What's in my Carry On Bag?!

Today is my first day in LA! I'm so excited to be back in my favourite city, so have a rifle through my carry on bag with me! 

Also, I'm a notorious overpacker, no normal person would take this much stuff I'm sure!

I hope you've enjoyed travel week! Let me know what you would like to see next month on the blog!

 WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

Packing for a Beach Holiday

For all you lucky ducks heading out on a hot Summer holiday this year, this one is for you. I will try to control my jealousy long enough to write a few tips on packing for pool lounging and beach bathing. Not. Jealous. At. All. 

I don't know about you guys but when I'm on a beach holiday, makeup is not my concern throughout the day. If I'm by the pool then I'm going bare faced, if I'm going out exploring a little concealer and mascara will do me, but I like to have a few options for the evenings! 

The theme here is lightweight, minimal makeup, and a lot of cream products! 

For base, I like to go with a lightweight BB Creme, my favourite is the Diorskin Nude BB Creme. I then pack a high coverage concealer too, in case of breakouts, the MAC Studio Finish Concealer is my go to. I'll also chuck in a good under eye illuminating concealer. 

Cheek wise, cream blushes were basically made for beach holidays. They also double as lip colour, so that makes the packing a little easier. I also like to pack a good bronzer, that can add a little glow to the skin and help bronze up my skin! My pick is NARS Laguna Bronzer. A good golden highlighter is a must too, I love the Benefit Sunbeam Highlighter, which gives a beautiful golden glow to the skin. 

For eyes, keeping it simple with the MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot for all over the lid, and a pretty bronze liner (the Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Liner is awesome). Waterproof mascara is a must, I'm obsessed with the Bourjois One Seconde Volume Mascara. No panda eyes by the pool.

Other necessities, a sun protection spray for the hair, the sun can really dry it out, SPF, for face and body, a clarifying shampoo, to get sea salt, sand and SPF out of your hair, and a good salt spray, or styling spray, because who has time to style their hair when there's tanning to be done?

What do you pack for a beach holiday?

Packing for Carry On Only

Whatever kind of trip your going on, packing carry ons only is definitely the hardest of the lot. When I know I have to do it, I really dread it, and generally end up leaving it til the last minute. However, last September I traveled to Italy for a week and managed to pack only hand luggage, and get it just right, so here's the low-down on how to do that...

First off, this really comes down to battle of the smallest product. Depending on the number of days I'm headed away for, I'll usually pack a couple of foundation samples, much easier than lugging around a 30ml bottle of foundation. I always try to pack a primer too, because your makeup's no good if it's not staying on your face. A good concealer that does under eyes and blemishes, and doesn't cake is a must, I'd recommend the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. A setting powder to help keep things matte and in place, and to double as a compact mirror is a good idea too, I like the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, because it gives a little coverage, and it's a super slimline compact. 

A small palette for eyes is a good idea, you'll want a good highlight colour for browbone, inner corner, and even cheekbones, an all over lid colour, and then a good crease colour to smoke things out that can double as a liner. The Wet and Wild Colour Icon Palettes are great for that, or a customisable MAC Quad would work. Mascara samples are given out by the bucket load at high end counters, so now is the time to whack one of those out!

I have quite a few mini sample sizes blushes and bronzers, so I tend to reach for those, a nice every day blush with a hint of shimmer to perk up the complexion, and a matte bronzer to use as a contour or to warm up the face. If you don't, a blush/bronzer duo is a good idea, NARS do great ones, or Elf if you're after something more bank balance friendly. 

Lip wise I usually just pack a tinted lip balm, kill two birds with one stone, I love the Maybelline Baby Lips and the Kiko Kiss Balms.

Other beauty bits, you're obviously gonna want to pack deodorant (duh), I try not to pack shampoo and conditioner if I can help it, if it's only a few days I'll use what's in the hotel, and if I'm staying longer, I 'll just buy some cheap stuff out there and leave it behind. Skincare can basically be whittled down to two products, an oil that can be used to cleanse, hydrate, on your hair or on your skin, and some kind of spot treatment, since flying sends skin haywire. I usually just decant some coconut oil and take a small tee tree oil. Job done.

How do you pack for carry on only flights?

Packing Beauty for a City Break

I am something of an expert when it comes to packing for city breaks. Besides being a massive fan of them myself, I live in London, the epitome of crowded, humid and antisocial. I've got all your city break beauty packing picks covered.

When spending the day pounding the pavement in a new city, you're gonna want a base that's long lasting, got a little SPF protection, and not gonna feel heavy or cakey on the skin. I'd recommend packing your favourite long lasting primer (I love the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer), and a matte base with buildable coverage, like the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint. Concealer wise, you want something long lasting and multipurpose, with good coverage, like the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. You're definitely going to want a setting powder, and I'd even recommend decanting a little makeup setting spray into a smaller spray bottle, to help keep things fixed down (I've decanted some of my Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray into a Muji bottle and it's super handy). 

