Gem and Jo's Travel Tips

Summer for us means travelling. Whether that is hitting the road or hitting the sky, summer is the time when like to get out there and see the world. So with that in mind we decided to share some of our travel tips.

1. If you're jetting off to somewhere that has a different climate to the one that you've come from, wear a convertible outfit. This is an outfit that can be altered slightly to suit loads of different weather. Our favourite is a cute dress that when worn with tights would suit our colder Irish weather, but when worn with sandals is perfect for hot sunny weather. Tights and sandals are super light and don't take up much room in your carry on bag.

2. If bringing checked luggage,don't pack too much into your carry on bag. You don't need seven books, four outfits and three pairs of shoes for a two hour flight. Bring what you need and any valuables, and leave it at that. Airports can get very busy and you don't want to be breaking your back lugging around a massive bag.

3. If you're stuck for space in your bag, buy toiletries in the place your're heading. You can pretty much buy shampoo, conditioner and shower gel anywhere. Unless you're super picky about your toiletries there is no need for these things to take up weight and room in your bag .

4. If you're heading somewhere sunny bring sensitive cleanser and moisturiser with you. The sun, sea water, and chlorine can wreak havoc on your skin and make even the most robust skin sensitive.

5. Check out if your hotel or apartment complex offers pool towel hire. A lot of places offer pool towel hire for a small deposit and this saves you the bother of bringing a huge beach towel.

6. If you're travelling by plane make sure to stay hydrated. That means drinking lots of water and bringing a nice moisturiser with you. The plane air can make you really dehydrated and you don't want to be arriving at your holiday destination looking and feeling like a raisin.

What are your travel tips? 

Until next time,

Gem and Jo's Sunburn Saviours.

Now we know what you're going to say, "but Gem and Jo, summer is already over". However, if the weather forecasters are to be trusted, September is set to be warmer than normal, so this post could come in handy! To be brutally honest, every time the sun comes out Irish people tend to soak it up in huge amounts and the consequence? Sunburn, really bad sunburn.
Our fair skin is just not made to take excessive amounts of UV rays and without fail, Irish people leg it outside and forget to stop and slap a little sun cream on. If you are like Gem, aka ginger and pale, or if you just have fair skin then this is the right post for you! Without further adieu here is our Sunburn Saviours!

 First off don't let yourself get to the stage where you're desperately looking for aftersun. Start your day off with a little suncream and every now and then during the day top it up! It takes 5 minutes and saves you a whole load of pain in the future.

Garnier Ambre Solaire's range of transparent suncreams are perfect for everyday use as they go on really quickly and don't take forever to dry in! Plus Gem recently found their Wet Skin version, which can be applied to wet or dry skin, perfect for if you plan on having a swim in the lake with your friends! 

If you do get to the stage where you have suffered some burns, do not fret, we have all been there and there are options to make yourself feel a little better while it heals! 

1. Pure Aloe Vera gel is absolutely amazing and when kept in the refrigerator, can instantly soothe burned skin! Gem's mam picked this version up in Lanzerote on her last visit and everyone in the house loves it! Whether you're burned from the sun or looking for a little more moisture for your skin, this is perfect product! 

2. Soap and Glory's Righteous Butter is another great product, we don't advise using this on very burned skin but it is just right for skin that saw a little too much of that great ball of fire in the sky. This too has aloe Vera in it along with Shea butter to really soften your skin! Soap and Glory say to use this product on damp skin! 

3. A great home remedy for sunburn is to have an oatmeal bath! Just pour a half or a whole cup of dry oatmeal into a cool bath (cool so it doesn't shock your skin and free from bath salts or perfumes), mix it well and jump right in! Afterwards let your body air dry so you don't wipe the oatmeal off and voila, sunburn has been soothed! Well, at least temporarily. 

4. If you have been out in the sun long enough to get burned, you have been in the sun long enough to become dehydrated! Sunburn dries and dehydrates your skin and in order for it heal, you have to hydrate it from the outside (moisturise) and the inside (drink lots of water!). When you're in the sun ALWAYS keep a bottle of water or juice beside you and keep on sipping! 

Main point? Don't let yourself get to the point of sunburn! Prevent it and then you won't have to worry about finding that t-shirt that doesn't hurt your shoulders. If you wear makeup on a daily basis, add a little suncream to your liquid foundation. Even though most have SPF in them, it's generally not enough to save you from burning.

If your sunburn starts to blister we don't recommend using any of these products! Get yourself to a doctor and ask for advice! Burns can get infected really easily, be careful and keep the area clean. 

Thanks for reading guys, and we hope these forecasted sunny days come to fruition as much as you do!
Until Next Time,