Stampede & Summer Travel Beauty Essentials

One week from now, I'll be on a girl's road trip to Stampede in Calgary, Alberta! It's not a quick road trip: a 12-hour drive each way, but well worth it to see one of our high school friends and experience Stampede together. For those of you not familiar, Stampede is a massive annual rodeo event, full of parties, amazing eats and of course some western rodeo shows. I may not be the hugest western/country fan (like not at all), but it does sound like a pretty good time.

As I started packing for our trip, I thought I would share with you what I'm bringing along, as I think most of these would apply to any road trip or summer trip you're planning to do this summer. Keep reading below to see what to pack in your bag! I'm also hosting a giveaway on Instagram, so make sure to check that out as well - more details on that below too.

Travel-Sized Skincare

We're going to be staying with friends for a few nights in Calgary during Stampede, so I wanted to pack some travel-sized skincare. This handy mini kit from Di Morelli includes all 3 skincare essentials: their Cleanser, Vitamin C Serum for Face & Eye and SPF 35 UVA/UVB. It even comes with 2 samples of their Brightener as well. It's a perfect kit to keep on-hand for trips like this.

The light foaming Cleanser removes sweat (definitely going to be lots of that), makeup and excess oil without causing irritation or dryness. The Vitamin C Serum for Face & Eye firms, brightens and improves the overall health of your skin. It also stimulates collagen and protects the skin against environmental damage. I like that it's a face and eye serum in one; in a travel kit, double-duty products are important. Most importantly is the SPF! I find that usually most facial lotions are SPF 25 and under. As someone who burns easily, I appreciate a lotion that's as high as SPF 35. Especially during Stampede, when I'm likely to be in the sun all day, having a good facial sunscreen is key. The Brightener is a nice added bonus, used to exfoliate the skin with natural acids.

GIVEAWAY:  What to win a Di Morelli Essentials Mini skincare kit for yourself? I'm giving away one on Vancouver Vogue's Instagram right now! Head over there to enter.

Heat-Proof Must-Haves

I don't thrive well in heat. So I have a couple of secret weapons to help me feel...not gross. That includes mitigating sweat and keeping my skin hydrated. Dove's Dry Spray in Cool Essentials has been the only antiperspirant I've trusted over the last 5 years. I seriously haven't found anything better. It keeps my sweat under control, and the light fresh scent makes it good for re-applying throughout the day to keep you smelling good!

Secondly, I love this little travel sized bottle of Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray for keeping my face hydrated and refreshed on a hot day. It's all about the water's soothing and softening properties. The bottle is easy to stash in your purse during the day too. It's also great to spray on a sunburn (let's hope I don't need it for that though).

Eye Refresh

Don't get me wrong, Stampede is going to be fun from start to finish each day, but my face is probably going to show those long days and late nights. If I don't get enough sleep, my eyes do tend to get a bit puffy. To combat that on-the-go, I carry my e.l.f. Studio Eye Refresh and apply in the morning before going through the rest of my skincare routine. It's insanely affordable ($4.99 at London Drugs), and the roller ball applicator makes it easy to apply. It makes your skin feel cool and refreshed, helping to de-puff those tired eyes!

Suncare

Now I already spoke earlier about the necessity of SPF for the face, but of course sunscreen for the body is also equally as important - especially if you're on a trip where you'll be out in the sun all day. For Stampede, it's a must. The best of the best is La Roche Posay's Anthelios XL Lotion SPF 60. La Roche Posay won the title of 'best sunscreen of 2017', after all.

Dry Shampoo

On any summer trip, dry shampoo is always a good bet. Especially when you're road tripping. And this, let me tell you, is seriously the best dry shampoo. This is actually the first dry shampoo I ever tried, and just assumed they were all this good - until I tried a few others afterwards, and they definitely didn't live up. You can find L'Oreal Professional's Techni Art Fresh Dust at select salons (like Suki's in the Vancouver area), or online.

Emergency Kit

These Minimergency Kits from Chapters Indigo are a must have! I keep one in my purse all year round, but it's especially useful when on a trip. It has SO many useful things packed into this tiny zipped package that you may find useful on a road trip or at a summer event like Stampede.

Here's what's included:

• deodorant towelette
• double sided tape
• stain remover
• pair of earring backs
• an emery board
• clear nail polish
• clear elastics
• breath freshener
• lip balm
• dental floss
• bobby pins
• nail polish pad remover
• hair spray
• safety pin
• adhesive bandage
• mending kit
• tampon

That's it! Don't forget, if you want to kick-start your own summer trip beauty kit, you can head over to Vancouver Vogue's Instagram to enter for a chance to win a Di Morelli Essentials Mini skincare kit!

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Repairing Summer Skin Damage with Di Morelli Skincare

We know now, better than ever, the importance of taking care of our skin, especially when it comes to sun exposure. Especially when you're as burn-prone (read: pale) and freckled as I am, you're pretty conscious of your skin's health. I make sure to always wear SPF during the summer months - well, at least most of the time - but during the fall and winter months, I don't really have a skincare regime in place to help repair any summer skin damage. To be honest, I never really considered trying to "repair" my sun damaged skin at all.

Vancouver-based Di Morelli Skin Care recently introduced me to their product line, and it just so happens they have a 3 step regime for repairing summer skin damage - I figured I would be the perfect person to take it for a test run! I incorporated their SPF 35, Brightener and Vitamin C Serum into my daily routine for the last month:

Step 1: Vitamin C Serum for Face & Eye with Matrixyl

According to Di Morelli, this is the first step to healthier, more radiant skin! This serum, which is made for use on your face and eye area, stimulates collagen and fights environmental damage. I find it smells a bit like Dettol (if you've ever used the antiseptic), but the bf actually really liked the smell. I apply a thin layer over my whole face and around the eye area, and within a few seconds, it goes from an ever-so-light stickiness to completely invisible.

Step 2: SPF 35 with Micronized Zinc Oxide & Vitamin E

Can't skip the SPF! I applied this after the Vitamin C Serum in the morning. Even in the fall and winter, it's important to protect your skin from the sun. I'm guilty of not applying SPF this time of year, but I'm getting better at it. I applied this for daily protection from damaging UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. It's oil-free and non-comedogenic too, in case you're breakout prone! It smells like your typical sunscreen, and applies quite nicely to the skin. No greasy texture.

Step 3: Brightener with Lactic, Azeliac and Kojic Acid

There's something about a night time skincare regime that I find luxurious and pampering. Before bed, I applied Di Morelli's Brightener. The texture is very similar to the Vitamin C Serum, with a strong smell of alcohol. The Brightener disappears into the skin super fast though, so no stickiness or residue is left on your pillow. Dead skin cells will be eliminated, and a brighter and more even skintone is revealed underneath! Got sun spots? The Brightener actually inhibits your melanin production. Plus, exfoliating the dead skin cells also helps to eliminate the bacteria that causes acne.

Here's the thing - a regime like this doesn't come cheap. Something I've learned over the last couple years, though, is to invest in my skin. Especially when it comes to something like sun damage, you really need to make commitment to repair and protect your skin - especially if you want to see long term results!


Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta