I wanted to talk you through a few of my favourite things I took to Cape Town with me.
When it came to packing, the contents of my suitcase was fairly simple - although that's partly because about 25% of the case was taken up with makeup - only one bag was packed, and only a few pairs of sunglasses. I packed one book and very few makeup brushes and skincare products.
The bag I packed was my new mint/green Valentino which, despite being very much on the small side, was the perfect bag for carrying my essentials around in on our little adventures around the winding white Santorini steps. I've never splurged (I really hate the word splurged - must find an alternative) on a bag that's not a neutral colour before. I picked this up from LUISAVIAROMA.COM and was a little unsure as to exactly how much wear would come from this one (the temptation to always buy everything in black or nude is unreal!), but I've loved wearing it and it really does go with almost every outfit I own. The design of the bag itself is possibly my all time favourite, not too detailed, but not too minimal, not to androgynous and not to feminine. Don't be surprised if I end up with more than one of these...
Despite packing a couple of pairs of Sunglasses (including my Dior So Real's) I couldn't resist picking up a new pair from Dior at the airport. The Cat Eye Mirrored Sunglasses have potentially beaten the So Real's to my number one spot - the cat eye shape is so much more flattering but the mirrored lenses and frame give it a similar vibe to the So Real's without the fear my eyebrows are being covered - a legit pet peeve of mine - I could get down to the science of why but we'd be here for two more paragraphs...
The few beauty bits that I've been loving all fall under the theme of no faff and easy to apply - the MAC nude lippie, Benefit Mascara makes the best holiday combo, Obvs not forgetting the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Dolce being my go-to for the evenings when I don't want to worry about my lipstick after dinner (that shizz really does stay all day).
And finally, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, an easy read that really helped me to see the light at the end of the creative slump tunnel.