Vacay Summer Challenge: BIC World Tour – Share your must-haves for a chilly vacay! (Week 8)

[Anna2BT]

Summer is finally here, Beauty Insider Community! To celebrate one of the most fun times of the year (aka Hot BIC Summer 😉) we’re bringing in an exciting new summer challenge in the form of the first official virtual BIC World Tour! ✈ We know not everyone is able to travel at this time, so let’s go together virtually 💕

Each week we’ll have a new vacation-themed prompt where you’ll get to share your fantasy favorites as we travel to different climates and places across the world! 🌎

Check in time: Each Friday launches a new travel destination and prompt, so check back to this post weekly for more vacay fun:

• (Week 1: 7/1 - 7/7) Your ultimate summer vacay: Close your eyes and picture your dream vacay … now answer this question: if you could only bring 5 beauty products along with you on this trip, what would they be?

• (Week 2: 7/8 - 7/14) Hot BIC Summer: Battling against heat and humidity is no easy task! Talk about your most powerful tools, products, or tips that help you fight against the sun.

• (Week 3: 7/15 - 7/21) Seamless day to night: Sometimes it’s all about versatility. Share with us your favorite products, looks, or hacks to easily go from day to night.

• (Week 4: 7/22 - 7/28) Tropical & beachy: Sun, sand, water, and vibes~ what are you taking with you for a day out on the sand? Bonus points if you want to add a fun beach-inspired look. 😉

• (Week 5: 7/29 - 8/4) G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S ✨ night on the town: Show off your glam looks and the products you’ll use to transform yourself for a night out!

• (Week 6: 8/5 - 8/11) BIC outdoor essentials: Camping, hiking, and all-things outdoors! 🌲 What are your essentials you need with you to take on the terrain?

• (Week 7: 8/12 - 8/18) Home is where the scent is: Sometimes we can all use a little piece of what we call home. 🏡💕 What fragrance item (perfume, candle, diffuser, etc.) would you bring that always reminds you of home sweet home?

• (Week 8: 8/19 - 8/26) Cold weather hydration must-haves: Snow, icy winds, and cold temps – it’s not hot everywhere this time of year! Some of those most breathtaking sights take place in the cold! What are you bringing to keep your skin hydrated and feeling healthy?

Reply below to share your looks, products, thoughts, and tips on the vacay prompts for our BIC World Tour! ✈  Remember to tag any products you would be using (if applicable!) with the “#” sign. We look forward to all the fun we’ll have together for the weeks to come!

[eshoe]

@Skunk12puzzola yes please!!! Quiet, a well-loved pillow, a book that is only half-way though (I am about 2/3 through and already dreading finishing it), what more could one ask for😄

[Skunk12puzzola]

@eshoe I would add tea (hot for me, even in summer, I prefer the taste better) and a little skincare. Watch a documentary (maybe about history), while sipping my tea and then put a little lip balm/hand cream on. Also, snacking on some yummy foods, like cookies or chips. A dream day come true (I spoil myself like this very often, thankfully!)....

[eshoe]

Oooh that sounds like the perfect spoiling, @Skunk12puzzola! Any favorite era, or does it all interest you?

[WinglessOne]

Week 2: I’m prone to heat exhaustion and migraines, so protecting myself from high heat is a way of life. My ideal temperature range is 70-78ºF. Unfortunately, Chicago summers always skyrocket over that—and the humidity-driven heat index doesn't help. Here’s how I survive. 

Health related (yes, sunscreen’s in this category): 

Spoiler

Reusable water bottle - I will definitely get heat cramps (and progress rapidly to heat exhaustion) if I don’t drink enough non-alcoholic fluids throughout a hot day. Must stay hydrated! 

Reusable coffee mug/cup - according to MDs I’ve asked, the average coffee intake doesn’t contribute to heat exhaustion. Caffeine is a diuretic, but most folks don’t consume enough for it to dehydrate them. I asked docs about that because I'm a coffeeholic. 😄 Not only does coffee not dehydrate me, it counts toward my daily fluids intake. Hooray! Sometimes I do forget to bring a travel mug with me to a coffeeshop and end up going the disposable cup route. 

Pedialyte - I always have a bottle in my fridge to replenish electrolytes as needed. I also carry a few powder packets to mix into my water bottle for on-the-go heat exhaustion emergencies. 

