HOLIDAYS SERIES: Hitting the Beach-What's in my makeup pouch?

Hi Everyone!

I know that many of you are enjoying your Summer Holidays out there. Well here in Mauritius, a tropical island, it's Winter time and it's been sooooo cold (not freezing). To tourists who converge here, it still feels like summertime to them. The average temperature here is around 20 degrees Celsius, but for someone who spent most of life in a hot environment, that is totally winter for me.

Anyways, I'm going to start a new series which pertains to HOLIDAYS. Writing reviews can become boring in the long run. So, I wanna be innovative and try something new, which will allow me to show you a glimpse of my Paradise Island, along the way. It's not really Holiday time here. Our big holidays' season is usually in December, when it's Summer.  Luckily, I've got family spending holidays in Mauritius and it will be a great opportunity to skip work, have a few days' off and enjoy quality time with them. Through this series, I wanna show how life is in Mauritius and how to be beach beauty. In this first part, I'm gonna show you what I'm packing in my makeup pouch as I get ready to head to my new secret destination (which will be revealed in my next segment). This will, in a way, ensure my checklist is alright, lol.

That's right, It's like I'm packing for a whole trip (when it's only a few days' off). From the look of it, yeah my pouch is going to explode. Do I really need all this? well, you will soon know why.

Just a hint for my readers! I'm heading to the Northern Coast of Mauritius and it's a region favoured by many tourists because of the luxury hotels and white sandy beaches. To prep myself for my journey, my makeup pouch will have to carry all the essentials. Down below, will be a list of the skincare and makeup products I'll be taking with me to keep my skin hydrated and protected from the Sun. Let's get started (Finally!!!)

1. Sunscreen: Eau Thermale Avene, SPF 50+ 

    
   Despite it's winter, the Sun can still hit hard, like really hard. This is actually worse when you step out at around noon. You might even sweat, get redness if you have fair skin like me, and get dehydrated. On the beach, it's imperative to use a generous amount of sunscreen with high SPF, and it has to be water resistant since you would be swimming. Protecting your skin from the Sun is key as it will prevent sunburns, aging and other forms of skin irritations. Splurging on a good sunscreen is worth it. So,  I chose a sunscreen from Avene, a French brand, which is sold in pharmacies here  and thus highly recommended.

2. Lip balm: Labello Sun Protect, SPF 30 waterproof

    
 Yeah, going to the beach has never been so much hard work. Be sure to protect your skin but also, your lips. They will surely get dry from the heat, and from sea water (so salty and drying). Once again, apply and re-apply lots of lip balm with SPF and waterproof for reasons already mentioned (duh). Labello is a German brand that is also widely sold in pharmacies and supermarkets in Mauritius. It's an effective lip balm that is practical to apply in a jiffy and portable.

3. Lip Tints: Innisfree

See review here: Innisfree Green christmas jelly tint set

    Since my lips are quite dull-looking, carrying around a lip tint will add a pop color to my holidays. So, I chose my coral lip tint from Innisfree to give my lips a refreshing appeal. It might not last long after I dive into the water but the color will last a bit longer than ordinary lipsticks.

4. Primer: THEFACESHOP Air Cotton Makeup Base 

    

   

    It's a new product I just purchased and I can definitely say it's a very good quality primer that really made my face complexion look uniform. The green undertone helped to neutralise the redness on my face and it has SPF. But that will be continued in an exclusive review on that product later on. If you are expecting to have wild beach parties, so you would need to look your best for that occasion and why not use a little primer before applying a full makeup face :)

5. Cushion: Innisfree Water Glow Cushion, SPF 50+ PA+++

   To get my SNSD Party look (i.e. having a perfect white face while being under the Sun all day, haha), this baby will be useful in achieving a dewy finish and hide my skin imperfections while protecting my skin from the Sun for a while. It's not waterproof and will eventually be wasted away while swimming. But, if you are taking long walks along the beach or just lazing around on the sand, then why not give your skin a K-Pop glow.

6. Setting Powder, Miss Beauty/ Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder

    Which one to bring? That is the question. My choice goes more towards Miss beauty 'cause it contains Vitamin E and also acts as a sunscreen. It is meant for "ultimate shine control", which is also the aim of Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder but it doesn't have sunscreen. Although it's a very good powder, Miss Beauty will be the winner this time.

