Most people my age will be going back to school or college over the next couple of weeks, which can be a nerve-wracking time especially after a long, relaxing summer holiday. It can be particularly daunting for anyone who's transitioning from high school to college or sixth form, which is the position I was in last year. The first year of college can appear to be very daunting and much harder than studying for your GCSE's, but having just completed my first year and thoroughly enjoying it, I wanted to assure you that it's not as bad as it seems. In this post, I'll be sharing my top tips for getting through your first year of college and making the most of the time, so hopefully it's useful for you!


Balance your free periods between working and socialising 

When you start college, you'll suddenly have an abundance of free periods throughout the day, and it's very tempting to spend these chatting with friends and eating food in the refectory. However, with the hefty workload that A Levels promise, it's important to dedicate some of your frees to working, whether that's in the library, social space or just in the canteen. You'll definitely feel the benefit of this, especially when you have less work to do in the evenings, and I'd highly recommend having this organised, proactive approach to studying.

Despite this, it's important not to burn out and overwork yourself, especially at the start of the year when the workload won't be as heavy. To stay healthy and happy during college, it's important to balance your time and prevent yourself from using every spare minute for studying. Allow yourself a break every now and then, so perhaps choose some of your free periods that you will leave empty to relax and spend time with friends rather than working in.


Don't be afraid of the jump from GCSE to A Level 

Although it'll be different for every subject, the jump up to A Level isn't as huge or daunting as people make it out to seem. If your GCSE grades for that subject are high, then you've proved that you're intelligent and capable of succeeding with the progressing difficulty of A Levels, so don't think you'll never cope with how intense your new lessons are.

Additionally, your tutors are aware of the ability level you're entering in and will ease you into the new course, making the transition as smooth as possible. In a couple of my classes, we didn't actually start the course for the first few weeks and instead did induction content that covered the basics, so that when it finally became time to start the A Level specification everyone felt ready for it.


Write your notes throughout the year 

This is a useful habit to get into at the start of the year, and you'll be incredibly thankful that you did it when it comes to exam season. A Level is renowned for being extremely in-depth and there's a lot of content to cover, so don't think you can write some brief notes and study them a couple of weeks before your mock exam. If you dedicate an hour or so after every lesson for transferring all of your work from the day into study resources, whether that's notes, flashcards or mind maps, then it'll all be done when exams come around and you can focus on ensuring you know all of the content and doing practice papers. Try and get into this habit as much as possible, as it'll be a lot harder to catch up all of your notes later on in the year.


Pick subjects that you enjoy

A Levels are notoriously difficult and it can feel like a laborious two years at some points, so it's important that you're spending the time wisely and doing subjects you love. College is going to be 10 times more unbearable if you're studying subjects you hate, so think hard about your decisions and pick subjects that you have a genuine interest and passion for, opposed to what your friends or doing or the subjects you think will sound fancy and academic.

Also, it's worth remembering that most colleges and sixth forms will let you switch subjects at the start of the year, so if you're having a really hard time and regret your choices, you'll still have the option to change. However, it's worth sticking it out for a few weeks and seeing how you progress, as it's completely normal for you to dislike your subjects when you're first starting, but after a while when you're over the stress of starting A Levels, they will become more enjoyable.


Get involved where possible 

College isn't just about intensive studying: it also provides many opportunities to try new activities and get involved in clubs, organisations and groups that you weren't able to in high school. Your first year is the ideal time to experiment with these and try out a variety of extra activities, as you'll be much too busy and stressed in your second year. It's also a great way to meet new people, which may be helpful if you're starting a different college from all of your friends in high school, or just want to broaden your horizons.

To get involved within college this year, I did an EPQ, volunteered at open evenings and joined the ambassador program to help out with induction days and other college events. I personally really enjoyed all of these opportunities, but if none of these are to your tastes then there will be many other options, including sports, art, charity groups and many others. Taking part in activities will also help to relieve your stress and take your mind off studying for a couple of hours a week, which is a well-earned break.


Take advantage of the greater freedoms 

In most colleges, you will have greater freedoms than you did in high school, so I'd definitely advise making the most of these. My college allows us to use phones and laptops on the campus, although phones are still prohibited in lessons unless the teacher says otherwise. This means that you can use your technology for studying on-the-go, working in your free time and listening to music when you're not in lessons, all of which high school didn't allow.

