PACKING FOR A SKI TRIP

The last time I went skiing I was a child and my mum did all the packing for me, so this time round I was a bit clueless as to what to pack in my case. I googled a lot but not much came up and when I spoke to friends and family they just laughed at my "but I don't want to look like an idiot" comments. Considering I had little advice I ended up packing quite well and I now feel like I can pass on some good advice to those of you packing for your own ski trip! I've written up a packing list if you'd like to print it off yourself here. A lot of it depends on 1. How sweaty you get and 2. If you have a washing machine in your accommodation. If you answered VERY  to the first question and no to the second, take enough thermals for your entire trip. I definitely think it's worth investing in good ski gear, even if you're a beginner. I found myself thinking what's the point in spending lots of money on goggles if I don't ski three times a year but then when on the slopes I found goggles to be really important, even more important if you're a beginner. So don't be afraid to invest in good gear, that's my first tip. I took with me a range of thermals like this Sweaty Betty Top and Bottoms that kept me really warm on the very cold days. I'd say these might be too warm if you're going in a sunny period but they're great for the colder months. I also found the Uniqlo Heat Tech range to be great and very affordable. It uses Japanese technology that keeps you warm when you're cold and cool when you're hot. I bought a polo neck top and leggings from the range. My Sweaty Betty Jacket and Salopettes were perfect but if you are looking for something for affordable just make sure you get a very waterproof jacket as there's nothing worse than being soaking wet and skiing. I think the jacket is really important for keeping you warm and something with a lot of pockets works really well. Make sure there's a pocket on the arm for your ski lift pass, otherwise it gets really annoying every time you get on a lift. A snood to keep your neck warm is essential and one that can pull all the way up over your mouth and nose is the best option. I also wore an ear protector as a hat wouldn't fit under my helmet but a helmet alone wasn't warm enough for me. Helmets are essential when skiing, you can either buy your own for around £30 or rent one at your ski resort. I got my helmet and goggles from Decathlon which is really affordable. Goggles with interchangeable lenses are even better as visibility changes depending on whether it's a sunny day or if it's snowing. We didn't go out that much in the evenings as we were so tired so loungewear and slippers were important for me to pack, but take a few warm clothes if you think you'll be going out. I either wore my ski boots or snow boots all week. No other shoes will be needed, ski resorts are always super casual! Beauty products that I found important were SPF, even when it's not sunny, to protect your skin, an intensive lip balm with SPF and an oil to slather on in the evenings. I personally wore a sports bra every day to ski as it's more comfortable, more supportive and I didn't want to ruin my nice bras. I took a minimal amount of makeup with but only really wore it if we went out in the evenings. So I hope the packing list is helpful! If you have any questions please tweet me @lilypebbles