Travelling long haul? Here's my hand luggage essentials.

Travelling long haul? Here is my bag of essentials that I travel with when going anywhere over a few hours. 

      

First of all, the make up bag. As I'm sure you all know, you need to have your liquids in a see through bag to get through security. This Harvey Nichols make up bag is perfect for this. Not only does it looks super cute, it is still pretty see through when filled with your make up goodies. 

Face 

For me, when I'm travelling long haul, the two most important things are face wash and moisturiser. Still on a plane for a long period of time without 'fresh' air is not great for your skin. And when I go long haul I normally like to catch a few hours sleep. I wouldn't sleep at home with my make up on, so I wouldn't sleep anywhere else with it on, especially a plane. I use the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil for make up removal at home, so I packed a mini sample size to make sure I could have nice clean skin before applying my moisturiser. Which leads me onto my next must have. Creme De La Mer. Hydration is so important when flying. The recycled air on the plane can really dry your skin out, do I used my Soft Cream to keep my skin looking healthy. You can pick up these minis when you are getting your normal size products. I always like to keep them for then I am travelling. 

Around an hour before landing, I like to top up on a bit of make up so that I look reasonably human when I land. My Boots Foundation is the perfect size for my travel bag, so in it goes along with my Sigma Kabuki brush. I also added my ABH dipbrow pomade and Morphe brush to fill in my brows before I land as they just don't look right otherwise. I don't do them as well as normal, just filling in the patchy bits ;) 

I also added some Benefit Benetint and a lip colour from .... to add a little bit of colour. 

I've also got a spare brush from RealTechniques and a little sample of They're Real Remover just encase! You never know.

Hair 

Although my hair will be a little greasy, I put it up out of the way as soon as I get on the plane to try and eliminate as much grease as possible from my face transferring to my hair. But I've added my little BirchBix hair brush which was new in this months box. Perfect timing for my holiday! It also matches my make up bag hehe. 

So that's my long haul essentials make up bag. I will admit I forgot to put some mascara in, but found it wasn't really an issue. 

DLJ 

Xoxo

P.S. I was travelling from the UK to Hong Kong if anyone wants to know! Around a 12 hour flight 

Prime Time! It's all about the perfect primer

Primer makes such a big difference to the way your make sits and the duration it stays on. I have tried a lot of primers and these three are the best I've tried so far!

The first primer is Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. This is a new one for me and I've fallen in love with it. 

It has a lovely texture and glides on. This primer is a gel and I find that it is not sticky at all! My make up lasts so well with this primer, whether that's in the office or out and about. 

You can only buy an oil free version of this, but I'm a greasy monster and find that this primer is fine without having to get the oil free version. They are the same price, so you can choose either without having to worry about a difference in cost. 

Alike the first primer, the BareMinerals Prime Time primer is also a gel. I have to admit, of the three, this is my least favourite. I just don't like the way it sits on my face. I don't find that my make up goes on evenly when I use this. 

My skin texture feels a bit odd when I put this on my face. But I think that's just personal preference. 

The third primer is totally differnt from these two. 

The Shu Uemura UV under base mousse is one of my all time favourites! I always use a sponge to apply this, as I feel that you get a better effect. It's really light and speads well. 

It also has a tint to it which means if you have nice skin, you could wear this on it's own without foundation and have a flawless look. It is also SPF 30 PA +++ so you skin is safe in the sun 

I have also tried other mousses from this range and not liked them as much, so make sure you try them before you buy! 

Overview 

So to wrap things up, the BareMineral prime time is my least favourite primer of the three, but still better than a few other I have tried on the market. 

Laura Mercier and Shu Uemura battle it out for top spot on my list. The Shu Uemura is great for sunny days, it provides a light tint so you don't have to apply foundation if you don't want to and will protect you from the sun. 

However I think if for the everyday working woman, Laura Mercier is the best I have tried. It's gel texture is so nice on your face, and my make stays put all day!! 

Shu Uemura : Face Architect Foundation

Finding the right foundation can be a complete nightmare! I feel like I've tried everything on the market. I very rarely stay with the same foundation for more than two purchases, so to keep my hooked, a foundation has to be amazing. 

At the moment I am using Shu Uemura Face Architect in shade 364 medium light amber. 

I like this foundation because it has a nice pinky base. I have very pale skin, so adding a little bit of colour is always good for me. I wish this foundation was a little bit thicker though. I find it is a little bit runny so doesn't quite give the coverage I want and need. Also, it doesn't wear as well as I would hope. By mid afternoon I find my make up is melting off my face (I work in an office with air con which really affects the way my foundation sits) 

As well as being a foundation, this product is also a sun screen! It's is SPF 18 PA ++, so you know that when you are wearing it, you are protected from the suns harmful rays :) 

But I think all in all it is an okay foundation, I'm on my second bottle at the moment and to be honest, I don't think I'll be investing in another. Which is a real shame because I use a lot of products from this brand and like them all! 

I think if I didn't have 'problem skin' this would be a perfect foundation. It is light and for people with great skin, it would cover beautifully. 

Price : £34 per bottle 

Website : http://www.shuuemura.co.uk/makeup/face/foundations/smooth-fit-fluid-foundation

Shu Uemura's classic high performance balancing cleansing oil

To kick start my blog, I thought I would start with something just as important as make up application, make up removal. I am a classic abuser of my skin when it comes to forgetting to take off my make up in the evenings. So I need something that is easy and quick, which is why I love Shu Uemura's classic high performance balancing cleansing oil.

This cleanser is the most amazing make up remover. It is oil based, so it takes off even the most stubborn make up, including eye liner and mascara. The bottle recommends using 3/4 pumps of this amazing stuff to take off your make up, but 1/2 pumps is more than enough!

You can also get little samples of this from stores, like Harvey Nics, so can you try before you buy.  

There is a complete range of these cleansers for different skin types, but for me, with combination skin, this one is perfect.