5. Brow pencil and brow kit: Innisfree Eco Brow Pencil 

   
    By now, you may have guessed, I'm quite lacking in that area. I spend most of my time drawing my brows in the morning. You may skip this step if you have wonderful brows, but to those who are like me,  I guess it's important for the Beach Babe effect. If you wanna have those killer brows on the beach, just draw them on. It will completely change your look. For that part, I'd rather recommend a waterproof gel brow liner like the Clio Tinted Tattoo Kill Brow, which is very popular and is waterproof. But it's not available here and I couldn't get my hands on one in time (too bad)

6. Eyeliner, Elite Must Have Liner

See review here: Elite Paris Eye Liner Waterproof Cream

    If you wanna go all out on makeup for the beach, then use a waterproof eyeliner so that it doesn't smudge and you can flaunt those killer eyes all day.

7. Mascara, Elite Paris Fashion Code Mascara

  
   I am not sure I will use it but for those who like fancy lashes at the beach, well make sure you use waterproof mascara, otherwise it will smudge and you would end up looking like a sad panda.

6. Cleanser: Innisfree Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam 

See review here: Super volcanic pore clay mask special set

    I'd rather bring THEFACESHOP Herb Day Cleansing 365, but it's so huge and would use up space in my tote (Yep, portability is important when you are on holidays, moving around). So, I'll be bringing my trusty sample (from my previous review on the Innisfree Volcanic Pore Clay Set). It's is so small it fits in my pouch. It will be useful to clean up my face after a long day out. It is important to always wash your face before heading to bed. Soaking into the sea does not mean your face is clean at all. On the contrary, your skin might be affected by pollutants and other substances it might contain while bathing in the awesome lagoon (Our lagoons are so damn cool).

7. Toner, Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Toner

See review here: Super volcanic pore clay mask special set

     I still have this baby with me. It's so portable. This will help in maintaining an appropriate pH for my skin and remove any leftover impurities. I can't live without a toner. :P

8. Sleeping Pack, THEFACESHOP Seaweeds Moisturizing Pack

See review here: THEFACESHOP Seaweeds Moisturizing Pack

    Just reviewed my new precious in my last post and you bet I am taking it with me. Going to the beach or pool, or just getting a tan can be quite a relaxing activity but so exhausting and harmful for the skin. Mind you, Seawater contains pollutants, and pool water contains chemicals. What's more, you will be under the scorching Sun. All these factors will inevitably have an impact on your skin, which will dry it out. So, my sleeping pack will nourish my skin during nighttime and get it all ready for the next day.

9. Face masks: THEFACESHOP real mask sheets and character masks

    
    This is optional, but if you want to have a slumber party with your dear ones while taking care of your skin, mask sheets are the way to go. I just bought those cute character mask sheets from THEFACESHOP. I hope they will appeal to my little nephew. I just thought it would be kind of cool, and fun for him. Also, it would be a great occasion to share my korean skincare tips with the family.

10. Give your hair some love too, L'Oreal Mythic Oil

    Your hair will get a certain amount of damage from the sun exposure, constant washing, rinsing and drying. Application of argan oil will definitely help to care for your hair while on vacation. The L'Oreal Mythic Oil is my holy grail for the hair. It smells good and makes my hair soft, supple and look amazing. Hair masks or serums can also be used.


10.Bronzer, Skeyeline Bronzing Powder:

     Apologies for this one. Couldn't get a good picture 'cause my bronzer is all crushed and looks awful :( For pale skins, you can apply a bit of bronzer to enhance that Beach babe look. You can also have suntan products. I'm aware that I barely get tanned. My skin will get all red and burnt. So a little bit of bronzer on my face and body will help me look less like a bloodless zombie while I run around. Point to be noted about me: People from abroad never believe I'm from Africa 'cause of my pale skin. Even Mauritians mistake me for a Chinese tourist at times, until they hear me speak the native language which is the Creole (so hilarious).

That's it for the first part of this series. I hope you enjoyed it. I am sorry that I am quite limited in terms of product variety. I am aware there are far better brands out there (Please let me know which brands you know of in the comments section below, it'd be great).  But I just only started splurging on cosmetics, mainly Korean ones and my blog is still amateur in my opinion. Also, I will try to post about some of the above products I haven't reviewed yet.  But, I hope it was helpful if you are planning holidays in Mauritius or in any other islands in the Indian Ocean or anywhere else. My next part will be.... guess what?? A brief of my holidays (Yayyyy). I can't wait to share another form of beauty, which is not related in any way to cosmetics... Of course it will be about sharing the unique beauty of my island with you for the very first time, guys.

Stay Beautiful and Sweet

  

 \(^_^)/

 Aegyo Girl