Cooling towel - not one specifically branded/marketed for this purpose. Just a smooth textured (no terrycloth pile) cotton towel, usually a dish towel. It works the same way as “cooling towels”: soak towel in water, wring most water out, snap towel, and wrap towel around neck. When temps climb above 90ºF, I carry one of these towels in my bag. 

Shade - if there’s a shady spot outdoors, I’ll probably be there. 😄 I also wear sunglasses and sometimes a visor, though these things can’t protect against UV rays on their own. UVA rays bounce off various surfaces—walls, sidewalks, etc.—which means they can travel up to your face and cause skin damage even if you’re wearing a wide brimmed hat/visor. Also, glass windows don’t block many UVA rays (unless they're treated with a UV blocking tint/film); this includes car windows. Which is why folks should always also wear… 

Broad spectrum sunscreen - at least SPF 30, applied to ALL exposed skin (eyelids, ears, behind ears, nape of neck, shoulders, wrists, hands, ankles, feet, etc.) and reapplied every couple hours (more frequently if sweaty or skin gets wet), regardless of weather or season. In addition to fending off more hyperpigmentation and various UV-caused “signs of aging,” sunscreen helps protect me from far more serious things like cancer. My current favorite sunscreens for hot humid (or dry) weather: 

Spoiler

• Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ 2.5 oz/ 73.9 mL- the one I travel with and carry in my purse/bag to reapply throughout the day, even over makeup. 
• Native Unscented Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 30 - a newly tested favorite. 
• Dermstore Collection Daily Sheer Tint Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40 
• Avene Solaire UV Mineral Multi-Defense Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50 
• Eucerin Age Defense Face Sunscreen SPF 50 - in hot weather, it's a body sunscreen; it's too heavy/greasy on my face during summer. 
• Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50 - I sometimes use it to tone down a too-shiny sunscreen. 
• Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 - I keep this in my bag to reapply as hand cream on the go, especially after using hand sanitizer. It's a good way to ensure I keep my paws protected throughout the day. 

Jade roller kept in fridge - a cooling treat for my forehead, perimeter of face, behind ears, neck, and inner arms and elbows. 

Eye and neck patches kept in fridge - another way to cool down. My faves are Sio Beauty's reusable eye and neck patches, Jayjun Green Tea Eye Gel Patch, Good Molecules Caffeine Energizing Hydrogel Eye Patches, SEPHORA COLLECTION Eye Mask Pomegranate (eh, the "clean" version's also good, as are some of the other fruit extract varieties in both versions), and Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels (I used to not like them much, but they've won me over). 

Cool (not cold) showers - the ultimate cool-down. I have unexpectedly rushed home a few times during heatwaves, just to quickly hop in the shower to lower my body temp—especially when I’ve gotten heat cramps and my usual on-the-go cooling methods aren’t enough or are unavailable. Sometimes just ducking into a random store/coffeeshop/library for AC works. But if I feel myself close to passing out, I’ll get home asap so I can rest comfortably in bed and my own AC after a cool shower and Pedialyte. 

Beauty related: 

Spoiler

Hair accessories for up-dos - when wet, my coily hair falls to the middle of my back. When dry, it brushes my shoulders. In hot weather, I want it all off my neck and face. For that, I use a variety of things: silk scrunchies, silk scarves, bobby pins, hair sticks (including chopsticks), ribbons, and silk or satin headbands. Slip Small Slipsilk™ Scrunchies and Slip Medium Slipsilk™ Scrunchies are very handy and play nice with my coils. 

Blotting powder and/or papers - for the oil slick in the middle of my face. (My oily zone is just on and around my nose.) I’m currently testing LH Cosmetics blotting powder. It contains Upsalite, the same super absorbent ingredient found in Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin powder balm. And I usually carry a pack of blotting papers in my purse or bag. 

Mattefying primer - used only on my oily zone, and only when I know I’ll be out in very hot weather. It's an extra oil control insurance step. My favorite is still Lancome Blur & Go Priming Stick which apparently Sephora no longer carries. 

