While we have been traveling the last 2 years, I have gone through phases of neglecting my self-care and other phases of indulging in self-care by finding better ways to look after myself and spend a bit more time focusing on my beauty routines. 

 

Living out of a bag is not always so easy because you know that you have weight restrictions when flying as well as knowing you have to carry everything you buy with you and it needs to fit into your bag. I have found a few tips and tricks to help me manage my beauty routines and incorporate self-care into my daily life as a traveler. Im not a Instagram guru or model, I basically use the platform as a photo diary and its more about the moments than what I look like in the pictures.

 

Im a curly girl- which means I have naturally curly hair and that takes a lot of maintenance and love to make it look good. I decided about a year ago to stop damaging my hair by straightening it and also, I just don’t have the time for it anymore. I feel so much more authentic as a curly girl. I swear it makes me a bubbly person when I am truly me and I find inner joy on a different level. So lets get into it, these are the things I have learnt along my journey. 

1.When my hair needs Moisture 

I can’t carry around 100 different products so I have found using a mashed up banana as a masque for my hair when it needs moisture has been the cheapest and by far the best treatment for my fine dry curls. I know many people also use coconut oil but man oh man, my hair loves banana.

2. When my hair needs Protein 

My hair is quite protein sensitive but once in a while I like to use a yogurt or egg masque for my hair when it needs some protein. These natural methods save me from carrying around a ton of products and turns out to be more effective and beneficial, not to mention much cheaper than the fancy packaged products from the beauty stores

3. Coconut oil is definitely my go to multi-purpose product.

This magical product works for many ladies and gents- give it a try and see how your hair reacts to it by using it as a treatment for your hair and scalp. Coconut oil I use for so many other reasons from cooking to a lotion as my skin soaks it up with gratitude. I also use coconut oil as a lubricant as it has amazing anti-bacterial properties and feels amazing. Remember to keep it in the fridge to prevent it from melting

I use it as a make-up remover, night time eye cream, body scrub (coconut oil mixed with coffee grains or coarse sugar), Massage oil, Itch relief for bug bites or burns, frizz tamer for those fly away hairs, it protects your lips, gives your cheeks that healthy glow, cuticle oil just to mention a few amazing things you can do with coconut oil. It’s invaluable.

4. Bb cream is a light coverage that moisturizes your skin with an SPF. 

This amazing 3 in 1 will leave you smooth, glowing and protected. Some mascara and lipstick and you good to go! For a little bit more glam add light shimmery eye shadow that can also work beautifully as a skin highlighter. Using a cream blush can also work as a lip or eye color, and lipstick can be blended out as a cream blush. You can pack a few lipsticks in various colors, since lipstick is super easy to travel with and can help create many different looks.

Remember it’s better to focus on improving the skin rather than covering it up.

5. Coffee, sugar or beach sand scrub 

This is such a lovely way to exfoliate the skin and get rid of all your old and dead skin cells. This will leave you with soft and glowing skin. Another way you could scrub your body if you live near a beach is to use the beach sand as a scrub. While you enjoy the view, you can just gently rub the sand over your arms and legs before having a dip in the ocean water to rise off. The salty sea water is also amazing at disinfecting and cleaning out the skin.

I always use nature and natural resources where ever I can.

7. Let’s talk perfume

We know you want to smell delicious but the bugs will find you very appealing too, it will attract mosquitoes and bees while it keeps you smelling fresh. If you will be indoors, then you’re less likely to be affected but heading out in a fruity or floral scent is likely to attract the pesky bugs. Stay as natural as much as you can. Alternatively, use essential oils known to repel them like tea tree oil. 

8. Using cucumber for under the eyes

Combating dark circles can be easy when you just chop some cucumber and place the cold hydrating magic under the eyes for a few minutes. For me it’s better to try solve the problem than to cover it- I’m just not a make-up fanatic.

9. Getting healthy rather than getting pretty 

So as a traveler I like to eat clean but I know how much you like to over indulge when you are on the holiday you deserve. Don’t overeat and make sure you get regular exercise may it be walking, hiking, swimming or another form of leisure sport. Choose healthy foods like fruit and salad, instead of eating lots of cheap junk food like chips and burgers. Make a conscious effort to make healthy choices. Eating junk will leave you looking and feeling bad. 

It’s important to focus on getting healthy rather than getting pretty: healthy hair, healthy skin, healthy body all comes from what we eat. It also effects our energy levels.

10. Drink water

I know what you thinking… blaaaa… but seriously this will change your life from your skin to your digestive system. Water helps to hydrate you making you look fresh and young and glowing. Water can combat looking sundried or dehydrated from one too many cocktails at the beach bar. Keeping water with you in a reusable bottle will entice you to drink more often.

11. Lastly but most importantly -Accept yourself

Beauty definitely comes from within, a happy smile is always more beautiful than a silly pout. Once you accept yourself you will emit beauty that you could never achieve with products. Accepting my curly hair and all the other parts of myself I didn’t feel was beautiful has definitely given me the freedom to be myself and that in its self is beautiful.