My college also allows you to leave the campus when you have a free period, which means you can come in late or finish early on the days when you don't have as many lessons. I'd definitely recommend making the most of this, whether you want to study independently from home before lessons, leave college early when possible to go out with friends, or to have a well-earned lie-in of a morning.


Surround yourself with supportive, like-minded friends 

A Levels are undoubtedly very stressful, and so it's important to have people around you that'll help you get through the difficult times. When it comes to exams, you'll need all of the support and advice you can get, and it's also helpful to have friends that do similar subjects so that you can revise together and assist one another when learning. Your first year of college is also a time of making memories and enjoying yourself, and a like-minded group of friends are the perfect people to do this with.


If you don't understand something, ask your teacher 

It's important to realise that there will be things that you don't understand at A Level, whether it's a specific question or an entire topic. College is renowned to be tough for a reason, but that doesn't mean that there'll be no help. You can ask subject teachers if they'll hold tutorials on anything you don't understand, as well as drop-in sessions for revision or catching up on work, which most teachers will be compliant with. It's also worth emailing them if you don't understand something, asking for additional work on a topic you don't get for extra practice, and look for any online resources that might be useful.


Don't stress and enjoy it 

Although a small amount of nerves and stress is healthy, it's not worth getting overly worked up in your first year, particularly if you don't have any exams to sit. College will hopefully be some of the best years yet, filled with freedoms and exciting new opportunities, so don't waste it, take advantage of every moment and most of all enjoy yourself.



I hope that this post was useful for any of you starting college this year, and I also wish you good luck for the next chapter of your life! Remember that I'm always available to talk to on my Twitter (which is @DaisiesDelights) for any advice or help if you're struggling with college.

Thank you very much for reading this post and I'll be back again next Sunday with another one targeted towards those of you going back to school or college in the upcoming weeks!

Love from Daisy x
Podcast Recommendations - Favourite Podcasts Summer 2017

Over the past few months, I've become obsessed with podcasts and found myself listening to them at any given opportunity, possibly even more than music. There's something about being involved in someone else's conversation that really appeals to me, and whether I'm intently listening to an educational podcast or in hysterics over a more comedic one, you can assure that I'm obsessed. They're incredibly convenient to listen to while multi-tasking, whether that's while I'm tidying my room, walking to college or any other spare moment that I have. I've discovered quite a few podcasts that I love and so I thought I'd share a few of my favourites for anyone who isn't sure where to start or is looking for some recommendations.


At Home With...

I'm a huge fan of both Lily and Anna, from Lily Pebbles and The Anna Edit respectively, so when they announced that they'd be releasing their own podcast I instantly knew that I'd like it. Focusing on a different person every week, they delve into their home and discuss all things interior, life, beauty and much more. This is perfect for anyone who's nosy like me, and you really get to know the guest extremely well, gaining an insight into their life. Also, this podcast is perfect for me as a beauty and interior lover, with everyone having swoon-worthy Pinterest homes and great cosmetic recommendations amongst other talking points. From beauty experts like Lisa Eldridge and Liz Earle to bloggers like Kate Johnson and Zoe Sugg, there's a variety of guests, providing a real mixture and diverse insight throughout the podcast. Although the season has ended, I can't wait for the next season to be released and see what else they have in store for us!


Twin Peaks Unwrapped

This is the first podcast I started properly listening to, after the new season of Twin Peaks was aired and I was dying to know more. Bryan and Ben do an amazing job of unpicking each episode, covering plot points and story arcs in a lot of detail, as well as providing their own opinions and theories. Not only do the episodes help you to understand what's going on in the new Twin Peaks season, as David Lynch has understandably made it difficult to follow, but I also love hearing the different interpretations and possible meanings of events. If you're a fan of a specific TV show or series then I can guarantee that there'll be some podcasts dedicated to it, and I'd highly recommend listening to them as a companion to the episodes.


ProBlogger Podcast

As a blogger, I'm always looking for ways that I can improve my content and develop my skills within this field. I discovered the ProBlogger podcast through a recommendation on Twitter and I've really enjoyed working my way through the episodes since. It's incredibly informative and filled with tips on a variety of topics related to blogging, whether that's working with brands, promoting on social media or building an audience. If you're a blogger or thinking of starting your own blog, I'd highly recommend listening to a few of these episodes as they're definitely useful and have helped me immensely.


