What's In My Holiday Makeup Bag // America 2018

As you are reading this, I will be in (hopefully) sunny Orlando, Florida but right now I am still in the UK pre-writing lots of posts to go up while I am away. For today's post now though, I thought I would talk you through all of the makeup products I am taking away with me and the thought process behind each one of them.

Starting out with base products, my primer of choice is the Urban Decay Self Adjusting Primer because I feel like I could even wear this on its own as it just makes your skin look so airbrushed. I find that it creates a really smooth canvas and even during the day, I could just pop this on and go out as it does even out the skin. This primer also helps to mattify my skin and so with the humid weather, I think that this primer would work the best.

For foundation, I have chosen two as they are in two completely different shades. I tend to tan very easily and so when I am away, I know my everyday foundation now, won't match me after the first few days so taking a darker shade will just help me to wear a foundation that matches me throughout the entire holiday. My everyday foundation of choice is the Revolution Pro Foundation Drops in F6 which I am sure you all know that I have been loving. This foundation is great coverage and the finish is beautiful so I definitely know that I will be wearing this loads on holiday. As for my darker shade, the only one in my collection right now is The Ordinary Serum Foundation which is quite similar to the Revolution one and so I think that they will work really well together. They are both super lightweight and natural looking on the skin, so they would both make perfect holiday foundations.

As for concealer, I am bringing two, one that is more natural looking and one that is more heavy duty so that I can prime my eyes with a concealer too. The Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer is my more daily concealer which I could even wear on its own without foundation because it is medium coverage and lightweight on the skin. For my more heavy duty concealer I opted for the Barry M All Night Long Concealer as I have currently really been enjoying it and I think teamed with the Urban Decay concealer, they would make a really good combination. I also like the Barry M concealer to carve out my eyebrows and prime the eyes so, therefore, it makes sense for me to bring this concealer as it can do more than one job.

I am loving cream contour at the moment and to help my powder contour/bronzer to last longer, I thought that it would be sensible to bring my current favourite cream contour product which is the Revolution Fast Base Foundation in F14. This is super quick and easy to apply so I think that this would make the perfect on-the-go product. Once blended out, it also looks so natural on the skin which I love and would make this perfect to wear for every occasion which I am away.

Most of the time, I tend to forget about cream highlighter but while I am on holiday, I like to use a cream highlighter on my body as well as my face so my chosen cream highlighter this time around is the Iconic London Illuminator Drops in Original. This highlighter is definitely my favourite as the colour is perfect and you have a lot of versatility to it. You can definitely manipulate the intensity of this product and I think that is really great as you can easily change it from a daytime look to an evening look. This formula is also quite simple to mix into my foundation for a more luminous finish so I really like having that option too.

I love all in one face palettes and so for my under eye highlight, bronzer and contour, I am taking the Anastasia Beverly Hill Contour Kit in Light away with me. I pretty much use every single shade in this palette and so it is definitely a must for me to take away. The formula of these powders is also super easy to work with. Like I mentioned, I can use this palette for multiple things and if I really wanted to, I could even use it on the eyes, for some really quick definition in the crease.

If I really wanted to, I think that I could use the ABH palette to set my face, but because I am away for such a long time, I thought that I might as well take a proper face powder, my favourite one being the LA Girl Pro Powder in Translucent. This is a loose powder and so it is a little more awkward to apply, but I don't mind as I love the way it makes my skin look. A powder like this also looks great in pictures so that is a bonus also. 

For blusher, I am just going to take one that I find goes well with everything and that is the Natural Collection Blusher in Peach Melba. This blusher is matte which I love because sometimes, I like to use it on my eyes too, in the crease. The shade sounds exactly like the name as it is just a peach blush and I find that it is super versatile. It is also super compact so it travels really easily.

I know I said that I could use my ABH contour kit as a bronzer but I want to bring another bronzer that is a little darker as like I said, I tan super easily so I could do with a slightly darker bronzer. My one of choice is the Misslyn Beach Please Bronzer as it is super compact and travel-friendly. The colour is too dark for me most of the time, but once I have tanned, this would be the perfect shade for me. I also think that I could use this bronzer on the body as it has got a little shimmer in it, so as well as bronzing the skin, it will add a little glow too.

Highlighter for me is always something I hate to choose, especially when going on holiday as some of them don't travel well because of how soft they are. Anyway, I came to the decision that I would take the Kiko Wet and Dry Eye Shadow in 208 as it is very similar to my Mary Loo Manizer in colour, but the formula is less sensitive so it is less likely to break. This shade is a lovely golden colour that looks great even when I am pale or when I am a little tanned. As well as this highlighter, I am bringing a palette that contains a slightly paler shimmer shade which I can also wear as a highlighter too but I will get onto that later.

For my eyebrows, I am going to keep it very basic. I always use gel first and my favourite is the Collection Colour Lash Mascara in Clear as it is so easy to use and because I love it so much, I know I can trust it abroad.

