SMART(ER) PACKING // REVISITED

Errythang I used

So I'm back - and I apologise that it's taken me so long to recover. Those sleepless nights really take their toll!

But back to the task at hand. I think I did okay, given that I was only away for 42 hours! Not even two days.

I was a more efficient packer this time around, as I used most of what I took (clothes-wise, anyway), which is pretty good for me, as I'm usually that person who wears the same outfit three days in a row on camps... Though I didn't use much of the other 'just in case' stuff that I packed (like last time) - it's always difficult to know what will be necessary, especially when you don't know what to expect (e.g. what the facilities are like, etc.) That's how I'm justifying it, anyway!

Without further ado, here's the recap...

What I used (skincare-wise):

What I used (makeup-wise):

What I didn't use at all:

The verdict:

I actually surprised myself that I didn't use hand cream at all, despite the crazily-cold and whiplash-windy weather (I guess the gloves helped in that respect). I didn't wash my hair at all, but stretched an extra day out of my freshly-washed hair with the aid of Batiste dry shampoo. (I did wash it as soon as I got home!) I'll admit I was a bit naughty and used the Garnier makeup wipes instead of cleansing properly (but in the wee hours of the morning, no one's really bothered, right?) My skin was okay - well, happy enough with Cetaphil lotion that I didn't need to bring in reinforcements by the way of La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. My face was well-hydrated with Clinique DDML+/Neways Barrier Cream, so I didn't end up using Clinique Moisture Surge, nor Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Moisturiser. I used nearly everything that I brought makeup-wise, though I found I looked mostly alive (thanks, NARS concealer and Mecca Cosmetica In a Good Light!), so didn't need the help of Bloom cream blush - and I didn't end up using the eyeliner pencil (which was really just to give myself another option, in case I wasn't bothered with gel eyeliner). Yes, I'll admit that I'm a chronic overpack-er! And when you're that tired, I figured I could be excused for not taming my facial hedges (though I tidied my brows when I got back). Who's looking, anyway?

Hmm... Perhaps I'll be a proficient packer one day (here's hoping!) We all need something to aspire to, right? ;) 

Are you a proficient packer, or a 'just-in-case' excessive packer like myself?

Any tips? (Teach me your ways!) x

A WEEKEND AWAY // SMART(ER) PACKING

Okay, so we've established that I'm a bit of a 'YOLO' packer... In the past I was the most meticulous packer (and perhaps a little overboard), planning months in ahead and packing with precision. (In fact, my mother used to say that I enjoyed packing more than the trip itself!)
But lately that hasn't been the case. On my most recent trip overseas I ended up taking a whole heap of stuff that I'd hoped would come in handy...and didn't end up using a lot of it. I'll be going away this weekend for a camp, so this may just be my chance to redeem myself! This time I've stripped it down to the bare essentials - my reliable favourites that will do the job; no bells and whistles (though that's not to say that they aren't fab!).

Toiletries (plus face towel, toothbrush and toothpaste which aren't pictured):

Clockwise from top left:
- Neways Subdue deodorant
- Garnier makeup wipes
- Cetaphil cleanser
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
- Neways Barrier Cream
- Clinique Moisture Surge (15ml)
- Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion
- Avène Cold Cream Hand Cream
- Pantene shampoo and conditioner minis
- Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Daily Moisturiser
- Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +

Makeup:

Clockwise-ish from top left:
- Mecca Cosmetica In a Good Light
- NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
- Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler
- MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
- Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in Black
- E.l.f Cosmetics Angled Eyeliner Brush
- Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm
- Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Rose
- Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm in Anti-Oxidant Berry
- b Collection by Bloom Cream Blush in Barossa Valley
- Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina EDT mini

Other bits and pieces:

Clockwise from top left:
- Agnès B. makeup pouch
- Batiste Cherry dry shampoo mini
- Hairties and bobby pins
- Tweezerman tweezers


...So that's it - the 'bare essentials'. We'll see how I go! :)

WEEK IN REVIEW // 12

A week of rediscovering old loves, and slowing down on the debit card damage...

kikki.K pencil case and notepad - On a whim I walked into kikki.K, seeing that they were on sale, and ended up walking out with these two. Which made me realise that I really shouldn't go 'window shopping'... But I do see myself getting a lot of use out of them, so I'm not beating myself up about it just yet (only time will tell?). And I'm on makeup ban, after all that haulin' (well, with the exception of, maybe, a NARS concealer...)

Batiste Diva Dry Shampoo - I've been using this to extend time between washes - but only when I absolutely have to, as I mentioned yesterday (what is Third Day Hair, anyway?). You could say that it trumps Cedel's offering based on scent alone, though I find that Batiste also works better on my hair - when applied overnight and massaged in well, that is - to remove the chances of discovering unsightly white streaks or patches.

