Jet set beauty

When it's cold, wet and windy there's nothing like jetting off for a few days to cheer yourself up. But if you think that having a few days off means you can abandon your beauty routine, you'd be wrong.

If anything, you need to be even more vigilant, as a change in climate, coupled with too many late nights and glasses of gluhwein, can play havoc with your skin.

Firstly, you need to streamline your beauty products, as lugging the contents of your bathroom cabinet is not an option.

Instead of bringing a cleanser, exfoliater, toner, moisturiser, etc, you need to edit and think about what you'll really need. If you're only zooming off for a weekend then don't bother with excessive lotions and potions such as scrubs, eyemasks and anti-redness creams.

A good cleanser such as Eve Lom (£22.50 50ml, 0870 169 9999) will effectively remove both eye and skin make-up and leave your skin glowing into the bargain.

You'll obviously need a moisturiser, but instead of bringing a big tub, why not invest in a handy tube or stick instead? Prescriptives Super Flight Cream (£25, 01730 232 566) is what Hollywood A-listers and supermodels alike swear by when taking to the skies, as it's fantastically rich and re-hydrating. Guerlain's Issima Hydramythic (£23, 01932 233 874), meanwhile, refreshes the skin instantly, leaving it fresh and cool, which is great if you're heading for the tropics.

If you're planning on going on the piste you must use a face cream that boasts an SPF of at least 25, otherwise you'll return home with a complexion that looks as though it's been roasted in the oven. Lancaster 25 SPF Suncare Cream (£14, 0800 376 0688) smells absolutely gorgeous and comes in a handy stick format, so you can whip it out when you feel the icy wind bite. Institute Esthederm's No Sun (£29.50, 0870 169 9999) also gives excellent protection against the inevitable UVAs and UVBs, as does Ambre Soliare UV Ski Protection SPF 25 (£6.49, from Boots).

Make sure you've got an intensively moisturising lip balm and hand cream packed to protect lips and hands in the sun and snowMake sure you've got an intensively moisturising lip balm and hand cream packed to protect lips and hands in the sun and snow. Neal's Yard does a wonderfully nourishing herbal lip treatment (£2.50, 020 7627 1949), which contains shea-nut butter and carrot oil, while Blisslab's High Intensity Hand Cream (£18, 0808 100 4151) will leave your frost-bitten fingers feeling silky smooth. Vaseline Intensive care Deramcare Lotion (£4.35, available from Boots) is also wonderful for chapped skin.

For body and hair care treat yourself to a travel set. In days gone by, your dad was more likely to carry one of these as they were just so plain and practical, but my, how times have changed! Now you can pick up sets that are so stylish you'll want to go on holiday all the time just so you can use them. Molton Brown's Take Five (£35, 020 7625 6550) is very clever in that you get to choose the products. You select your five holiday must-haves from the Molton Brown minibar, then an assistant will wrap them and pop them into a slick black-and-white case. The Body Shop (01903 731 500) and Ren (020 7935 2323) also do fab sets, but for ultimate luxury check out Jo Malone's In-flight Bag (£69.65, 020 7720 0202). Loved by the likes of Posh and Becks, this gorgeous leather zip-up bag contains all the globetrotter's beauty essentials, including a Lime Basil and Mandarin body lotion, Ginseng Moisturising cream and Grapefruit cologne.

Finally, think about how you can limit your make-up bag's load. I can't recommend Nars' new Artist Palette (£48, 020 7734 1234) highly enough, as it contains everything you'll need to look good for those all-important après-ski and sun soirées. If you're on a budget then why not try Liz Collinge's Five To Go Compact (£10, available from Boots) which contains a selection of sexy eye and lip tints. Bon voyage, beauty buddies!

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