As for a product to actually fill my eyebrows in, I was contemplating between a pomade or a powder for a while, but I concluded that a powder was easier to work with and more versatile. Therefore, we all know that my favourite one is the Freedom Duo Brow Powder in Soft Brown and so that is the one I will be taking on my holiday. For me, a powder is more buildable and so I have more flexibility with it, it is also easier to apply than a pomade as sometimes a pomade can make an angled brush go a bit crusty feeling. This is the best little compact for me as it is the perfect colour and applies like a dream. With the gel as a base too, this will definitely last throughout the heat.

I love eyeshadow and so it is always a difficult decision on which palette to bring. Saying that I usually tend to take my Freedom Custom Eye Shadow Palette (in-depth post coming soon) as it contains all of the eyeshadows I have chosen because I know I love them. Especially on longer trips, I know that this palette contains everything I need including an intense highlight shade, to a pop of colour to some darker shimmery shades for a more dramatic look. I do plan on doing an updated version on all of the eyeshadows inside this palette so look out for that as I am sure it will be coming soon, but for the most part, the palette contains eyeshadows from Makeup Geek and Colourpop. This palette also contains a mirror which is such an essential when travelling and this mirror is massive and great quality so it is the perfect one.

As for eyeliners, I didn't want to bring a black one as I thought that it would be a little too intense so I opted for a nude liner that would look great in the waterline. The Colourpop Creme Gel Liner in Honeydude is the best nude liner I think as it wears for a long time and is fairly pigmented. A liner like this, I could wear in the day or the evening as it opens up the eyes in a very subtle way.

Waterproof mascara is a must and so I will, of course, be taking my trusty Collection Volumax Waterproof Mascara in Black as I love it so much. It is definitely one of my favourite mascaras ever as it is lengthening, thickening and long wearing plus with it being waterproof, I know that it won't budge. This mascara also has an eyeliner on the alternate side so if I really wanted to I could use the liquid eyeliner, even though that is very unlikely.

Finally, for the eyes, I am taking with me the Collection Glam Crystals Liner in case I want to do something extra glam while I am away. A little glitter never hurt no one and this product is perfect as it is so easy to apply. I love using this product to cut the crease with and so for the evening, this would make the perfect quick and easy eye look. It is also in liner form so it is super small and doesn't take up a lot of room.

For lips, I tried to narrow it down as much as possible as usually I would pack loads of lip products and wear the same one the entire trip, so I am going to try and avoid that and only pack the essentials. I have chosen one super versatile lip liner which is my MUA Lip Liner in Caramel Nougat. This lip liner is great as it is just a nude shade that will go with any other colour, it is also great for travel as it has a sharpener in the lid. I love the formula of this lip liner as it is easy to apply but still wears really nicely.

For a quick and easy lip, I have chosen the Collection Lip Colour as it contains SPF so it is great for the day and it is also super lovely looking. This product feels like a lip balm when you apply it but it has a bit of pigment to it and a lovely glossy finish. A product like this, you can just throw on and walk out the door so I definitely need this for when I go on holiday.

The first gloss I have chosen is the Too Faced Sweet Peach Lip Gloss in Papa Don't Peach because I love the way it wears on the lips and the colour is super pretty too. It is a bit of a darker nude but it has this super warm undertone that is super flattering. The glossy finish is also super lovely and it applies beautifully. Once again, this feels like a balm on the lips so it is perfect for every day.

The second gloss of mine is the NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee because it is super small, so perfect for travel, but also because it is more of a versatile nude which I can layer over a matte liquid lipstick. This is the perfect pale nude gloss and it is very easy to wear because of how subtle the finish is. I definitely love to reapply this throughout the day as it is just so easy to wear and as you can tell, that is definitely something I look for in a travel appropriate lip product.

Onto matte liquid lips, my first one is the NYX Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cairo which is definitely an ultimate favourite because it is a pale nude that goes with everything and looks good with anything. I know for sure that this is going to be my most worn as it lasts a little longer than a gloss and so if I go for a meal, this will definitely be easier to wear. 

Finally, for lips, I have chosen the Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick in Butt Naked just because it is a little more colourful than any of my other lip colours. This is a beautiful pale peach shade that would just add a pop of colour to any look. It is definitely still wearable and that is why I think it is appropriate for me as it adds colour but still wears nicely. The formula for these is also super long wearing which is great if I am going to be out for the whole day.

To finish off this post, I am bringing The Body Shop Mint Mattifying Spray which I would wear as a skincare product but I thought I'd also mention it here as I would also use it to set my face. I love facial sprays as they just help to melt the powders and make them look more skin-like. This particular spray is also mattifying and so to help my makeup last longer, I think that this would really help it.

Do let me know whether you liked this post or not and whether you like any of the products I have mentioned in this post. 

Grace xx