Chic Holiday Guide: Top 12 Stylish Summer Vacation Essentials

Chic Holiday Guide: Top 12 Stylish Summer Vacation Essentials

Now that you know how you should be packing for your summer holiday, here is my list of holiday essentials- things you must carry for your vacation– from clothes to accessories. You will need a linen shirt to keep you cool, stylish sneakers to keep you on your feet all day and a bag large enough to hold your travel docs, among other things. For your swimwear needs, check out Speaking Chic’s recommended places to buy your bikinis and swimsuits.

So get packing, folks. It’s time for the holidays! 🙂

PS– You can buy some of the products featured here by clicking on the picture. The ones available online are marked with an asterisk (*).

Chic Holiday Guide (Part 1): 15 simple packing tips for a stylish vacation

Chic Holiday Guide (Part 1): 15 simple packing tips for a stylish vacation

If you’re packing for a vacation now, you’re probably confused and your room is a mess. What should you take and what should you leave behind? While I’m not the perfect packer, I’ve put together a list of tips to make the most of your space (and weight!) restrictions. Some of these tips I’ve picked up from reading travel blogs and websites, but most of them are my own. Let me know what you think!

Packing tips for holiday

(Picture courtesy: Arrow)

  1. Make light tops and tees the building blocks of your vacay wardrobe and try to plan the rest of your things around them.
  2. Try sticking to solids, light prints or tops with light detailing.
  3. Prints can be tricky to style. So if you’re carrying any, make sure you have the right pants / jacket or top to pair with the print.
  4. Skip the jeans, pack coloured trousers instead (or very light denim). They weigh less, occupy less space and are way more stylish.
  5. Make sure your trousers are matched with your tops before you pack. You don’t want to look mismatched, even if you’re on holiday!
  6. Linens are great as tops, shirts and pants!
  7. And so are maxi dresses.
  8. Light cotton and linen fabrics are best for all-day wear. Keep the synthetics at home.
  9. For footwear, you will need sneakers if you will be walking a lot, and comfy loafers that go with everything. Open flat sandals are great too.
  10. If you plan to party, carry an LBD or black sequinned/ embellished top.
  11. There should always be scope for interchanging looks and garments in case something gets soiled or damp. So make sure you carry a pair of neutral pants and a white or beige top.
  12. If you’re going to a shopping destination, travel light. You can always shop there, and plan your itinerary accordingly.
  13. The only accessories you need are a spacious bag, couple of cuffs and tiny studs. And a watch so you don’t miss your flight.
  14. I always carry a couple of tops or pants that I need to discard. So I wear them out and get rid of them while travelling.  This way, I have space for my shopping, and a reason to shop! 🙂
  15. No makeup please! Just a light compact powder, lip colour and mascara will do. Eye liner, if you must.
  16. Don’t miss the the sunblock and moisturiser. You will always need them.

Coming Soon: Chic Holiday Guide (Part 2): The old and new vacation essentials

Chic Beauty List: Products that took me through winter (from Kiehl’s, Lakme and Nivea)

Chic Beauty List: Products that took me through winter (from Kiehl’s, Lakme and Nivea)

I don’t usually blog about skin care/ beauty products, so this post means I’ve got something substantial and special to write about. 🙂 This winter has been a harsh one for my skin. Mid-December I travelled through some of the coldest places in north India—Delhi, Mussoorie, Rishikesh and Haridwar. Then I came back to Mumbai where it got quite cold and stayed that cold for about a month.

My skin is already on the drier side, so this winter I was geared up for the worst. I tried a number of products and luckily found the right skin care mix for myself pretty quickly. Here goes my list.

Face: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

The product literature dubs this product an “elixir”, and it claims to give you a smoother, more radiant complexion the next morning. Well, that didn’t really happen the next morning, but it did happen couple days later. The colourless serum with a hint of lavender moisturised my skin well, and did a superb job of giving me softer and supple skin. In short, I absolutely LOVED this Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate! I will continue to use it even in summer (it doesn’t make the skin oily).

