Choosing the right products to take home for holidays can spell the difference between being noticeably put together or looking like a hot mess. There’s a lot to consider: changes in climate, holiday food intake, parties, travel and all that comes with catching up with family and friends. Here are a few things I packed for my trip from London to Lausanne this holiday season:
I’m all about serums so first up is Perricone MD’s High Potency Amino Face Lift, a.k.a Botox-in-a-bottle which I only use at night. Antioxidants and Vitamin C are primarily in charge of improving skin texture and treating fine lines and wrinkles, or in my case preventing them from developing. I’ve been playing around with this serum for less than a week and so far, so good, definitely a good choice for an anti-aging product that isn’t retinol based.
If you’re not using a face oil, I can’t recommend this next serum enough especially when the weather or central heating strips so much from the skin. Oils provide the most intense dose of antioxidants and energizing nutrients that power skin cells and are most effective at countering dryness. They make a massive difference for my skin, especially YÜLI’s M.E. Skin Fuel which as the name suggests is so rich in nutrients and multivitamins that it may as well be considered a cocktail of botanical actives fueling the skin. The light texture makes it perfect for guys, and the scent of jasmine is quite pleasing as well.
The holidays wouldn’t be complete without time for masks. Besides some sheet masks that my Garçon’s World cohorts and I are testing, I’m also taking Aesop’s Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque. This new release is perfect for all skin types as the aqueous gel-cream texture does not clog pores while skin is absolutely quenched. The rosemary, lavender fragrance is distinctly unisex, leaning on masculine and feels refreshing like most Aesop products. Sometimes I’ll dab a pump or two onto my skin as a moisturizer or if I need a more intensive mask, I’ll mix in a few drops of YÜLI Skin Fuel with the masque and pat onto my skin post-shower as a deep nourishing evening moisturizer / sleep mask and wake up to super soft and rested skin.
I am not usually a fan of eye product but thanks to one of our contributors James Samuel, I’ve been making my way through the Susanne Kaufmann line and her eye gel for men – Line M has been a stand out. The Eye Gel for Men is ideal in every way: the organic gel is light to the touch, spreads easily upon contact with skin and absorbs quickly, leaving just the right amount to soothe dry skin. Only a tiny press on the pump is necessary and the emollient texture ensures application never involves tugging or pulling at the skin around eyes. Besides moisture and anti-aging properties, there are ingredients that reduce swelling and puffiness which makes it perfect for bad diets, travel, and long nights that are often times synonymous with holidays. A crisp, distinctly masculine scent is an added bonus.
I go through phases with my hair between going all out versus minimal. Right now I’m in a decidedly minimal phase where I wash my hair every two days and do not use any product. I’ve been using Oribe since college because the bottles are a work of art. The Oribe Signature Shampoo is fail proof. It is gentle enough for daily use, thoroughly cleanses and has UV filters which are sorely lacking in most hair care products. Although the scent is synthetic and a little strong for my personal taste, I do like that lychee, watermelon and edelweiss flower extracts are all present.
Not only do the products work beautifully, the bottles undeniably look good on any counter, creating quite a strong presence individually and as an ensemble.
