I know. For some, bringing 10 skincare products on a one-week trip sounds excessively high maintenance. For some others, it sounds like everyday business. That’s me. Regardless of where you find yourself on the skincare-o-meter, I’m not here to tell you that you need aaaall of them. They’re just the ones I’m bringing to Maine. You do you.
So why did I choose those products specifically? Because I go to Wells every year, so I have a pretty good idea of what my face needs when I’m in Vacay Land. More importantly, they’re all amazing outside of the ocean and lobster roll spectrum, meaning that they could definitely be of service in your everyday beauty arsenal all year around.*
*I also want to add that all of the products mentioned here are cruelty-free, which will be the case for all my future beauty articles (yay!), and that they fall under the “clean beauty” category.
1. Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30 by REN
You should wear sunscreen all year around, but days spent at the beach call for extra attention. This one by London-based company Ren has a mineral filter, meaning it stays atop of your skin (vs. a chemical one which penetrates within your skin) and works as a physical shield against the sun. I know, mineral sunscreens often leave a white film behind creating a ghost-like face, but not this one. It goes sheer as soon as you apply it. Oh, and it’s mattifying, which my T-zone is pretty happy about.
2. Essential Face Mist by Céla
What’s better than a glass of rosé at 5PM, sitting by the Atlantic ocean while looking at the sunset? Exactly that, but with a side of coconut and aloe-based face mist. I’ve talked about my love for Céla before, but this is truly a purse-must for calming your skin after a day spent at the beach. Anti-aging snow algae boosts the skin’s natural defense while vitamin E releases its antioxydant and healing benefits.
3. Natural Lavender Deodorant by Bleu Lavande
I honestly rarely wear deodorant (I inherited my father’s sense of humour AND odourless armpits), but when I go to Maine, I find it’s a good way to hit “refresh” between 14 antique shops and a mini golf tournament. This roll-on is aluminum-free and lavender-based, meaning I could actually smell my armpits for an extra dose of relaxation if need be.
4. Clear Skin Elixir by French Girl
Sometimes, I feel like my skin knows when I’m going on a trip and decides to break out the second I cross the border. But guess what? I won’t be fooled this time around. This anti-blemish formula is a mix of tea tree and rosemary oils, known for their antiseptic and bacteria-fighting properties, and vitamin C and A found in rose hip oil and linoleic acid, which reduce redness and increase cell turnover. Meaning: it speeds up scarring while also erasing leftovers of past breakouts.
5. Rose Nurturing Body Cream by Dr. Hauschka
It’s kind of ironic how a vacation is amazing for winding down while simultaneously being super stressful on your skin. Sun exposure, drying salt water, abrasive sand: to bring your skin from “I’m in hell right now” to “Hell yeah!”, this rose-based cream is your best bet. Here, the soothing flower is combined with shea and cocoa butters and almond and jojoba oils for extra softness.
6. Agave + Nighttime Lip Therapy by BITE
Remember all those skin stressors I mentioned in the paragraph before? Same goes for your lips. That’s why, every now and then, I like to indulge in what I consider to be the quintessence of personal pampering: an overnight lip therapy. Lip expert brand, BITE, has released an amazing one made from agave nectar, for its soothing and nurturing benefits, antioxydant pomegranate extract, and sunflower, safflower, and jojoba seed oils, all for additional moisturizing goodness.
7. On-The-Go Eucalyptus and Lavender Oil by Selv
“You’re on vacation, why would you need a product meant to calm you down?”, you might ask. I hear ya. The thing is that my vacation is only a week and I have such a hard time cutting myself off from work that anything that will help me zone out of productivity mode is welcome. And that travel-friendly lavender and eucalyptus oil does just that. I apply it on my wrist, take a couple of breaths, and voilà. It’s like a spa on the go.
8. Facial Cream for Sensitive Skin by Idoine
Not only is my skin blemish-prone, it’s also sensitive. Fuuun. Thus, when I’m in extreme conditions (aka: beach + sun + wine), a moisturizer like this one comes real handy. Counting on a mix of therapeutic oils (ho wood, palmarosa, bourbon geranium, saro), it activates blood circulation and reduces overall redness, whether it’s pimple or rosacea-induced. And don’t even get me started about the almond, moringa, sweet almond, and macadamia oils, which have brought up my skin’s hydratation to a whole new level.
9. L’extrait by Peoni
You know that skin glow? Not the one you get from applying a highlighter on your cheekbones. I’m talking about the one that seems to come from within. Well, here it is. With sunflower seed oil, peony root extract, and liquorice root, this precious formula acts on four fronts: it replenishes, soothes, repairs, and protects the skin. Plus, it has antibacterial properties, hence it’s suitable for all skin types. So blemish-prone ladies, don’t be afraid that it’s oil-based.
10. G.Tox Malachite + AHA Pore Refining Tonic by goop
Here is a little bit about me: anything with the word “detoxifying”, I’m in. This daily toner uses malachite and a blend of glycolic, phytic, and fruit acids to purify pores and refine skin’s texture. Those kind of products often tend to dry out my skin, but fortunately not this one since it’s mixed with moisturizing ingredients, like hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3. They’ve also added deep water sourced from an island off the coast of France, which on top of being rich in minerals and blurring the appearance of pores, is just plain cool.
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