My festive secret stash. It’s a season to be jolly fa– oh well we all know how that jingle goes. The season of madness is upon us and for amagoduka like me it’s goodbye big city lights. Then hello dorpie, greeting to the hamlet, hugs from mi familia, and the stares from the neighbours. Hugs and kisses are promptly followed by a detailed discussion on my weight gains/ losses; this is before any enquires about my well-being are made. Then next up, the unexpected holiday take-over. A quick shock to the system, do let me explain.
Firstly, you are fed, and then updated on all the happenings since your last visit. Inconspicuously, the welfare of your grandparents, aunts and uncles comes up and just how much they’ve missed you, making you feel all kinds of mushy inside. Now the minute you say you’ve missed them too, that’s it, the kiss of death right there. Before you can even blink, Mother Dearest is on the phone arranging for when you will be visiting them. You are not consulted or given any choice but you are expected to fall in line or else…
My experience has taught me that these visits can never be fitted into a day. A 24 hour day is not enough for family and sleep-overs are inevitable. Come the following day you have no make-up on, the hair is a mess and you are wearing your cousin’s ill-fitting clothes. And as Murphy’s Law will have it, out of all the people you do not want to run into while looking like an urchin, at least one of them will bump into you. Running into a high school crush or an ex in such a state can be survived albeit the horror will never leave you. But meeting your worst childhood nemesis, ha-ha, now that is a new realm of hell. I’ve been there and I have the emotional scars to prove it. A word of caution, avoid her Facebook profile for a day or 2. This is highly advisable. In time, some level of coping with this emotional trauma is achieved, with several Cosmo fuelled counselling sessions from your girls.
So like the good girl that I am, I have devised a fool proof plan that will save you from such an experience. In 3 words it is (drum roll), an Emergency Toiletry Bag aka ETB.
Plastic shower cap + Conditioning shampoo + Moisturising conditioner + Sachets of hair gels and leave-in conditioner + Nourishing shower gel + Body lotion + Anti-perspirant spray + Tooth paste + Mouth wash + SPF 50+ face cream + Perfume + Wet wipes + First aid antibacterial gel = ETB (Ziplock bag). One more fab freebie that is a must have is those small foldable airline toothbrushes. If you find one, you may beg or steal but you are not allowed to borrow it. Do add some make-up freebies for a well-rounded bag.
I am not cheap (most of the time) but I do love a good bargain and I never frown upon a freebie. Magazines, Newspapers, Cosmetic counters, Malls/ Streets promotions, Online beauty pages, Conferences, Charity events, Spas, Hotels as well as your friends are thee sample Meccas. Travel, attend conferences, take part in charity events, collect and build up your ETB.
Go crazy and take it all a step further by swapping samples with your girls. Have no shame, think green and waste not.
An alternative to a freebie filled ETB is purchasing this handy travel kit from your favourite pharmacy and fill it up with your beauty-must-haves. It will cost you between R25.00 and R30.00.
Whichever ETB you choose, you’ll look good, smell great and feel fantastic no matter whose path you cross.
Enjoy your holidays y’all and do try to stay out of Santa’s naughty list 😉
Article By: Ncomeka Mpofu http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/ncomeka-mpofu
Spoil yourself with these beauty treats for the festive season