Bolt Beauty | The Getaway Diaries #2 Ruby Peng

Who? Ruby Peng (Instagram: @wanderlustruby)

Where? Cinque Terre, a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline.

You chose Cinque Terre as your location, why is it a special place for you?

Cinque Terre is special to me because it is where my husband proposed to me back in 2015. A few years later, I also took my mom there to celebrate her birthday together. My mom and I often miss out on important days with each other because we live in different parts of the world, as she lives in China and I live in the UK. So Cinque Terre feels really special as we have only celebrated about 3 birthdays together in the past 10 years.

What 5 things do you always pack when you visit the Mediterranean seaside village and why?

1. Sunscreen, of course. SPF is always my number one priority when it comes to visiting sunny destinations. It is super important to protect your skin from sun damage, including your face!
2. Travel sized skincare. I have quite the reputation of being reaaally good at packing light (everyone who travels with me is always surprised at how little luggage I have), and I can’t wait to travel with my Bolt beauty Drops. It really does make all the difference, and of course they are way better for the environment than plastic minis.
3. Straw hats, bucket hats and silk hair scarves are my go to travel accessories. They are great for styling – and they’re also practical as they protect your face and head from the sun, so it's a win win!
4. I never go anywhere without my vitamin supplements as well as CBD supplements. I am a big believer in the idea that you glow from within, that’s why it is so important to look after yourself.
5. In terms of clothes, I always pack plenty of mini and midi dresses. Not only are they super lightweight, they also look good and are so comfortable they could be pyjamas!

Top packing hack that you swear by?

I once backpacked around Europe & Turkey for almost a year, so I’ve become something of an expert at packing light. My top tip is to pack your bags like Matryoshka dolls, (yes, Matryoshka Dolls…) and you can have up to 10 bags packed in one bag. Trust me, it really works!

When I’m travelling I find that I don’t need that many shoes, especially as I like to walk and explore a lot. My advice would be to just wear your most comfortable shoes and bring maybe one pair of heels, and you are good to go!

Hair accessories are also a nice touch as they don’t take up a lot of space and can really make a difference to a look. A good white linen shirt goes with everything (trust me I have learnt from the best), and you can get multiple outfits combinations out of them, so I always pack one of those when I’m exploring.

Favourite sight to see in Cinque Terre?

Manarola is my absolute favourite village out of the five villages. Anyone visiting the Cinque Terre area should definitely do the hike from Manarola to Vernazza or to Riomaggiore, it is stunning.