Holiday Essentials: What I Packed For A Week In Italy

We were in Italy for one glorious week which meant one thing: a checked in suitcase, filled to the brim with all sorts of liquidy loveliness! There was no skimping or editing required (unlike my very minimalist Parisian beauty bag) and along with my makeup bag I brought along a fair pile of other cosmetic, er, essentials, all of which were put to very good use. Fancy a peek? 

BODY CARE 

With two shower gels, two body lotions and a mini shampoo (all 40ml), The Korres Holiday In Greece kit was the perfect travel companion.  This all-natural Greek brand is a favourite of mine and one quick sniff of their products will tell you why. Deliciously scented and deeply moisturising, I especially love their shower gels and lip products.

Normally €23, if you're quick you'll find this kit on beautyboutique.ie for just €14.95. I'd like to see a conditioner in there too but otherwise it's pretty damned perfect - I bought a bottle of Dove when we landed, and left it behind at the end of the trip. 

HAIR CARE

My hair is dry enough without adding the glorious Italian sunshine into the mix. A spritz or two of the KERASTASE Soleil Micro-Voile Protecteur (€24.30) shielded it from UV rays, while the mineral oils kept my frizz under control.                                                      

I love the L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary oils and the latest offering (€14.99) comes with a handy nozzle  - I spritzed this on every morning after my shower,  and my bleached and thirsty ends just drank it up.   

A can of Batiste came too for freshening up limp locks come night time. 

SKIN CARE

Along with my Clarisonic and a mini Shiseido skincare kit (which I'll tell you about separately) I brought along these very clever Water Wipes. With all of the convenience but none of the chemicals of a regular face wipe, these made quick work of taking off my makeup before washing my face of an evening.

I also used them to clean my hands after applying sun cream or to generally freshen up throughout our trip. These were sent for review but you'll find them in supermarkets and chemists for €2.99 for 60; they're suitable for all skintypes including sensitive, and the fact that they're made here in Ireland is just the icing on the cake. 

I  fell in love with Origins No Puffery eye gel, €32, too; it now comes with a cooling roller ball, which is especially refreshing in the heat. There's all sorts of loveliness in there, like mushroom extract for fighting redness, and aloe vera and cucumber to soothe and hydrate - and it sinks right into the skin, in the nicest way. 

EVERYTHING ELSE! 

I left my electric toothbrush in Paris but I wasn't mourning for long because this slim and stylish Sonic Slim arrived from Violife, just before we headed off for Lake Garda. Its light weight and clever lid make it perfect for travelling, the sonic action (22,000 brushstrokes per minute!) leave teeth feeling incredibly clean and smooth, while the pretty pattern makes it easy on the eye. 

This will be €29.99 but if you're quick you could still snap it up for the introductory rate of €19.99 in your local chemist. 

It's a complete indulgence but I love to bring a fancy travel candle away with me on holiday, especially if I'll have a balcony to sit out on in the evenings. Diptyque is a longstanding favourite but it's pricey as hell, so I'm happy to see the surge in quality, affordable alternatives - I have a post on this in the pipeline. 

So that's what I packed; have you tried anything here, or do you fancy giving anything a go?  

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