Cool town, evening in the city, dressing so fine and looking so pretty

Being a lady-of-lists, my upcoming holiday of course required hours of scrolling through website after website, looking for various pre-holiday checklists, plans and playlists. Much to my despair, I could find NOTHING telling me exactly what I wanted to hear...'don't worry, there is still time, you don't need 12 weeks of dieting. You will look and feel just splendid'. My squashy, pasty body began to tremble with fear. Without Cosmo or Glamour giving me a holiday plan, what I am to do?? I can't be left to my own devices surely? What if I under pack? I really can't survive two whole weeks without my pineapple print knee socks. And surely this silver lipstick will come in handy, no? So, with 8 tabs on 2 windows, my many girlie bibles, and my trusty Moleskine I began my own compilation of tips and checklist to try and minimise the last minute holiday panic.

Before you go.

Body:

Exfoliate and get rid of that stubble. See those lovely smooth Blake Lively-esque legs? Easy peasy! Although annoyingly hard to maintain. Make sure you get rid of all those whiskers, whether you choose to shave, hair removal, or if you're brave, wax. Now here's the important bit...exfoliate! The quickest way to get gorgeously silky pins. My favourite has to be FCUK's Polished Sugar Scrub if not just for it's incredible smell. Not only does it leave your skin smooth and well buffed, it's also perfect preparation for fake tan.


Tan tan tan. No longer is fake tan the international flag of an Essex Girl! Now, along comes gradual tanning moisturiser to minimise those unsightly streaks and the blinding shade of orange.
Ambre Solaire No Streaks Bronzer is perfect for a quick, easy and even tan.
If you want something a bit longer lasting, but still nice and light, you can't beat Dove's Summer Glow Nourishing Body Lotion (and it's nice and cheap).
If you're serious about you tan, LOreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Fresh Feel Gel does a great job of copying that lovely biscuit colour (but beware of streaky wrists and feet...I had to learn the hard way).


Nails. Ideally we'd all be lucky enough to swan off to a salon and get our feet scrubbed and rubbed to perfection, but sadly this isn't always possible. Fear not! A good nail file and a lick of paint will do the job. Simply give your nails a quick soak (add a couple of drops of olive oil for extra softness), cut and file, push back the cuticles, buff, and choose your colour. For a beach trip, nudes are perfect as any chips are far less noticeable. With dark colours, always try and bring the bottle with you to touch up if you need to.

              A few tips!

-Keep your nail polish in the fridge and it'll dry much faster.

-If you're in a hurry, gently run cold water over your freshly painted nails and they'll dry (still be careful though)

-In cases of gloopy nail polish, a few drops of nail polish remover in the bottle and shaken should make it usable again.



Hair and face. Try and use a hair mask a few days before you go, so your hair is healthy and manageable. I swear by Tresemme Thermal Recovery Repair Tub, as I like to regularly abuse my hair with straighteners, however I'm dying to try out some home remedies! http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/805126/homemade-hair-masks. For us blondies, John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder lightening spray is an excellent top up for fading colour.

Make sure you keep your face and neck well moisturised (cleanse, tone, moisturise, listen, repeat and put to use!), and give your teeth a bit of sparkle with Pearl Drops Daily Shine Whitening Toothpaste. A trick to even whiter teeth is, believe it or not, baking soda! A little bit on top of your toothpaste (you can even do it directly on your toothbrush) and it really does help to remove stains.

So by now you should be used to people rushing up to you shouting 'Oh Megan, Transformers just won't be the same without you!', but we're not done yet. You've still got that pesky suitcase. So here's my ESSENTIAL holiday items:

-3 vests/t shirts

-2 skirts

-3 dresses

-3 pairs of shorts

-2 cardigans/jumpers

-3 pairs of shoes: sandals, wedges, heels

-3 bikinis/swim suits.

-Hair brush plus dryer/straightener

-Shampoo and conditioner

-Deodorant and perfume

-Hair ties/clips

-Sun tan lotion/after sun

-Make up (tinted moisturiser, lip balm, and mascara are essential)

-Phone/keys/wallet

-Chargers

-Camera

-Documents-passport, insurance, check in details

-Currency

-Book/magazine/notebook

Of course, this should suffice if your are a sane person, but if you have the need to bring your entire wardrobe like me, I have only one tip: ROLL don't FOLD. You can fit about three times the amount in, and yes, it will most likely crease, but it's worth it if I can bring 8 pairs of shorts. Start with the bigger items, and you'll find that when rolled up, these will take up FAR less space, and then you can simply tuck the smaller things in. Put bikinis/socks/tights inside your shoes, and this will not only save room, but ensure your shoes don't get squashed.

When you get there:

Unpack (don't leave it for later, it will never get done!), freshen up, and go and explore. This will give you a chance to find your bearings and any places you fancy going for a bite to eat. It's probably not a great idea to go out on a messy one on your first night, as you'll no doubt want to wake up fresh and ready to hit the beach the next day. Anyway, happy holidaying, and I'll leave you with some all-important holiday songs!

1.The Lovin' Spoonful-Summer In The City

2. Darwin Deez-Radar Detector

3. Flight Facilities-I Crave You

4. Justice-D.V.N.O

5. Tinie Tempah ft Swedish House Mafia-Miami 2 Ibiza

6. Florence and the Machine-Dog Days Are Over

7. Corrine Bailey Rae-Put Your Records On

8. Battles-Ice Cream

9. Foster the People-Pumped Up Kicks

10. Pete Jorn and Scarlett Johansson-Relator