THE SAVVY PACKER
Dija Ayodele, creator of Black Skin Directory (an online platform servicing the skincare needs of women of colour in the UK), facialist and mum-of-two, is going on a road trip from Saint Sebastián to Barcelona to find the best tapas.
We usually go long-haul to places such as Barbados, but as we have two small children, we’ve decided to stay closer to home this year. We are flying to Saint Sebastián and driving to Zaragoza and Pamplona on route to Barcelona. We’re going for the food, I’m not going to lie!
I’m a nervous traveller, so I always take ashwagandha tablets before flying to help calm me down. I use Burt’s Bees Lip Balm to keep my lips hydrated and I never travel without Omorovicza Face Mist. I spritz my skin regularly, along with my husband’s and kids’!
I need to take a varied wardrobe as it’s going to be a mixture of being on the beach and walking around the towns. I’ll pack my Heidi Klein swimsuit and Melissa Odabash kaftan to wear with bare feet on the beach, and Giuseppe Zanotti flat sandals, H&M shorts and a New Look top for exploring the museums and taking in the history. I always mix high-end with high street. I leave my hair natural on holiday, but also travel with an amazing blonde wig, which instantly glams up any look. No hair accessories are needed; it’s enough on its own.
On holiday, it’s all about a minimal beauty look. I just wear sunscreen during the day, but in the evening I dust on some MAC face powder. I’ll add a little bronze eye pencil in the inner corners of my eyes and I’m ready. I pack a lot of sun cream for the kids. I use a Danish brand called Ecooking; its SPF 30 ticks all the boxes. You can’t go wrong with Palmer’s Cocoa Butter. It’s great because you can use it on the whole family and it’s brilliant on dry patches of skin. The smell reminds me of my childhood, too. I also always have tubes of Glossier Balm Dotcom in my bag – you can apply it anywhere and everywhere.