The Wonders of Kauai

Last week my boyfriend and I went to Kauai for a week -- it was a great week filled with a lot of sunshine, warm weather, and relaxation. Naturally during this vacation makeup was something that was kind of important to me, but not really. Especially since I forgot that what works here in San Francisco, does not work in the humid and warm climate of Kauai. While reminiscent of a New York City summer, it reminded me that my choice of makeup did not bode well. So here's the breakdown.

The things I brought along with me: My entire makeup bag which included my Alba Hawaiian Jasmine and Vitamin E moisturizer and new Cover FX makeup (the pressed mineral powder and the setting powder). I also tossed in a few of my e.l.f. Studio brushes.

The one thing left behind: Milk of Magnesia.

New Items: Garnier Fructis Pure Clean (Shampoo and Conditioner) and lots of generic rice paper (oil-blotting tissues).

We arrived early Sunday morning and since I wasn't particularly in the mood to worry about makeup when we checked in, I decided to go natural for the rest of the day. The next day however I did wear makeup and thus paid dearly for that. My face became quite the oil slick and I had to rely heavily on my e.l.f. Shine Erasers throughout the day. I was averaging about 3 sheets every hour between 11 AM to 3 PM so we had to stop into Longs Drugs to get me some more oil blotting sheets. 

Needless to say that the following day (Tuesday) and for the rest of the week I decided to go completely makeup free. I do suspect that the culprit was the moisturizing cream because as I mentioned, the weather and humidity was very similar to NYC during the summer. Which meant that I was supposed to switch moisturizers. The Jasmine and Vitamin E blend is fantastic for the winter however during the summer the Aloe and Green Tea Oil is actually much better and assists in controlling the oils. Since moving to SF I haven't had the need to switch moisturizers between the seasons so I didn't have the appropriate moisturizer for Hawaii. 

But to be honest, I actually did enjoy having the chance to go completely makeup free for my vacation. I did rely very heavily on the oil-blotting tissues but overall my skin held up well considering the factors. There was a point in time where I almost bought another bottle of Milk of Magnesia, but I figured that with the high temperatures, I didn't really want to be bothered with makeup. I bought two more packs of oil-blotting tissues instead and hoped for the best. Sure I grumbled a bit given the maximum shine that was added to my face but it was a nice change. It was kind of sad though that the makeup I bought specifically for this trip did not hold up. But I am happy to say that it does hold up well here in SF.

While I'm on topic about the Wonders of Kauai, let's touch upon hair care. I did walk with a small bottle of Argan Oil which I amazingly didn't have to use (not even once!). One of the first stops that we made was at Walmart so that we could pick up some essentials -- such as, but not limited to, hair care. We grabbed a bottle of the Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Fortifying Shampoo and the Fortifying Conditioner. I don't think I can properly convey how happy my curls were. This particular line (Pure Clean) has no parabens, no silicones, and no dyes, which meant that my hair was not weighed down. And given the climate, my hair was even curlier than normal and there wasn't a build up. At no point did my hair feel oily and/or greasy which is amazing for my hair. I have no idea what the change in climate will mean for how it holds up in the long-term but that is definitely something that I will touch upon in the future.

Makeup aside, do remember to get yourself
awesome souvenirs.

So if you're traveling, don't forget that weather and humidity are going to factor into your makeup and haircare. Be prepared for some sudden changes, especially if the destination you're going to doesn't have a Sephora or similar makeup store.