Going to Porto will make you want to tile your entire house
/Inside and out.
I recreated the best cocktail I've ever had from Ubud, Bali
/You know when you eat or drink something once that is so incredible that you can’t stop thinking about it ever again for the rest of your life? We’ll that happened to me with a life-changingly amazing cocktail from PICA, a South American restaurant in Ubud, Bali.
I was thinking about it the other day, and given that I am currently in COVID quarantine and have all the time in the world to travel via my kitchen, I attempted to remember the recipe. Given all the times this drink has entered my psyche, I shouldn’t have been shocked that I nailed it on the first go with just a tiny bit of finessing - this drink is basically part of my soul now. Make it part of yours too:
2 oz tequila
1 oz fresh lime
.5 oz cucumber juice (I blended a hunk of cuc with a little water then strained through a paper towel)
.75 oz simple syrup
shake and serve over ice
spring of mint garnish
never be the same
cheers
how amazing does this look???
Skincare on the road
/We <3 skincare (I’m talking about the collective ‘we’)
I talk about skincare products with people a lot - there is a actually a whole email I wrote up for a coworker about all the products I like that has now become like a chain letter - but obviously on a trip you can’t haul your whole medicine cabinet with you. So begins the Sophie’s choice of what to pack for your skin…
Disclaimer: I am completely obsessed with sunscreen, specifically mineral based (zinc) sunscreen. My skin is sensitive to hyperpigmentation and melasma so I am religious about applying sunscreen every day, first thing, even if I’m indoors all day in the dead of winter. (The bright side of this OCD is that my skin is likely much better off for it - the sun is a bad friend to your face!)
I also kind of hate washing my face. I really don’t like feeling of splashing water on my face standing over a sink with it all running down my arms…ugh. So I am a big fan of micellar water and wipes, even at home. Which is great because that is already very conducive to travel and packing! So here’s what I usually have packed in my suitcase, and what I brought for the three month trip:
For face cleansing:
Micellar water + cotton pads (not pictured)
Micellar water wipes - these we’re great for when you don’t have a bathroom home base (i.e. campervan life)
For scrubs and deeper cleansers, I would select from the Sample Roulette Bag™ - more on this below
Sunscreen (duh):
Elta M.D. Tinted Sunscreen SPF 40 - this has been a fav of mine for everyday since my friend Berit raved about it to me a few years ago, and I should make commission on the other people I’ve gotten hooked on this. It has a great texture, makes you glowy (but can be borderline greasy so a translucent powder is a nice pairing), is ever-slightly-tinted so there is no white cast on your skin and has about 10% zinc, which is pretty good. Great for a regular day, but I need something a little more heavy duty for real sun. Enter…
CyberDERM Natural Simply Zinc Ultra Sun Whip SPF 50 - This was a last minute find after some google searching for a higher zinc sunscreen knowing that Bali and Thailand sun was in my future. So far I’ve been really happy with it - it’s thicker than the Elta M.D. but it has - wait for it - 25% zinc oxide. So it’s worth it! It’s also tinted so there’s no white cast and it actually drys matte which is really nice. It holds up well to sweat and swimming and it’s definitely a new staple in my summer lineup.
Moisturizers:
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask - For day/anytime, (and especially on long flights) I throw on some of this minty smelling creme. It’s called a mask but you leave it on and it’s intensely hydrating without a ton of weight. I probably use this once every few days and otherwise use sunscreen (or something from the Sample Roulette Bag™) for day-to-day moisture. And then for night…
Fresh Black Tea Overnight Mask - I don’t really know if you’re supposed to use this every night (esp bc it’s $92 eeek!) But because a little goes a very long way, you actually can. This stuff is a gamechanger thanks to hyaluronic acid, and it smells amazing. A true joy to put on at the end of the day.
misc:
Drunk Elephant Baby Facial - Another Keely find that has since become wildly popular, this mask is one of the hardest working products in my lineup. It’s a combo of a bunch of acids that really do reveal “new skin” after 20 min of this tingly mask. I have introduced it to many people and everyone is so impressed with the results. It also lasts FOREVER so don’t let the price tag scare you. I have a small jar of this in my bag because you only do it once a week, but it really is like a mini-facial. Also, I didn’t realize until I added the link that this comes in a travel size…*adds to cart*
Rodan + Fields Lashboost - If you know anyone who sells R+F you’ve surely heard of this lash growth serum. If you’ve been on the fence, it' really works! Trac uses it on her eyebrows too! (if you need a contact for a rep, my cousin sells it - hit me up!)
Lumify Eye Drops - my friend Elisabeth introduced me to to these and it was like a science experiment gone very right. These drops make the whites of your eyes like eyeglasses commercial white - great for right when you land or when you’ve been looking at your computer or phone for too long. I don’t use these every day, more on an as-needed basis. They are black magic.
Sample Roulette Bag™ - every woman has a random collection of sample products from all their Sephora orders (just me??) so instead of having those sit in a drawer to be completely forgotten about, I put them to work in my travel bag. They range from cleansers, scrubs, moisturizers/serums and masks to hair and body stuff, so you can really have whatever you need at any given time. It also means for things you don’t use often you can just pick from the bag…it’s like the adult equivalent of a goody bag.
Also, buy stuff on your travels! Pharmacies are one of my fav places to stop for (practical) souvenirs because every country does their own thing, and lot of them have beautiful packaging as an added bonus. Throw them on your bathroom shelf and enjoy the memories <3