PACKING VACATION BEAUTY PRODUCTS LIKE A PRO!

Who loves to travel? I DO! I just came back from the lovely island of Grenada with the bestie and some girlfriends. To say I had a blast is an understatement. Before I left for all of the fun in the sun, I had a plan for my loads of beauty products. Skincare is my passion so what I brought along had to be clear and precise. The goal was: Pack LIGHTLY and EFFICIENTLY. And remember, I’m using travel sized goodies (because I’m working on my issues with over-packing lol). Guess what! Scaling down worked and my skin didn’t have to suffer because of it.

The first thing that came to mind when I started packing my goodies was my number one. Do I even need to mention it? SUNSCREEN. Listen guys, skin cancer does not discriminate. Stop thinking the sun’s rays won’t harm you. It will in the long run. Since I normally don’t go a day without my Bobbi Brown Tinted moisturizing balm, I packed that first. But my goal was to scale it down even from that gorgeous tint. I also brought my Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Face Cream and for full body, Olay Fresh Effects Soak Up the Sun Protection Lightweight Moisturizing Sunscreen. It’s SPF 15 so I applied it every 2 hours while I was in the sun.


NEXT! A sister is tired. Working my full time job by day and blogging round the clock can take a toll. Let’s not forget getting in as much physical activity when I can so that my body parts don’t have a love affair with gravity. It can be written all over my face. So eye cream is ESSENTIAL. And you know, I have to use the BEST. I’m 35, I work hard and I deserve it! The Eye Concentrate from La Mer is my absolute favorite product and no trip can go by without it! Grenada certainly didn’t. It went in the bag!

A good lightweight cleanser comes in handy. I didn’t want to bring anything too harsh since I was spending a lot of time in the sun. For Grenada I brought the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. Travel size, of course. It’s perfect for a vacation nighttime routine.

Minimal makeup is how I do vacation. I really don’t do much for the eyes when I go away. I love the healthy glow without all the fuss. For this trip I packed my Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, My Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector® Poured Crème Highlighter, and my Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella (MY FAVORITE RED LIP). I like to keep a green eyeliner on hand for the lower lid when I want my face to pop. I packed the MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in Landscape Green. I wanted to glow, and I did. DAS IT!

Face wipes are not only great to have as a first step to cleansing but also they’re good to keep in your carry-on bag for the plane. Sometimes when you’re in the air you need a good wipe to freshen up your skin. Keep a pack with you at all times.


Lotions and Creams tend to feel too heavy when I’m spending my time in warm climates but I still like to have something on hand just in case. I was lucky enough to get gifted with Diptyque travel set that covers all my moisturizing needs and then some. The set included a Luxurious Hand Balm (perfect for the plane), Precious oils for bath and body, a Revitalizing Shower Gel and a Rich Butter for the body. You can find a similar set here. This set is not only the perfect size but looks quite chic. What else would you expect from Diptyque?

Those were my most important products but there were some other goodies that made the cut too: nail polish for touch-ups, nail polish remover pads, tweezers, shampoo & conditioner, hand sanitizer, sheet masks, and facial mist. You don’t have to pack exactly what I did, this is just a guide. But I’d love to hear what your favorite vacation beauty products are too! Drop me a line.

Next time you travel, don’t forget to pack your very best skin!

xo IKA

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BEAUTY BY THE BEDSIDE

My nightstand is a favorite little beauty spot for me. If you’re like me, you don’t want to get up for anything once you’re in the bed. As soon as I hit those sheets, I’m done till the sun comes up. So I make sure my nightstand is stashed with my essentials.


1. Aquaphor Lip Treatment as you know is a total go-to all year round. I listed it here as one of my obsessions cause I can’t live without it. In addition to my makeup bag and drawer at work, I keep one on the nightstand. Works as that nighttime lip treatment that we all need, especially in the Winter.

2. Face Wipes. This can be one of many. Currently I’m using OleHenriksen which I LOVE!

3. CAUDALIE Vinoperfect Radiance Serum. LOVE LOVE LOVE! I got a little travel size bottle of this serum and it’s too good! A girl is ready for full size!

4. Foot Cream. My go to at the moment is the AHAVA Deadsea Water Mineral Foot Cream. Given to me as a gift and now a staple.

5. Last but not least, for a calm sleep I like to spray my pillows with the Mystic Antidotes Calming Pillow Spray in Lavender Sage. Aroma therapy works! This was a cheap find from T.J. Maxx. Instant love affair!

Those are just a few of my bedside staples. Simple and easy. Perfect for those long days when I spend less time in the bathroom working on a nighttime routine. Do you have bedside beauty products that you love? Share with me! I’d love to hear.

xo IKA

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FIVE MAC COSMETICS MUST HAVES

MAC Attack!!

One thing I know for sure is that MAC COSMETICS have been a hit since the beginning. This brand is probably the first thing most women think of when buying makeup. Now listen, there a a ton of great beauty brands out there and I’m an equal opportunity consumer! 😉 But I thought I’d give you my top five must haves from one of our favorite brands! These 5 products can be used every day and always hit the mark!

1. Mineralize Skinfinish Powder: I use this powder every day! It’s light yet still gives a slight coverage and clean finish. It also works as a great setting powder over concealer.

2. Pro Longwear Lipcreme: I swear by Pro Longwear. It really does last for me. Some say to add the primer underneath which works great but I’ve found that this lipstick lasts even without it. Get every shade if you can!

3. Eye Kohl: This is one of my favorite eyeliners because it adds drama without being TOO DRAMATIC. You know what I mean? When I don’t want to do a full out smokey eye, I add this liner to the top or the bottom lid for a subtle yet gorgeous effect.

4. Lipstick in Heroine: All of the MAC lip colors are fantastic but the shade we all should have is HEROINE. This literally looks good on everybody who wears it. It’s a bold, rich and happy color and you need it in your collection! 😉

5. Eye Shadow: We can go crazy here! MAC is known for having the greatest selection of colors, pigments and shades for eyeshadow. You can really play around with this one. If you’re more of a natural makeup person, try something light with a little shimmer like DAZZLELIGHT. Trust me, you’ll love it!

I want to know if you’re a MAC girl like me! What are your favorites. I’ve only listed five but believe me I can go on all day! Let me know what you think!

xo IKa

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DIY – BROWN SUGAR SCRUB!

Check out my DIY brown sugar scrub! It’s really easy to make and such a cute gift for friends and family when they’re paying you a visit at home. When you make something with love it’s appreciated far greater than something you might find in a store!

BROWN SUGAR SCRUB 1

Plain and simple: Add Raw Brown Sugar, Coconut Oil, Almond Oil and Honey in a bowl and MIX! Too easy right? I don’t like to give measurements because everyone’s skin is different. If you want a scrub that is more grainy, use less oil. If raw sugar feels a little harsh on your skin, scale back on it and add more coconut and/or almond oil. The fun part about DIY is you make it to your liking…for YOUR OWN SKIN 😉

The final touch is personalizing it. You can put the receivers name on it, or add a little note from the heart.

MADE BY IKA!

MADE BY IKA!

Try this at home and let me know how it came out. If you have other DIY exfoliating receipes let me know! I’m looking for the perfect all natural scrub for the face! Can’t wait to hear from you.

xo IKA

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