Since heavy makeup isn't the aim of the game here, skip packing bronzer and highlighter, and go for either a good illuminating blush (NARS Daydream or Orgasm are both great) or a long lasting cream blush, like the No7 Pop and Glow Blush. 

For eyes you're gonna want a small, slimline palette with a few options, something like the Bare Minerals Power Neutrals Palette, and your favourite mascara. Just keep it all simple. An easy brow product is your friend here too. 

For lips, pack a long lasting everyday shade, I love the Lipstick Queen Pink Sinner lip colour, and a bold lip pick with a sheer formula, so you can wear it sheer or build it up for something bolder. The MAC Lustre finish lipsticks are good for this. 

Skincare wise, you'll want a good cleanser to shift the city grime from your skin, The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter is a good one, and a spray toner that can double as a skin refresher throughout the day. Moisturiser with SPF is a good idea too. Hairwise, resign yourself to hairbands and dry shampoo, and rock a messy bun for the week. It's worth packing a heavy duty deodorant, and some blotting sheets too.

What are your city break essentials?

Packing Tips

Welcome to Travel Week on Bed in the Kitchen! I'm super excited to be bringing you seven days of travel themed posts ready for the beginning of what I will call 'proper' Summer! I really hope you enjoy these posts, whether you're planning a holiday in the near future or not!

We are kicking off the week with a general chat about my top travelling tips. Travelling when you have some hoarding tendencies (raise your hand if you keep your out of date lipsticks because you just can't bring yourself to throw them out...) can be really bloody hard. I still sometimes struggle to streamline the stash and just take the 'necessities', but I'm a damn sight better than I used to be, so maybe I can help some of you out! I'm mostly going to be talking about beauty because, let's face it, it's what I do best, but today I'm gonna chuck some general packing tips in too, just to mix it up a little.

• Pack liquids in a ziplock bag, inside your wash bag. Starting with a fairly obvious one here. I cannot tell you how many a wash bag I've cleaned out in a hotel bathroom sink, but it's probably in the hundreds by now. Nothing causes products to spontaneously combust like a plane ride, train journey or car trip. I like to group my liquids (skincare, bodycare, showercare, etc.), and put them in little ziplock bags inside the washbag. It makes them easier to find when you unpack, and stops any random eruptions from coating everything you own. Nobody wants to start their holiday by cleaning fake tan off their toothbrush.


• Pack a hairband. You know you'll need it. 


• Be careful of packaging. Again, another fairly standard one. I tend to shy away from packing anything in glass bottles, or flimsy plastic. I take a foundation in a plastic container (Benefit Hello Flawless, Jouer Matte Moisture Tint and Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua are all good'uns) and sturdy packaged items are your friends. I rarely travel with any of my MAC blushes or powders, because that cute clear plastic window always breaks. The same thing goes for any powders that are super finely milled or in packaging that's less than protective. You don't want to arrive at your destination to broken blushers. 


• Make a list and take it with you. Making a list should (theoretically) stop you overpacking, and taking it with you means you are less likely to leave anything behind. I like to make four lists, one for clothing, one for makeup, one for beauty bits and one for 'hand luggage' (i.e. everything else) and when it comes to packing my hotel room back up, I'll check everything off as it goes back in the bag. This has saved many a potentially-lost toothbrush, lipstick, teddy bear and phone charger. It also greatly satisfies the list-keeping librarian inside me.


• Roll your clothes, don't fold. Not only will they take up less room in your suitcase, but they won't be totally creased when you arrive. Also, I hate folding. Now's the time to be creative too, shove knickers inside your shoes, bras can cup your socks, and wrap your straighteners in your beach towel for added protection!


• Palettes are your best friend. Packing light means packing palettes. Options and less packaging, it's sort of a no-brainer.


• Go heavy on multipurpose products. An oil for your face and hair? Check. A moisturiser for your cuticles and body? Check. A cream blush you can use on your lips? Check.


• Take a bag for everything. I like to put everything inside bags in my suitcase, so I can find everything easier (I rarely properly unpack in hotels, I'm a live outta the suitcase kinda gal. Why waste prime holiday time putting things away?). I put my shoes inside a tote bag so they aren't getting my clothes dirty, I have a couple of packing cubes that are great for t-shirts, jeans and dresses are rolled and put in totes, cables & chargers go in a mini makeup bag, & bikinis go in a beach bag. Convenient, and you'll have a wealth of bag options when you get there.


• Take snacks in your carry on. They never serve enough food on planes.


• Pack what you think you need, + 1. The danger in trying to pack light, is you end up with too little. I have the worst luck with clothing on holidays, my shoes break, I lose bags, and more often than not I'll end up in the sea in my clothes. Always take a spare. I like to put my spares in my hand luggage if I'm flying, just in case the unthinkable happens and my checked luggage boards a one way train to Timbucktoo. 

I hope that helps! If you guys have any awesome packing tips, please share them down below!