Rating: 4.5/5

Body: Lakme Fruit Moisture Honey & Avocado Winter Care Lotion

Lakme Honey & Avocado winter care lotion

Unlike other Lakme skin care products, the fragrance is strong but not overpowering. The Honey and Avocado lotion did a great job of keeping my skin moisturised throughout the day, though on some days I needed a re-application by night. Even so, I enjoyed using this lotion and the proof lies in the almost-empty bottle. 🙂

Rating: 3.5/5

Body: Nivea Happy Time Body Lotion

Nivea Happy Time Body Lotion

The trusted Nivea’s relatively new product “repairs dryness” and gives a “feel-good sensation”. Does it live up to its two major claims? Yep. Besides, the mild orange flower fragrance is lovely and I find my skin soft and moisturised even 12 hours after application. I could have done with a larger bottle of the product!

Rating: 4/5

Note: These products were provided by the brands’ PR agencies for consideration. But this post is based entirely on my experience with the products.

Chic Beauty Launches: Lancôme Rénergie Yeux, Nivea pure & natural lip care, Dermalogica booster

Speaking Chic’s guide to the latest beauty products for specific skin care concerns

For aging and dull under eye area

Lancôme Rénergie Yeux

Lancome Renergie Yeux

This double-formula eye care solution promises to minimise and prevent wrinkles around the eyes and promote firmer skin tone. The cream reduces fine lines and wrinkles, firms the eye contour, lifts the eye lids and helps fade dark circles. The volumetric lifting cream (to be applied second) provides illuminating protective care.

Price: Rs 4,200

We recommend: For our hardworking moms and aunts!

For chapped and sensitive lips

Nivea pure & natural

Nivea pure & natural lip care Camomile & Calendula Nivea pure & natural lip care Olive_Lemon

Nivea’s new pure & natural lip care products are preservative-free and contain certified organic shea butter and jojoba oil that moisturise lips. Available in two variants, the products contain natural ingredients like olive oil, calendula and camomile. Nivea Olive & Lemon protects dry lips, while Nivea Camomile & Calendula soothe sensitive lips.

Price: Rs 159 each

We recommend: For those who want luscious lips the natural way (that’s all of us, right?).

For dull, uneven skin

Dermalogica Skin Renewal Booster

Dermalogica skin renewal booster

This product adds oomph to your skin care routine with its blend of alpha and beta hydroxy acids in soothing hibiscus flower extract. The booster exfoliates dead skin cells, enhances cell renewal and improves texture. You can use the booster by itself or mix it with your moisturiser.

We recommend: For dull, dry, aging, pigmented and acne-prone skin

Which of these products makes it to your wishlist?

Chic Beauty Launches: Lancôme Rénergie Yeux, Nivea pure & natural lip care, Dermalogica booster

Speaking Chic’s guide to the latest beauty products for specific skin care concerns

For aging and dull under eye area

Lancôme Rénergie Yeux

Lancome Renergie Yeux

This double-formula eye care solution promises to minimise and prevent wrinkles around the eyes and promote firmer skin tone. The cream reduces fine lines and wrinkles, firms the eye contour, lifts the eye lids and helps fade dark circles. The volumetric lifting cream (to be applied second) provides illuminating protective care.

Price: Rs 4,200

We recommend: For our hardworking moms and aunts!

For chapped and sensitive lips

Nivea pure & natural

Nivea pure & natural lip care Camomile & Calendula Nivea pure & natural lip care Olive_Lemon

Nivea’s new pure & natural lip care products are preservative-free and contain certified organic shea butter and jojoba oil that moisturise lips. Available in two variants, the products contain natural ingredients like olive oil, calendula and camomile. Nivea Olive & Lemon protects dry lips, while Nivea Camomile & Calendula soothe sensitive lips.

Price: Rs 159 each

We recommend: For those who want luscious lips the natural way (that’s all of us, right?).

For dull, uneven skin

Dermalogica Skin Renewal Booster

Dermalogica skin renewal booster

This product adds oomph to your skin care routine with its blend of alpha and beta hydroxy acids in soothing hibiscus flower extract. The booster exfoliates dead skin cells, enhances cell renewal and improves texture. You can use the booster by itself or mix it with your moisturiser.

We recommend: For dull, dry, aging, pigmented and acne-prone skin

Which of these products makes it to your wishlist?