Stuff You Should Know

This was my go-to podcast when I was sunbathing on holiday, being a very fact-heavy yet still enjoyable one to listen to. Since there are a variety of episodes, you can choose a topic or subject area that fascinates you, and tune in for lots of facts and interesting information that you didn't already know. A lot of the topic areas are quite specific and niche, including things like horoscopes, fever dreams and children's cartoons just to name a few, but I have to say that all of those that I listened to were genuinely entertaining and engaging throughout. I love listening to these as you definitely feel educated and enlightened about a specific area, yet the fun, laid-back style makes this approach to learning much more enjoyable and engrossing.


The NoSleep Podcast

If you're a fan of the 'NoSleep' subreddit, then you'll definitely like this podcast, as it translates a lot of the interesting yet creepy stories into an audio format for you to listen to. I'm not usually into scary stories or films, but a lot of these are psychological horrors and more likely to keep you up all night thinking than physically scare you, which is definitely more to my tastes. This is the only fictional podcast I listen to, but it's great if you don't have time to sit down and read the stories, as you can listen along whilst going about your day. I've only listened to a few of my favourites, such as the Penpal series, but I liked the pacing and how the tension was really amped up, so I'd definitely recommend this even if you're not normally a horror fan.

These are just a few of the podcasts that I'm currently listening to, but there are many others that I've been regularly enjoying and found myself engrossed in, and I could always do another post like this in the future if that's what people would like. I'd highly recommend checking out some of these podcasts if you haven't already, and I'd love to know your favourite ones down in the comments below.

Remember that I'm running an exciting giveaway of some brand new products from The Body Shop, so make sure you check that out by clicking here, as it's open for another week!

Thank you very much for reading and I'll see you again next Sunday!

Love from Daisy x

On Friday, I was lucky enough to be invited to a bloggers event by The Body Shop in Liverpool One, showcasing all of their newest product launches. We were able to try all of their latest skincare, cosmetic and body products that aren't yet available to purchase, whilst chatting to other bloggers, watching demonstrations and lots of other fun activities. I definitely wanted to share all of their new launches here on my blog, as there are some very exciting ones that I'm sure you'll like, but first, there's a giveaway for all of my readers containing some of the new launches, so keep reading to find out how you can enter.

It's Giveaway Time!

The Body Shop's new products aren't in stores until Tuesday 15th August, but I have a special giveaway for you to have a chance at winning some of the latest releases. Included in the giveaway are two new and exclusive products, being the Chinese Ginseng and Rice Clarifying Milky Toner and the Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask. Both of these are stunning new launches that you'll hear more about later on in the post.

Also included in the giveaway is The Body Shop's Shea Nourishing Whipped Lotion, and two samples of their other face masks, being the Chinese Ginseng and Rice one and the Ethiopian Honey one, all of which are photographed here. I definitely think this will make a lovely prize to win, having all of the essential components for a pamper evening in, or just to mix up your current skincare routine and try out some new products.

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning then it's incredibly easy to enter, as you simply use the widget below. Once you've registered with your name and email address, it'll tell you a variety of ways you can enter, including commenting on this blog post and following me on social media. You can do as many of these as you like, but make sure to enter it in the widget below otherwise it won't be counted.

Click here to enter the Body Shop giveaway
This giveaway is only available to UK residents and will be open for 2 weeks, so make sure you enter while you've still got the chance! The winner will be selected on Monday 28th August and contacted either via email or direct message on Twitter. If no response is gained after a week and multiple attempts of contacting them, then a new winner will be selected. Good luck to everyone who is entering!

Now that you've hopefully all entered, let's continue with the blog post and I'll tell you more about the event and all of the exciting new launches coming your way very soon!


The Body Shop Bloggers Event


Once all of the bloggers had arrived at the Liverpool One store, we decided to split into three groups so that we could all see and test out the new launches without it getting crowded. There were three stations: body care, makeup, and my personal favourite - skincare. Whilst sipping on matcha tea and munching on popcorn, we got to watch demonstrations with each new product, as well as getting to try them ourselves, before making a few purchases at the end. It was honestly hard to restrain myself from buying everything, as all of the new products look seriously amazing.

On the makeup front, the Body Shop is releasing the new Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation, which is their fullest coverage one yet, but still has a skin-like appearance to it. This is definitely a great option for those of you with oilier skin, as the clay absorbs a lot of the excess oils in your skin, but the foundation is also enriched with tea-tree that has blemish-fighting properties. Coming in a wide range of shades and promising a matte yet lightweight formula, this is definitely a product to look out for.

