Labels: alexandra cassaniti, APC, bumble and bumble, hermes, most wanted, travel, tsumori chisato

Labels: music, travel

Above: an olive tree on the island of Kefalonia (June 2004)

To me, nothing is more Mediterranean than the sight of citrus groves. They grow quite carelessly everywhere, even in backyards, with rotting fruit dropping into the dusty streets. It is a strange sight to these NewEngland eyes. It seems appropriate, therefore, to smell of oranges. Tocca Stella Sapone ($12) is a divinely luxurious triple-milled soap, imprinted with a coy mermaid, with a truly addicting blood orange scent, more green than tart. It's the perfect way to cool off from a long day in the sun, sand and salt and dust clinging to sweaty skin.

Nourish clean skin with a light, silky, fast-absorbing "dry" oil, to add a subtle gleam to a tan. Les Bains du Marais Fleur d'Oranger doubles as a soft, all-over perfume that becomes one with your skin, a subtle but sultry alternative in high summer. Creamy orange flower petals take center stage, accented by lashings of crisp green leaves that dissipate rather quickly into a crystalline honeyed note, a scent that emphasizes light and warmth. It complements rather than matches (an old-fashioned notion) the lingering smell of Stella on your skin. So feminine and pretty, all the charm of summer bottled.

Summer makeup should be minimal. Tans require little accent, and the heat encourages makeup to melt. Wear products that work with the shine: black eyeliner (if it smudges, so much the sexier), a bronzey-rose cream blush (NARS Malibu has just enough rose to add life to the skin and just enough bronze to highlight a tan), and a fruity, bright gloss to add some punch (Fresh Desire Gloss Absolute is perfect). For night, a sheer wash of mint or sea blue eyeshadow seems somehow appropriate with tan skin—fresh, not gaudy. Or, take a different direction, vamp up your daytime gloss with some cherry red lipstick like Kevyn Aucoin Principessa. But no matter how much you wear, always be sure to take it all off, with a supremely gentle but thorough makeup remover: Bioderma Créaline H2O Cleansing Solution ($24). It's the stuff that Gemma Ward swears by, but it's impossible to find outside of French pharmacies without exorbitant shipping charges. Thankfully, beautyhabit.com (as far as I know, the only US-based etailer) carries Bioderma.

Who wants to wear a sticky, occlusive cream in the summer? Not I, though I have such dry, sensitive skin in the winter. Instead, the antioxidant-rich, vitamin-packed Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel ($68) is the ideal summer hydrator—all the muscle without the weight. Jurlique's pure botanicals are grown organically in Austrailia, and this anti-aging gel is Jurlique's star product. Just a sampling of the ingredients: rose, lavender, calendula, chamomile, licorice, black elder, daisy, viola, marshmallow, green tea, echinacea, evening primrose oil, grapeseed, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, aloe...

Salty water and the sun take their toll on my hair. I returned from Croatia last summer with so much damage that I had to cut it all off. The best prevention is a good hair oil, like Opalis L'Huile ($56 for 30 mL), oh-so-decadently scented of almond and vanilla. Saturate hair well, concentrating on ends, and the oil will not only repel damage, it will actually nourish and condition your hair as it heats in the sun. For more everyday use, a small dab on the ends of damp hair adds a little protection and shine, and touchable (not greasy) definition. As for the bottle, is it not most handsome?

Labels: beauty notebook, beautyhabit, travel

• Clothes. Jamaica is hot and humid. Not quite as humid as the American South, perhaps more similar to the general East Coast/Midwest type of humidity. But it is as hot as the South.
  
  Short-sleeved tee shirts don't work. I brought a bunch the first time I went, and they sat in my suitcase. Cotton tank tops are good, or sleeveless, thin cotton or rayon tops (I have a couple East Indian ones I bought there). If you've got to do short sleeves, make your top loose-fitting and as lightweight as possible.
  
  Generally, you wear a bathing suit all day. The styles tend to be pretty modest, no thongs or teeny strings, just regular one- or two-piece bathing suits. Along with this, you'll need a skirt or sarong or something similar to stash in your beach bag...some restaurants don't consider you "dressed" in your bathing suit alone, you have to put a skirt over it. (Men are considered "dressed" with a shirt over their swim suit.)
  
  You can carry one bathing suit and just wash it out at night. No one seems to notice if you wear the same suit every day. Swim suits take up little packing space however, so throw in another if you like.
  
  You do need to bring a couple of long-sleeved shirts just in case. It got "chilly" last time I went, and I had to wear the same solitary long-sleeved shirt I'd brought.
  
  No one irons there; some wrinkles in your clothing are okay. I brought one of those travel clothing steamers...it sat in the suitcase along with the tee shirts!
  
  Evening wear...you dress up every night. Again, it's hot, so "dress up" does not mean the same thing as it does here. Something like a pretty, sleeveless, lightweight dress, or similar top and skirt, would do it. You can switch out your tops and skirts somewhat, but try to think in terms of clothes that don't wrinkle, so's you can squash more of them into your suitcase.



• Shoes. It's too hot generally for stockings and pumps, although you can wear them in the evening if you want to. Sandals are accepted footwear day or night; make yours lightweight sandals. Bring some water socks (in a pinch, you could buy them at the resort).
  
  You will need a comfortable pair of "walking sandals" for jaunts outside the resort; wear these on the plane coming and going.



• Hair. You will need to put up your hair unless it's short enough not to hang on your neck. Bring enough hair doodads to keep you happy putting up your hair each day.
  
  You will need to bring a mild shampoo as you will wash your hair once or twice per day. I washed mine in the morning and evening (you could skip the morning wash, but you will need to wash your hair after going in the sea or pool). The complimentary resort shampoo ain't going to cut it.
  
  Likewise, bring a sufficiently rich daily conditioner.



• Umbrellas. Some resorts have umbrellas, some don't. If yours doesn't, bring a travel-sized umbrella.



• Makeup. During the day, forget about it. Eyeshadow instantly melts; blush is unnecessary; no one seems to wear makeup anyway. If you like, a little waterproof eyepencil or mascara and lip balm (tinted or un-).
  
  In the evening, you can wear eyeshadow, blush and lipstick as you please, but you won't feel like heavy or dramatic makeup.



• Perfume. This is like the South: light scents disappear within half an hour. That's why Southerners bring on the heavy, sweet scents, stuff that might well knock you on your head in drier, cooler climates.



• Jewelry. People don't wear the flashier, more conspicuously expensive pieces. You'll see a little gold, maybe small gemstones, but just as much "bridge" jewelry. Silver and semi-precious are fine.

Labels: travel

Labels: anthony logistics, aquis, ballantyne, bioderma, graphic image, loro piana, malo, mason pearson, travel, zimmermann

Labels: alexander mcqueen, anya hindmarch, chaumet, michael kors, stella mccartney, travel

Labels: j brand, travel, valextra

Labels: bath and body, hair, skin, travel

Labels: travel

Labels: beauty notes, travel

Labels: travel