Pack for the perfect holiday | Beachwear & sunshine essentials

Everyone I know seems to have a holiday booked and my Instagram is packed full of people showcasing their countdown clocks to the big day itself when they board that plane, meanwhile I sit here dreaming of my dream destination and perhaps even a long weekend around a British seaside town where I am most at ease and less stressed.

With summer just around the corner (hopefully) and holidays on the horizon, most shops I have walked in to within the last week have had their 'Summer Essentials' put right at the front of the store so you cannot fail to miss them.

Items such as bikinis, beach towels, suntan cream, flip slops, hats, sarongs, you name it, it is there for you to want, need and buy.

Accessorize have put together this short video to help you pack for that perfect holiday and discover a chic holiday style for every look under the sun with a selection of items from their Beach Shop.

I am one of those last minute shoppers for the essentials, though if I am only going away for a few days, I have light packing down to an absolute art.  That said, I still haven't bought a single item and I am away for a few days in June.

Have you got a holiday coming up?  Do you shop around to find the perfect outfits for everyday and every night to wear whilst you are away?  Don't forget to go to Accessorize.

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My Evening Skincare Routine With Origins

There are two products that feature in my evening skincare routine and I think they work brilliantly together.  Before I go to bed, I always remove my make-up, wash my face and then apply one of these two products:

Origins High Potency Night A Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream which is a bit of a mouthful, is the one in the brown glass jar and I was introduced to it back last year at a Company event in Central London which you can read about HERE.  

Described as follows:

"Put dullness to rest. Wake up radiant & refreshed. Now nature's famed night cream is newly fortified with a system of time-released resurfacers plus Vitamins C, E & H, minerals & moisture-rich replenishers. While relaxing aromas lull you to sleep, skin sloughs away dry, dead layers. Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins™ helps the appearance of dullness.

98% of those who tested it agreed - used regularly, skin was renewed and refreshed in the AM. Helps the slumber deprived wake up on the bright side of the bed. So why face dull skin. Sleep it off tonight"

The cream itself, which is bright white in colour is also quite thick which means you don't need to use too much of it to cover your face. I find this cream really hydrating and with the weather constantly changing my skin is in need of a little TLC and I like that I can apply a night cream and when I wake up in the morning, I have lovely soft, smooth supple skin. I was told that this cream had a funny scent to it, but I actually quite like it, quite fruity, not quite orangey but definitely a hint of a citrus scent for me.

The cream is said to work best for people who have combination/dry skin and as I have combination skin which is oily but with dry patches, I tick all the boxes for this cream. I wouldn't hesitate to repurchase this when it runs out, a full size 50ml jar costs £34 and is available with free delivery from Origins' website.

The second product that I have been using is the Overnight Drink Up Intensive mask, which I read so much about on other blogs that it soon rose up my wishlist and I bought it.

Described as:

"Origins Drink Up™ Intensive Mask makes skin feel smoother and hydrated

Skin depends on water for its youthful functioning. But all day long, skin loses vital moisture. And the busier you are, the more it loses. This intense moisture replacement mask deeply quenches compromised moisture reserves and builds a reservoir for tomorrow. Japanese Seaweed repairs skin's barrier to prevent future dehydration and signs of premature ageing.

This again is a cream with a fairly thick consistency and a little really does go along way.  I use this as instructed which is is twice a week currently and I simply complete my bedtime routine as mentioned above and then instead of using Night-A-mins cream, I use this in its place.

To apply, you are supposed to literally slap it on ensuring that there is a thick layer on your face, which is what I was told in Boots where I bought mine from, then leave it on your face overnight to sink in and work its magic.  With ingredients like Apricot Kennel Oil (which is amazing for keeping your skin hydrated) Avocado oil and Mango butters, all of which have moisturising qualities that help your skin to retain its moisture, you won't be surprised to find that it is absolutely amazing.  Every time I use this, I am always surprised to find how soft and smooth my skin is the following morning, especially if I have been suffering some dryness on my cheeks or forehead which is where I have problems.

A 100ml tube retails for £22 from the Origins website and again, once mine runs out, I won't hesitate to repurchase it because I absolutely love it and I love knowing that if my skin does need a little more TLC than the cream above can give me, this is just brilliant for doing that.

Both of these products have left me wanting to try more from the Origins range as I absolutely love both products.  

Have you got any favourites from the Origins range?  What would you recommend trying?