Blushes that last for hours - I've had blush fade almost completely from my face in hot weather, thanks to sweat. Blushes that hang in there include NARS Talc-Free Powder Blush , LYS Beauty Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush Inspire (any shade, but I had to pick one to tag the product), and SEPHORA COLLECTION Clean Velvet Cream Blush Palette Spiced (again, had to pick one palette, but both palettes perform well). Also, using one of those cream blushes as a base helps any brand's powder blush last longer on my cheeks. 

Rockstar setting powder - if I wear concealer on a hot day, I absolutely need By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder (original loose translucent version) to lock it in place. I've yet to try a setting powder that outperforms this one. It's kept concealer locked down during full WDW days, plus outdoor excursions in Jamaica during aggressively hot and humid weather. Nothing else works as well for me, not even the pressed compact version of this powder. 

Could also qualify as health related: I keep tabs on the weather year round anyway, especially living in a place that can get all 4 seasons within the same week. 😂 But I especially take note of forecasted and daily heat indexes, and try to plan around the hottest time of day. I don't wanna be outside during the hottest hour(s), so I plan to be indoors. I haven't been to WDW since the pandemic began (and I don't plan to go back until Disney simplifies things—because who the heck visits WDW just to plan every half hour of their vacation and potentially pay even more money to guarantee ride access—and it's safe for me to travel again), but in the before times I often tried to do indoor rides or hang out in AC'd stores/restaurants/world showcase pavilions during the hottest time of day. It's sometimes harder to do that on Caribbean cruises during port days, but I try. 

Stay hydrated and cooled down, folks! And wear the hecking sunscreen! 

[Anna2BT]

@WinglessOne everything on your health related list spoke to my heart 💕 I was gardening in the hot sun yesterday so I could completely relate to that whole list 😍 Also, why have I never thought about making cooling towels at home?? I love any reason to incorporate extra new ways of self care. Thank you for putting that in my mind because I'm totally going to make some at home now 🙂

I'm a coffeeholic too! What's your fave coffee drink?

[WinglessOne]

@Anna2BT  I hope the cooling towels are helpful! The ones sold for athletes also work, of course, but the science behind them works with an average dish towel too. 🙂 

Yay, another coffeeholic! My absolute favorite is plain ol' hot coffee, black, no sugar. My favorite beans are Hawaiian Kona, Ethiopian Sidamo, Jamaica Blue Mt., and Mocha Java. But I love many others, and I even like Starbucks's Pike Place blend. At Starbucks, my favorite coffee drink (besides black coffee) is a hot soy milk caramel macchiato. I don't often drink iced coffee or fraps, but I do like iced caramel macchiatos. I prefer 'em hot, though. What's your fave? 

Speaking of Jamaica, coffee, and vacations: I've gone up the Jamaican Blue Mountain to get coffee beans fresh from a plantation. Beans cost significantly less that way than they do in the US, and you get a gorgeous view of/from the mountains. You also get the scary experience of driving up and down the mountains on narrow roads with blind corners that large trucks traverse. But the coffee and view are worth it. 

[Anna2BT]

@WinglessOne I'm thinking I might find a towel around the house and use some ice, essential oils, and fresh cucumber? I'm not sure if the cucumber will actually do anything, but I love a good spa vibe haha.

Ooh plain ol black coffee is good, especially with pour overs! I used to have a black coffee phase, but now I'm in a sweet phase. I love anything with flavors like caramel, nuts, coconut, or lavender. Also special shout out to Vietnamese iced coffee too 🙂

I'm mostly an iced coffee gal at the moment, but I recently when to an Ethiopian restaurant where they roasted their own beans in house and it was one of the most delicious coffees I've ever had (and I just had it as ol black hot coffee too) ☕

That is so cool you were able to get beans straight from the plantation! That's definitely on my bucket list. Those are my favorite kinds of experiences while traveling. You'll have to tell me more about your time on that vacation! I've always wanted to go 🙂

[Skunk12puzzola]

@WinglessOne nurse here 🙋‍♀️ yes, coffee/tea/broth and fruit juices are technically liquids that can be counted in a daily liquid intake. Do not count alcohol, for example! But is still very important to drink at least 2 liters of simple water 💧 per day.

[WinglessOne]

Thanks for the health tip, Nurse @Skunk12puzzola ! Yep, water's still important when it comes to daily fluids. That's why I always carry water in a reusable water bottle in hot weather. 😉 But I'm also guaranteed to drink at least 1 cup of coffee during the day, so I was thankful to get doctors' input on whether or not coffee was contributing to my body's heat-induced shutdowns. 

