over the place and can wreak havoc on one’s beauty routine because of the ups and downs in air pressure, humidity, temperature, and well… surprising bits of out-of-nowhere rain. As a New York City girl I obviously had to do a fair amount of product research to pack the exact essentials I would need to help me survive this week in my most glammed out way. Here’s what has done the trick super well so far (I’m 3 days into my down under adventure):
1. Kerastase, as per my usual. It’s no secret that I love Kerastase products, but most especially the Discipline line. It’s the n0-crazy-chemicals alternative to truly smooth without frizzy, messy drama. I have literally been trekking through drizzly days like crazy here and my hair is holding up like a champ thanks to using the shampoo and conditioner from the line right before boarding my plane, and refreshing each day with the Fluidissime spray. A little spritz and a curl or two with a large barrel iron re-sets hair and locks frizz out. Available here.
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2. Cricket Ultra Smooth Curling Iron. After I refresh with the Fluidissime, I wrap a few chunky pieces around this magical wand. Literally, I think it might’ve been created by hair wizards. The barrel itself is 1.25″ wide so the curls end up wavy rather than 1999 prom girl style, and the metal is infused with real argan oil so hair slips off with ease (and left weightless). This is really my secret, magical unicorn in the hair arsenal. Keep it between us, OK? Available here.
3. Pistacho ice cream is my part time scent. Let me confess something: I love pistachio ice cream. I don’t care how 1993-after-Chinese-food you think that is, but, it’s a true story. And there’s something particularly heart warming about the scent of pistachio ice cream– it’s sweet, nutty, and a happy mix of vanilla, musk, earthy notes, and some other things I can’t put my finger on, but I can put my digestive system on. Demeter makes a spot-on version of the scent that’s my go-to for travel. I always get a little daring with my scents when I travel because I feel like I’ll likely never see the people I meet again, and I often travel alone so my scent is purely about me and not about pleasing a better half. Demeter scents are also just about the right size to travel with, so, win-win. This one is available here, and I believe it’s saved me at least 3,983 calories on this trip thus far.
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4. Big, happy smiles for photos. Successful vacation photos require 2 essential ingredients: smiles and sassy backdrops. Proper smile action requires white teeth, and I live for the taste and action-oriented Colgate Optic White toothpaste (and at about $8 per tube I feel no guilt if it gets forgotten in a hotel room). Available here, to help erase the evidence of the 9,000,000 lattes I have on every trip.
5. Do you know how tired I look after a 20 hour flight? Really, really tired. I’m using Clé de Peau Beauté concealer at near medical-grade levels right now. I mean, if medical grade concealer was a thing. It goes on super smooth, blends well with fingers on the go, or with a proper concealer brush if you’ve got the time and vanity space, and lasts all day with ease. Obsessed. I’ve been using the Ivory shade, if you were wondering. Available here, at Nordstrom Beauty.
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6. Taking it off. Few things are as important to your skin as taking makeup off at the end of each day, and for this reason alone I think everyone needs to own these teeny, tiny pre-moistened eye makeup remover pads by Simple Skincare. In just a couple swipes they get off my tough gel eyeliner, mascara, faux lash adhesive, and even the nearly everlasting Cle de Peau concealer I’ve been wearing like it’s my religion. And they’re super affordable, available here.
7. It’s cold-ish, but the SPF is extra necessary here. Did you know there’s a giant hole in the ozone layer directly above Australia? In other words, even if/when it’s cold, double up on SPF. Aside from loving the light coverage and texture of Buxom Beauty’s mascara, I’m loving the SPF 30 action in each application. Buxom’s Weightless Foundation has been my go-to through the summer, and is carrying through to cold weather in Oz right now. Available here.
8. A perfect lip crayon. If you haven’t already tried the new line of Burt’s Bees Lip Crayons, I’m wondering what you’re waiting for. Aside from being readily available at big, affordable stores, they’re hydrating and perfectly pigmented. A light swipe will deposit a gentle degree of long-lasting pigment, while layering a couple swipes (or more) will make lips pop with bold, deep color. Niagara Overlook is my favorite shade, and it’s universally flattering for most skin tones. Available here.
