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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SIMPLE, CLEAN, EVERYDAY MAKE UP

Amongst my close friends and family, I’d say I take my daily make up game one or two steps further then some of them do. For example, I pretty much have a winged cat eye every single day. I don’t feel like myself without it! And if I’m sans wings, I have lash extensions on. I also love a bold lip here and there.

For some, make up is great but keeping it basic is key. Here are four make up essentials that will keep you looking bright and refreshed every day without doing too much!

1. NUDE LIP: This is not to be confused with a bare lip! A nude lip really brings out that pucker without being too bold. Shiny or Matte is fine either way. My preference is matte and rich!

2. MASCARA: You may not want a winged eyeliner like me, but just a touch of mascara will do. It brings out your eye without having to go full smokey! If you really don’t want to be bothered with the application, my little lazy make up tool that gives me total glam is lash extensions. Ok, Ok, it takes a little maintenance to keep this up, but just think, one hour out of your month and you can wake up every day looking like you’ve had a restful night! Check out my post on making those eyes pop here!

3. PRESSED POWDER: Getting a light pressed powder is great because that caked look that you’re afraid of will never happen. By getting your true shade, you can make your skin have a matte clean finish without the layers. It’s quite nice when you use this powder with your nude lip. Natural and beautiful to the max. Here’s a favorite sheer pressed powder of mine if you’re having troube choosing: MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder

4. BLUSH: So we want to keep it simple and clean right? A great way to bring up the finish from your pressed powder is with a blush in a soft shade. You pretty much could choose a shade that works and stick with it forever…I’m talking to my simple make up wearers out there lol! I switch it up all the time but stick to the soft pinks, peachy, and raisin shades, all depending on your skin tone for the effect that works best for you!
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That’s it! Four essentials. That isn’t too much right? It doesn’t have to be a big production every day. If you want to make your face brighten up just a touch without a 30 minute contour session, use these four tools and you’ll be set!

xo IKA

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MAKEUP JUNKIES UNITE! IKA’S FAVORITES

LET’S WEAR THEM ALL!

I won’t hide my problem! I’m a makeup and product junkie! 🙁 No, seriously, I’m a junkie. I have it all, from skincare to haircare products and almost every shade of nail polish; IKA’s got it. But hey, I’ve been blessed. There was a time when I had access to the SELF magazine beauty closet and visited quite a few Conde Nast beauty sales. I’ve stacked up for life!

I’ve gone through my makeup products and came up just a few of my favorites and must-haves for the Spring/Summer. Let’s get started!

1. Moisturizer with SPF: I do have a favorite moisturizer and it is kind of pricey for every day, but it is number one on my list. Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizing Balm. I don’t go without it. This particular kind of moisturizer provides the heaviest moisture (which I need). You of course can try other moisturizers at Bobbi Brown based on your skin type. I love it because I don’t always have to add makeup on top. It does the job!

2. Matte Lipstick: Ahhhh I love matte lipstick. Shiny is over-rated! 🙂 For a sexy pout, try these inexpensive matte lip colors at NYX. I personally feel they are just as good as any high-end makeup brand, if not better!

3. Face Primer: I admit it, this one’s new to me. I never used to add primer to my everyday makeup. Now that I’ve discovered it, I can’t get enough! My current favorite: MAC Prep and Prime. This keeps my consealer and powder on for the entire day! You can also try one of Laura Mercier’s foundation primers which are also a hit!

5. Faux Lashes: My devoted readers, you already know how I feel about this. I am a faux lash lover! I wrote a post a while back called Face Pop and made it a point to show you my love! If you don’t want the commitment of extensions, you can try a low cost version for special occasions. Try ELF’s Lash Kit which is the incredible price of $1!!!! Can’t beat that!

6. Liquid Eyeliner: Here’s a little bonus. I love a winged eyeliner. It just does it for me! It takes practice but once you get the hang of it it will be a breeze. Currenly my favorite is Makeup Forever’s Ink Liner. It’s something kind of amazing. This liner finishes matte. Did I say I love matte? 😉

I hope you enjoy the above as much as I do. Tell me what your favorites are. I still have space in the beauty closet. I’m all for trying new goodies!

xo IKA

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