And yeah, alcohol definitely doesn't count toward daily liquid intake. I learned that lesson the hard way sometime in my teen years. 😓

[Skunk12puzzola]

@WinglessOne nurse skunk 🦨 at your service!! 😂

[eshoe]

Hear hear 🎤 to cream blushes providing an ideal base for powders, @WinglessOne. It adds a bit of dimension too, deflecting ‘flatness’ (if that is a word).

And well, now that Pedialyte is on my next Target run. This heat is brutal😬 I was on vacation and my daughter had too much sun (at the beach, it was in the 80’s but the sun was intense) and started shivering that night and felt sick. My SIL recommended a lukewarm shower and made her a cup of hot water with squeezed lemon. By morning she was feeling much better, thank goodness. Maybe lemons are a little hidden treasure trove of electrolytes, too!

Like you, I not tolerate heat well, so I am taking your tips to ♥️ 

[WinglessOne]

@eshoe  I'm glad your daughter recovered! I don't think lemons contain electrolytes, at least not enough to be helpful. Salt can, though, particularly sea salt. I wonder if your SIL put a pinch of salt in that cup of lemon water. Whatever was in it, I'm glad it helped! 

Sports drinks also contain electrolytes and are very helpful. I hate the way they taste, so I don't drink them. And the last time I compared sports drinks to Pedialyte, the latter contained more electrolytes than the former. Sports drinks aren't necessarily bad; in a pinch, Gatorade or Powerade can be extremely helpful. But I definitely have a preference. Plus, Pedialyte helps me recover from any illness that depletes electrolytes, like stomach flu. Sometimes Pedialyte can taste a bit too artificial thanks to flavorants. But the convenience of little powder packs in my bag outweighs that con, especially when I need 'em. 

And yes, the added dimension of powder blush layered over cream blush is great! The only way an Hourglass AL blush stays on my face in hot humid weather is cream blush layering, which creates more luminous depth. 👍

[eshoe]

I believe she did add some salt, @WinglessOne. Funny enough, she had also previously given me a ‘recipe’ for migraines that was just about the same; warm water, lemon juice, and a bit of salt. 

I don’t care for sports drinks either; they all seem sweet. The dry Pedialyte packets seem like a great option though, especially since drinks can’t really sit out in this heat. Thanks again, my weak legs are grateful!

[missjeanie]

Totally random @eshoe and @WinglessOne But Pedialyte also makes freezies too.  I may or may not have had a hangover or two where the freezies were more than welcome back in the day lol

[eshoe]

Ok now I have learned two very valuable tips to help ease the pain of summer/heat @missjeanie @WinglessOne. Brilliant👏🏼😄

[WinglessOne]

@missjeanie  I keep forgetting about those! They're nice when I'm feverish with the flu. I can also see them being fun hangover treats. 😄 

[missjeanie]

Gotta do what you gotta do Somedays @WinglessOne ! Lol I’d never have thought to use them in the heat but I’m going to pick some up now!!

[Missnur]

Hot BIC Summer 🌞 I don't leave the house without a hat and a sun umbrella, best things to battle the heat and sun exposure. On the skincare side I  have  a couple of SPF favorites: BEAUTY OF JOSEON - Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ and Isntree - Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick SPF50+ which I carry on my bag for easy reapplication  during the day.  
They work great with or without makeup. 

[itsfi]

@Missnur, I've heard great things about the Beauty of Joseon SPF; it's in my next batch of sunscreens I'm trying. Will add that isntree sunstick to my cart - I've been using a couple from A.H.C. and Shiseido for SPF reapplication. 

[Missnur]

I hope you like them as much as I do! I like them because the are not greasy and blend so well with the rest of my skin care and make up. Also the sun stick has such a nice powdery but creamy  texture! 

[itsfi]

@Missnur, I've really liked the Beauty of Joseon skincare that I've tried so far so I'm hopeful about the sunscreen. 🤞 Good to hear about the sun stick - a powder but creamy texture sounds perfect! Finding a good sunblock for reapplication has proven more challenging than I first thought - when I find something I like it usually gets discontinued.