The Spa of the World range also has some new additions, including the Thai Lemongrass Massage Oil that is an absolutely dreamy product. This was applied during my arm massage and felt gorgeous on the skin, and the scent was something I didn't think I'd like but I was pleasantly surprised. I'd definitely keep an eye on this range, as my skin felt incredibly moisturised after the massage.

As for skincare, there's a lot of exciting new launches that you'll want to get your hands on. There are two new toners available, being the Chinese Ginseng and Rice Milky Toner, and the British Rose Soothing Gel Toner. These are perfect for a range of skin types, and due to not containing alcohol like most toners do, they don't feel harsh or stripping to the skin. I loved trying both of these, and although the Chinese Ginseng and Rice was my favourite, they were both beautiful and smelt amazing.


The Body Shop are also releasing a new product in their Expect Face Mask range, which is the Japanese Matcha Tea Mask. This is definitely the product I was most excited to see, as I've heard nothing but positive reviews for their other masks, and I certainly wasn't let down. Not only is this a 100% vegan product, but it helps to remove pollution and impurities from the skin, which is something that not a lot of skincare ranges focus on. Although it had a strange texture at first, it felt very cooling and soothing to the skin, and I can definitely see this being an essential product for pamper evenings.



Overall, it was a very enlightening yet fun evening and I loved being invited back by The Body Shop since they always host wonderful events, and I genuinely love seeing what new products they have in store. I also loved chatting to all of the bloggers, a few of whom I'd met before, and I definitely made some great friends and had an overall enjoyable experience.

Thank you very much for reading this post and make sure that you've entered the giveaway! Make sure you leave me a comment below telling me which of the new launches you'd most like to try, and I'll see you again next Sunday!

Love from Daisy x
Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics

With summer well and truly upon us, now is the perfect time to top up your tan and gain a radiant, glowing complexion. However, with the British summertime being subpar as usual and not providing the glorious weather that everyone was hoping for, it may be a case of faking this look. When Seventeen contacted me to take part in their Blogger's Relay, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to showcase my top tips for achieving a bronzed, glowing makeup look, all of which are easy to recreate and can be done on a budget, as Seventeen is a great brand for finding high-quality yet affordable makeup. In this post, I'll be sharing my top 6 tips for mastering that gorgeous glowy makeup look, complete with a flawless base, a radiant glow and flirty, long lashes, so keep reading to learn how to create a shimmering, sunkissed look this summer. Also, make sure you stick around 'til the end where I'll be passing along the baton in Seventeen's Blogger Relay to the next blogger.


Tip 1 - Use a Liquid Highlighter Under Base For a Radiant Glow

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Skin Wow HighlighterThe first step in my makeup routine was to apply a liquid highlighter underneath my foundation, which creates a radiant glow that really illuminates the face. For this, I used a single pump of the Seventeen Skin Wow Highlighter and patted it into my cheekbones using my fingers, as just a small amount of this product goes a long way. Although this product can be used mixed in with your base product or on top of foundation, using it in this way creates a more natural, glowing from within effect that is very pretty and perfect for summer.


I also applied some of this product to my shoulders and collar bones, which were on show in the jumpsuit I was wearing. I love the natural shimmer that this created, as it really accentuated these features and made them stand out. On the left is the before shot of my shoulder and on the right is after applying the Skin Wow Highlighter, just look at the difference it made!

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Skin Wow Highlight


Tip 2 - Opt for a BB Cream Instead of Foundation For a Natural, Dewy Finish

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics BB Magic Blemish BalmIn the summer months, you definitely want to use a base that is more dewy and fresh looking on the skin, opposed to being very heavy and matte. BB creams are lighter in comparison to foundations, although I love the Seventeen BB Magic Blemish Balm, as it still has a considerable amount of coverage. It claims to improve blemishes - which I definitely could do with - as well as covering all imperfections in an even layer.

I squeezed a pea-sized amount of this product onto the back of my hand, as only a small amount is needed to cover the entire face. After dotting it all over my face, I then blended it into the skin with a buffing brush, and the BB cream blended flawlessly, as well as being a great match for my skin which is fairly tanned after going on holiday. It had a nice amount of coverage, yet still allowed a radiant glow to show through.

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics BB Magic Blemish Balm

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics BB Magic Blemish Balm


Tip 3 - Use Bronzer as Eyeshadow For an Easy to Achieve Glow

Since many people are going on holiday over the summer, my next tip is perfect for those of you who need to have travel-friendly makeup bags and pack minimally. Bronzers actually double up as a perfect crease colour for your eyeshadow, so rather than packing two of these palettes just stick with a contour one and you'll be sorted.