MAC Fluidline in Black Track and Ecotools Angled Eyeliner Brush - I recently rediscovered this duo, having only used them a handful of times in the five-ish months that I've had them. They are fiddlier than, say, a pencil, but I suppose that's the trade-off for longer lasting eyeliner. I guess I'd subconsciously labelled them as 'too much effort', because when I dusted them off again this week, I was surprised to find that they applied with ease. They lasted a decent several hours, which is quite a feat for someone who touches their eyes as frequently as I do! No doubt I'll be pulling this one out more...

Neways Firm Up - My go-to 'night cream' for these cooler months. It's wonderfully hydrating and smells equally scrumptious - and a little goes a long way. That is all.

Lindt Creation Sublime Mint Chocolate - This week's indulgence, and, man, is it good! It's described as "A luxurious layer of mint coulis on top of a soft vanilla truffle bed with crisp pieces of cocoa nib, encased in rich dark chocolate." Yup, it's all that - and more. If you're a fan of mint and dark chocolate: run, don't walk!

Happy Monday! Here's to a brilliant rest of the week :) x

DIVA DOES THE DIRTY WORK // FEAT. BATISTE & CEDEL

Ah, where to begin with dry shampoo? That so-called 'miracle worker', 'shampoo in a can'... Admittedly, I'm kind of on the fence about it.
'What?!' you scream, 'Don't you understand the brilliance of such a product? It makes my dirty hair look clean, and my clean hair look dirty*!' Um, yeah, I hear ya. A gym bag essential, fo' sho'! But my major gripe with dry shampoo - aside from it being chock-full of chemicals and nasties (well, stuff that doesn't seem to be too chummy with my scalp), is that it makes my hair grosser than it was before. Sure, it takes some of that 'oil slick' look away, but feels pretty darn grotty. You know that feeling when you rake your fingers through your hair and it's all kind of stuck together in a greasy mess? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. (No? You lucky thing!) So I try not to use it too often.

L-R: Batiste Diva Dry Shampoo, Cedel Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair, Batiste Cherry mini**

Usually I wash my hair every second day, but I couldn't last night, so today I experienced the rare phenomenon known as Third Day Hair. And I had to admit that I was running out of ideas - I can usually only get away with wearing my hair down the day after washing it, and my hair is always up the day after! Today I settled for a kind of 'side-twist, bun thing'.

I've only ever tried the dry shampoo offerings from Batiste and Cedel - my very first dry shampoo purchase was a mini can of Batiste's Blush, which had quite an overpowering scent (which I overlooked due to its post-PE hair-freshening prowess) - and I can't say I've ever really been blown away. (I suppose this is the part where I say "Until now!" and streamers and confetti fall from the ceiling...) Though I guess Diva is as close as it gets.

The worst thing about having black hair is that the dreaded 'grey streaked'/'random grey patches' look is something I'm all too familiar with! Even Cedel's Dark Hair offering, I found, was more of an ashy grey-brown, which was perhaps subtler than good ol' white, but nonetheless noticeable in my hair. I suppose I should accept that it's a losing battle.
I realise that I've diverted from what I was originally intending to talk about (i.e. Batiste Diva and Cedel), so in an attempt to make things clear (to both myself and to you, dear reader), I'll list my thoughts in a different format:

The Product: Batiste Diva Dry Shampoo
What I liked: 
- The generous amount of product
- The affordable price
- The "heady, oriental" scent (though stronger than what I'm used to, it's more in line with my tastes, and doesn't linger for too long)
- Makes my hair feel 'fresher' (absorbs grease)
- Gives decent volume (not a lot, as my hair is quite heavy and straight-ish)
- Doesn't make my hair lank

What I didn't like:
- The white colour of the product (which means I have to make sure it's distributed properly)
- Makes my sensitive scalp a bit itchy (but a given with all dry shampoos, it seems)

The Product: Cedel Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair
What I liked:
- A good size for travel
- Makes my hair feel fresher

What I didn't like:
- THE POWDERY 'GRANDMA' SMELL (probably the biggest deal breaker for me - I just can't stand the smell of it!)
- Makes my hair lank and gross if I don't distribute it properly

Overall, Batiste Diva is a decent product that does the job, while I view Cedel as a product that would be my last resort, dry shampoo-wise. The scent of it is unbearable for me, which is partly the reason why, though it'd be nice if the colour was less of a strange ashy brown.

With Batiste, I applied a generous amount to my hair the night before (mainly sides and top of head), and awoke to find my hair less gross (with no whiteness in sight) and lightly scented. I've also heard recommendations to blast your hair with a hair dryer after massaging in dry shampoo for 'better results', though when I tried that a while ago with Cedel, it just made it 'set' - so about a million times harder to disperse those unsightly grey-brown streaks!

I think dry shampoo is one of those things that will take time to get the hang of, much like foundation application or winged eyeliner. For now, I take it as a product that comes in handy for those Third Hair Days, but not really a 'holy-grail' or 'can't live without'. I'm also interested in trying Klorane's and LUSH's versions...

Behold - side view of the 'side-twist-bun-thing'...

*For that 'sexy dishevelled bed-head look', of course!
** I only included this one because it's so cute and handbag-friendly :D

Do you use dry shampoo regularly?
Any recommendations? :)