What To Pack For A Winter Holiday

I’ve never been on a winter holiday before. I’ve been at university for three years and before that I was at sixth form and before that I was too poor and too young to be going anywhere on my own. This year, more specifically next Monday (!!), will be the first time I’ve been on a winter trip and I cannot wait. Jess and I are going to Reykjavik for a few days away and I couldn't be more excited. However, we’ve only got hand luggage (as usual cause £££) and I was struggling to decide what to pack because freezing cold trips like this are totally different from the usual ones I go on. I mean, New York in February was absolute freezation but Iceland at the height of winter will probably be something else. I think I’ve finally decided on what I’m going to take and I’ve narrowed down my beauty products, clothes, coats and shoes to the essentials I’ll need for five days in minus temperatures.

I usually remove my make-up with micellar water but when I’m travelling I ain’t got time for dat, especially when it comes to the liquid restrictions in hand luggage. That’s why make-up wipes are something that always come in my suitcase no matter where I’m going and this time it’s going to be the Nivea 3 in 1 Micellar Wipes. These are the next best thing to actual micellar water, moisturising the skin and removing make-up, also being much more gentle than some other make-up wipes I’ve used. They’ll be perfect for the first step of cleaning my face after hours of being in the biting cold!

Up next is another offering from Nivea. My hands are absolute awful in the cold and I suffer from Raynaud’s so my hands and feet get really stiff, swollen and painful in the cold (too the point sometimes where it is agony to get in the bath during the winter. I’m sure some of you have it too!) so looking after them is essential. The Nivea Smooth Care Hand Cream is the perfect size for my hand luggage, smells amazing and thanks to the shea butter, the thick formula sinks into the skin and moisturises instantly, something which my hands are going to be in desperate need of in the biting cold temperatures. Also, staying on the subject of hands, the Jurlique Moisturising Hand Sanitiser is coming with me too. Over the past few weeks, this little bottle has been a handbag staple of mine and when travelling, hand sanitisers are essential - you don’t know how many public toilets you’re going to have to make do with! This one not only gets rid of the nasties but also smells bloody amazing and I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t think there’s much worse than getting out of a public toilet and realising there’s no soap! 

You know when you’ve been out in the cold all day, your face feels like an ice cube and then you try to open your mouth and…your lips are so dry they just about fall off your face. Yup, no one likes that do they and my lips can get so dry anyway thanks to the amount of matte liquid lipstick I wear. The Jurlique Love Balm is actually a multi-purpose balm that can be used all over the body to give skin some love but I’ve been using it on my lips but I imagine that next week I’ll need it a lot more. Lips, elbows, cuticles and noses, this balm is definitely more than just a lip balm and I’m totally counting on it next week!

Perhaps a less conventional winter beauty product is the Jurlique Sun Specialist Protection Cream. I know sun cream isn’t the first thing on your mind when going to a colder climate but it’s still something that should be considered. I think it’s probably going to be cloudy when I go to Iceland so I’ll be checking the weather forecast the day before but it’s so important to protect your skin, especially when you’re going to be outside all day. The UV can still be strong even if it’s cold and if there’s going to be snow, you can actually get burnt - never forget about protecting your skin!

For the clothing side of packing I’m keeping it simple. You may remember this super snuggly coat from my Top 5 Autumn Winter Coats video (if you haven’t seen it I’d love for you to go and give it a watch and subscribe!) and I actually bought it for my trip. It is the warmest, biggest, cosiest coat I’ve ever seen and if I’m cold while wearing it, I have no hope at all. I think shoe wise I’ll be going for one pair, most likely my trusty Dr Martens which have been with me since I was 18. They’re probably my best investment ever and they’re my go-to for anything like this whether it’s walking, hiking or anything else. I also think that when it comes to warmth, layering is the best option. I usually layer a long sleeved top, vest tops, a high neck jumper, coat, hat, scarf, a pair of gloves and a pair of mittens with tights and leggings under jeans. That way, you still look like you’re wearing an ordinary outfit but actually underneath you’re the warmest you’ve ever been.

What do you take on a winter holiday? Is there anything I’m missing?

Amy x

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