After setting my eyelids with the lighter shade in the Seventeen Define and Conquer Palette, I then took the darker shade and worked it into my crease, building up the intensity as I went along. My Seventeen Eye Brush was perfect for this, as it's an ideal size for doing crease work on my tiny eyes due to its small size, and it also allowed for more precision.

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Eyeshadow

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics EyeshadowI wanted to add a bit more interest and shimmer to the eye look, as this is a glowy look after all and wanted to go all-out. Sticking with the trend of using base products on my eyes, I took the Instant Glow Shimmer Brick and took the more bronze shades at the bottom of the palette, applying them to my eyelids in a semi-circular motion. I also took the lightest highlighter shade and used it in the centre of the lid and on the inner corners, which looked beautiful when it hit the light, creating a very shimmery, doe-eyed effect.

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Eyeshadow

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Eyeshadow


Tip 4 - Create Flirty, Long Lashes Without Using Eyelash Curlers

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Long Lash MascaraMy next hack is how to create gorgeous, curled lashes without the need of an eyelash curler. My eyelashes aren't naturally curly but I was blown away by the results of this tip, so it definitely does work. I started by applying two generous coats of the Seventeen Long Lash Mascara, which makes my eyelashes look incredibly long and lifted. I also love how the brush is very narrow and it's easy to get right to the base of every eyelash, which I usually struggle with as I have small eyes.

After waiting for about 5 minutes, the mascara was now tacky but not fully set in place. At this point, I used my finger to push the eyelashes upwards and held this in place for about a minute or so. After removing my finger, my eyelashes looked extremely curled and fluttery, and since my lashes dried in this position, it lasted throughout the day.
Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Long Lash Mascara

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Long Lash Mascara

In this photo, you can clearly see the effect of doing this hack (left), opposed to just applying two coats of the mascara (right). It makes an astounding difference and this is definitely something I'll be doing with my mascara daily, as I love the look it creates.

Tip 5 - Wear Sunglasses Whilst Bronzing For a Naturally Sunkissed Effect 

If you're like me and want to look naturally sunkissed this summer, then why not emulate this and apply your bronzer where the sun would hit. Although it sounds stupid, I put on a pair of sunglasses before generously dusting the medium brown shade in the Define and Conquer Contour Kit everywhere else on my face. This replicates where the sun would hit your face whilst you're sunbathing on holiday, and definitely creates a bronzed and glowing effect that is perfect for that sunkissed summer look.

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Define and Conquer Contour Kit

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Define and Conquer Contour Kit

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Define and Conquer Contour Kit


Tip 6 - Use an Illuminating Concealer on Cupids Bow For a Glowing, Pouty Finish

My final tip is perfect for making your lips look much poutier and highlighted. I took the Skin Wow Illuminating Concealer and gently drawn it around my lips, focusing on the cupids bow, and I also took it down in two lines away from the nose. I then lightly blended this in with my finger to create a radiant and lifted appearance, which really does make a perfect finishing touch to your makeup. I also used this concealer under my eyes earlier on in my makeup routine, and I love how it banishes any dark circles and brightens the face, creating a very healthy glow.

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics Skin Wow Illuminating Concealer


The Finished Look

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen CosmeticsSo here is the finished makeup look, which I think is perfect for wearing this summer. It definitely doesn't take too long to do all of these steps, but you're left with a gorgeous, radiant finished product that gives a healthy, fresh glow to the skin. I'll definitely be wearing this makeup look over the course of the summer, and I'd love to know if you have a go of any of the tips.

I paired this summery makeup look with this gorgeous jumpsuit from Primark, as the cornflower blue and floral print is perfect for this time of year, and the off-the-shoulder detail is very in fashion right now. I also picked up these shoes from Matalan, which ties the outfit together very nicely.

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics

Achieving Bronzed, Glowing Makeup This Summer with Seventeen Cosmetics

Thank you very much for reading this blog post and I really hope you enjoyed it, especially since it's an extra post as I never usually upload on a Wednesday. Let me know down in the comments what your favourite tip was from this post, and I'll see you again on Sunday with another blog post.

