From serums that brighten to sunscreens that protect, from eye creams that put the 'beauty' in beauty sleep to cleansers that'll keep you feeling fresh-faced whatever the weather, we've got you – and your toiletry bag – covered.
Get your glow on, whether packing for the beach or the bush, with these skincare must-haves for festive season relaxation and celebration.
STOCK UP ON SUNSCREEN
This holiday season, we love the Heliocare range. And, while we're not supposed to have an SPF' favourite child,' here are our two festive favourites in the sunscreen department for this time of year, in particular…
PREFER A GEL?
Heliocare 360 Gel Oil-Free SPF 50 is an ultra-light, mattifying gel that absorbs into the skin quickly, leaving your skin feeling hydrated but dry to the touch. Containing advanced filters and a Bioshield System that provides your skin with broad-spectrum coverage against all radiation: UVA, UVB, Visible Light and Infrared-A, this beach bag-friendly, multi-tasker is one of the most comprehensive, cutting-edge sunscreens available.
PREFER A SPRAY?
Heliocare 360 Invisible Spray SPF 50 is an easy-application, transparent photoprotection sunscreen spray format that ensures comfortable protection on wet and dry skin. It contains Fernblock®, specific filters and active antioxidant ingredients that repair the skin while protecting it against the four types of radiation (UVB, UVA, Visible and Infrared). Suitable for all skin types, the WET SKIN formula makes it ideal for any outdoor activity and protection for any conditions. And it's sand-resistant. Bonus!
ACHIEVE SKIN/LIFE BALANCE
While a summer holiday is good for the soul, all the sun, sea and pool chemicals can take a toll on your skin, so be sure to pack – and use – a treatment product or two that puts back what all the festivities take out…
KEEP SKIN HYDRATED with a hydrating serum like Lamelle Corrective HA Plus Serum, a multi-functional, anti-ageing treatment that contains two hyaluronidase inhibitors and five types of hyaluronic acid. This means that regular use increases elasticity and hydration, stimulates the body's own Hyaluronic Acid and protects existing Hyaluronic Acid within the skin. In short, you get to live your best life by day and give your skin what it needs by night, while this serum works on plumping up the epidermis and increasing both fibroblast activity and collagen production.
BRIGHTEN UP AND RESTORE BALANCE with SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment, a lightweight formulation that combats dehydration, sensitivity, discolouration, dullness, and acne while improving skin texture and clarity, reducing excess oiliness and redness, improving pore appearance and smoothing out rough skin texture.
DON'T LET YOUR HOLIDAY AGE YOU
Fun in the sun may be fun for you and your nearest and dearest, but sun exposure is no fun for your skin, especially if you're closer to 50 than 20. If you've spent the best part of 2022 turning back your epidermal clock, pack a product with age-defying and correcting antioxidant superpowers.
We recommend Lamelle Correctives Recharge CE Complex because it's a powerful antioxidant – suitable for all skin types – that's proven to improve the appearance of wrinkles, skin texture and discolouration while boosting skin cell turnover. This stable, high-concentration product delivers both a rapid and slow release of Ascorbic Acid into the skin over 12 hours without any skin irritation, simultaneously repairing your skin and preventing future damage.
CLEAN UP YOUR ACT
Just because you're wearing little or no makeup doesn't mean you get to take a break from thoroughly cleansing your face before bed. Falling asleep with sunscreen on, no matter how early in the day you applied it, is a no-no and a missed opportunity. Especially given our current go-to cleansing gel, NeoStrata Enlighten Ultra Brightening Cleanser doesn't just leave your skin clean, radiant, and bright after use; but exfoliates dark marks and treats uneven skin tone while you use it.
AND DON'T FORGET…
…to pack an eye cream. No matter how fabulously protective the lenses of your sunglasses are, the delicate skin around your eyes needs extra TLC when you're spending hours staring at the water in between chapters of the latest bestseller.
NeoStrata Eye Cream 4 PHA is a gentle yet effective eye cream for daily use around the delicate eye area. Containing Gluconolactone to strengthen your skin's protective barrier and Hyaluronic Acid hydrates to moisturise, this eye cream is suitable for those concerned with fine lines and wrinkles. And it won't irritate the skin. Two words: You're welcome.
THE MORAL OF THE STORY?
Just as you've worked hard all year for your well-deserved break, you've also worked hard on your skin to feel your best in it. So, don't throw in the towel on all the progress you've made by forgetting to (carefully) add all of your skincare essentials to your suitcase.