My Top 10: Fashion influencer Nicole Wong’s travel-friendly beauty essentials

It’s not hard to find the best travel deals or to find affordable accommodations for your holidays. What’s slightly trickier? Finding the right beauty products that work as well in our hot, humid climate as it does in others.

And that’s why we’ve consulted frequent traveller and fashion influencer Nicole Wong (also known as @Ncwong) on her top 10 skincare, hair and makeup products that she swears by.

Bonus? They’re all TSA approved so no need to transfer them into miniature containers: it’s a grab-go-and-check-in situation.

READ MORE: MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT WILL WITHSTAND SINGAPORE’S CRAZY CLIMATE

Nicole: Daily application of sunblock is a no brainer but Cle De Peau’s UV protective cream is a winner: Not only is it light weight but it also works well as a base for your makeup.

Editor’s Tip: We don’t recommend you double-dip when you eat guac and chips but it’s perfectly fine when it comes to sun block. Apply a moisturiser with suncreen first and then another sunscreen on top for added protection. 

READ MORE: BEST FRAGRANCES THAT WILL GIVE YOU SUMMER VACATION VIBES

Nicole: This is my holy grail concealer. For an effortless day look, all you need is this and a bold lippie: you’ll be ready to take on the world. 

Editor’s Tip: When you have an offensive visitor on your face aka intensely red acne, it’s tempting to conceal it heavily. Instead, cancel out the redness with a green concealer, apply a light dab of concealer and go easy on the powder to prevent caking. You can always just touch up. 

READ MORE: MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT WILL WITHSTAND SINGAPORE’S CRAZY CLIMATE

Nicole: Masking is life: it’s a routine I do at home and when I travel. Our skin is constantly adapting to the weather or climate we’re in so it’s always important to pamper it.

Editor’s Tip: It might be tempting to do a sheet mask daily but according to makeup artist Larry Yeo, it’s a no-go. Constant sheet masking weakens the top layer of your skin which in turn causes cracks. 

READ MORE: BEST FRAGRANCES THAT WILL GIVE YOU SUMMER VACATION VIBES

Nicole:  If you’re not on the bandwagon for this cult-cool brand, you need to get your hands on Sunday Riley. Juno has managed to get rid of any flakiness or redness I get in colder climates.

Editor’s Tip: If a facial oil is too heavy for your skin, opt to mix 1-2 drops in with your normal products like moisturisers or sun screens. A drop to your foundation makes it easier to blend too. 

READ MORE: MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT WILL WITHSTAND SINGAPORE’S CRAZY CLIMATE

Nicole: French girl lip polish is for anybody who is constantly struggling with chapped lips. All you need is just a pea-sized amount.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re scrubbing at night, apply a lip mask on. If you’re doing it in the day, apply a lipbalm with SPF: they’re less reflective than normal balms or glosses and thus, won’t absorb as much sunlight. 

READ MORE: BEST FRAGRANCES THAT WILL GIVE YOU SUMMER VACATION VIBES

Nicole: Hera’s Rosy Satin Cream is so creamy that it melts into your skin whilst smoothing it out for your makeup to go on smoothly.

Editor’s Tip: If a cream feels too heavy on your skin, you could be using too much. Instead, dig out a sizeable amount using your knuckle and spray a facial mist before applying it. The moisture helps it absorb quickly into your skin. 

READ MORE: MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT WILL WITHSTAND SINGAPORE’S CRAZY CLIMATE

Nicole: Ain’t nobody got time to wash their hair especially when traveling in a colder climate. IGK’s Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo and it’s the best. Trust me, I’ve tried many different brands.

Editor’s Tip: It’s tempting to just reach out for a bottle of dry shampoo whenever your hair gets oily but you could be doing damage to it: the oil-absorbing properties of dry shampoo dries your hair out over time. So seriously, just wash your hair. 

READ MORE: BEST FRAGRANCES THAT WILL GIVE YOU SUMMER VACATION VIBES

Nicole: Isha is a Bali-based organic skin care brand that is totally under rated. The face mist is great for those with dry skin as it’s infused with argan oil that moisturises the skin perfectly.

Editor’s Tip: Sorry folks, you literally have to go to Bali to buy Isha but that’s nothing a trip to a drugstore to find an alternative can’t solve. And if you’re a regular spritzer, never let the mist dry out on your skin as it doesn’t hold on to moisture: it causes evaporation and causes your skin to dry up even more. Instead, spritz – tissue – and pat it in. 

READ MORE: MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT WILL WITHSTAND SINGAPORE’S CRAZY CLIMATE

Nicole: This handy hand cream from Chanel is my little pocket of bliss. It works up in the cold air of an airplane and for daily use.

Editor’s Tip: If you notice “black bits” when you rub your hands during application of hand cream, that’s all the dead skin on it. For a boost of moisture, we recommend exfoliating your hands and a heavy application of moisturiser. After all, the skin on your hands is very delicate and thin. 

READ MORE: BEST FRAGRANCES THAT WILL GIVE YOU SUMMER VACATION VIBES

Nicole: Not only are Marc Jacob’s palettes super slim, the colour pay off is super pigmented. Perfect for travelling because it functions as an eyeshadow, blush, highlighter and contour palette in one.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re the type who doesn’t wash your eyeshadow brushes, it’s best you do it weekly and, disinfect your eyeshadow quad too. How? Wipe off the top layer with a tissue and spritz it with rubbing alcohol. This doesn’t affect the colour payoff or consistency but instead, kills germs. 

READ MORE: MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT WILL WITHSTAND SINGAPORE’S CRAZY CLIMATE