Love from Daisy x
summer travel essentials beauty skincare body and hair

If you follow me on social media then you'll know that I spent the past 2 and a half weeks in Spain, and I had such a wonderful time on holiday. Since summer is still upon us, although the British weather right now suggests otherwise, and many people will be going on holiday in the upcoming month, I wanted to bring you some travel-related content. If you're unsure of what is essential to pack for skincare, makeup, hair and body, then this post has got you covered with all of my holiday necessities.


BODY

If there's one thing you need to take on holiday with you then it's sun cream, as it's important to protect your skin from burning and becoming damaged. There are many available, but I personally really like the Lacura Factor 30 Refreshing Sun Spray, as it has a 5 star UVA rating, so you can guarantee that your skin is protected, and the spray makes it much easier to apply than a cream product yet doesn't have a greasy finish.

A razor is definitely a travel essential, and the Gilette Venus Snap Razor is the most travel-friendly one I've found. The convenient compact makes this razor portable, and it's not floating around loose amongst all of your toiletries, and the small size makes it much more efficient for packing. This also leaves my legs feeling incredibly smooth and moisturised, so I'd definitely recommend it.

I placed a roll on deodorant in my hand luggage, which obviously goes without saying as it's an essential, especially as the hot weather means you often get sweaty and this is ideal for a quick freshen up. I also packed some miniature perfume samples so that I could smell nice without taking a perfume that would take up a lot of room and be quite fragile.


SKINCARE

On holiday last year, I found that my face and neck broke out terribly with spots, so this year it was my priority to prevent this by using a trusty cleanser to keep my skin extremely clean and nourished. I decanted some of the Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter into some small tubs to travel with, which has been my go-to lately as it melts off your makeup incredibly easily and leaves your skin feeling thoroughly cleansed and purified.

I obviously couldn't travel without a spot cream, and so the Acnecide Spot Cream was also an essential to take with me, as this clears up my blemishes better than everything else I've tried and helps to prevent any further breakouts. I'd be careful with using this, however, as it's not supposed to be applied when in contact with the sun, so make sure you wash it off your skin of a morning.

I thought that my blemish breakout from last year may be due to the oiliness of the sun cream I was using, so I purchased a facial cream to help specifically with this. The Soltan Dry Touch SPF 30 Face Cream is ideal as it's non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn't clog my pores, and it has a non-oily, mattifying finish. It's light texture meant it wasn't too heavy on my skin, and I'll also be able to use this under foundation when we have hotter days at home.


MAKEUP

I don't tend to wear makeup on holiday, as after wearing it every day for college it's nice to give my skin a break. Plus, constantly swimming, paddling in the sea and sweating from the heat means that any makeup I did apply wouldn't stay on for long, so I usually just go without.

However, if we're going out for the day or of an evening then I'd definitely want to wear some mascara, with my product of choice being the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. This adds volume to your lashes like you wouldn't believe, and since I own it in a miniature size it's perfect for travelling with.

A translucent powder is an essential for me to reduce that sweat-induced shine whilst still having a glow. My go-to has been the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil for years now, as it mattifies my skin and reduces the oily appearance, yet I still look glowy and sun kissed. Yet again, my sample size of this product means it doesn't take up too much room in your hand luggage.

My only other makeup essential while I'm on holiday is a trusty lip balm. I always feel as though the sun dries out my lips and they're left feeling sore and chapped by the end of the holiday, so a lip balm is necessary. This year, I travelled with the Balmi Rose Berry Lip Balm, as I love it's nourishing yet glossy finish, but any that works best for you will do.


HAIR

As someone with extremely long hair, it's prone to being damaged and dry at the ends, and the sun definitely doesn't help this. Hair care was definitely a high priority of mine while on holiday, with a hair protector spray being crucial for daily application to prevent any further damage to my hair. The Avon Sun-Light Spray is a great example of this, having a UV filter to protect my hair from the harsh sunlight.

I also applied argan oil daily to nourish my hair and ensure that it remains in good condition, being healthy and strong. Avon's Nourishing Hair Serum contains Moroccan argan oil, helping to make your hair appear smooth, soft and shiny, opposed to frizzy or dry at the ends like you'd expect after it's been in the sun all day.



I hope that this blog post was helpful if you're going on holiday and don't know what to pack, and I'd love to know if you have any other travel essentials that aren't included in this post. Thank you very much for reading it and I'll actually be back on Wednesday with an extra blog post, which is in collaboration with Seventeen Cosmetics, so if you'd like to hear my tips and hacks for summer makeup then make sure to come back then!

Love from Daisy x