“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” -Lao Tzu
No matter how many times you go on a trip, packing never gets easier. While choosing the right clothes is always hit or miss, it's really important to know when you have the basics and when you've over-prepared. What's the likelihood that you wont be able to find a drug store or Target somewhere nearby or on the way? (Unless you're traveling to a remote desert island, in which case-take me with you!!!) If you rely on this wisdom too much, however, you can end up with 7 different bottles of ibuprofen and 5 tubes of Neosporin like me. There are some things everyone should have on even the shortest of getaways. Here's a little swatch of the essentials I'm bringing to Southern California with me this week:
A Well Equipped Bathroom Bag
I've had this tiny Betsey Johnson pouch for years, and you'd be amazed how much fits into it. There are some things (facewash, toothbrush [though not always!], sunscreen, shampoon/condx) that wouldn't fit even if I tried. And that's totally fine, because I prefer putting those things in a zippered Ziplock bag anyway so I'm sure nothing spills (and if you're flying- you have to do that anyway!)
Here are my bathroom bag essentials:
Pictured(from left to right): My signature perfume in roll-on stick form(Marc Jacobs). Great Lashes (Lots of Lashes) Mascara. Mary Kay Cream Eye Color (tinted eye shadow primer that doubles as stand-alone eye shaddow). Neutrogena Naturals Facial Scrub (great because it also takes off makeup). Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion. Neutrogena Naturals lip balm. Neutrogena Healthy Defense Moisturizer (with SPF 30). Tums. Toothpaste. Toothbrush. (Hello Kitty) Band-aids. Essie Nail Polish, Emory Board. Betseyville Toiletry Bag
Not Pictured (but still essential): Hair brush. Hair accessories (hair tie, clips, bobby pins- whatever you'd need at home), shampoo/condx (or, if you're staying at a hotel, you don't really need these. Nice to have so that your hair is behaving more or less the same way as it would at home). Lady products, deodorant. Lipstick. Sunscreen. Pain/Allergy Pills. Floss.
Basics (Hygiene)
You'll obviously need more if you're camping or staying with a friend, but you can really pare down to the basics if you'll be staying at a hotel or hostel (Note: most hostels in the U.S. will provide soap and possibly shampoo/condx. might want to bring them just in case).
It's good to bring face wash, especially if you're camping or planning to be active and outside a lot. A lot of what I've read says that bar soap isn't good for your face and can actually dry it out quite a bit. A lot of stores will carry travel-size versions of your favorite wash at home, but I prefer bringing a full-size tube from home. You can really only get a handful of washes with a travel-size tube anyway. Note: if you're jet-setting, make sure every liquid you bring is 3.0 oz or under- and make sure it all fits in a gallon-sized ziplock.
It's really important to bring a facial moisturizer or sunscreen, if you're planning to go outdoors at all. I don't really enjoy wearing sunscreen on my face and I pretty much hate the smell of it no matter which brand I use. I like the Neutrogena Healthy Defense moisturizer a lot because it feels so much lighter than regular sunscreen but it still has a strong SPF (30) in it. Best of all, it fits in your purse so it's always ready to go with you for re-application.
Warning: Bring chap stick wherever you go! The temperature could suddenly change on your trip and chapped painful lips can completely ruin your day.
Another tip I've learned is to always bring a nail file and/or nail clippers with you WHENEVER you're away from home. The worst thing is to have to walk around for days with a super jagged broken nail or even just one that keeps hooking onto your clothes for whatever reason.
Make sure to stick your toothbrush in a plastic travel carrier. That way, the bristles wont get smashed or it wont taste awful if something spills in your bag.
First-Aid
Rule #1: Don't go anywhere without medical essentials like 1-2 band-aids, topical antibacterial cream (like Neosporin), and essential pills like pain killers (ibuprofen or Tylenol), antacids (Tums), and allergy meds. Skip bringing whole bottles and just bring a little pill pouch with 2-3 of your most frequently used pills (can be purchased at most drug stores). I swear not following this simple rule has forced me to buy duplicates and triplicates and quadruplicates of almost all of the first-aid items above. Plus, you should be spending your vacation money on fun things, not band-aids.
Makeup
A lot of people bring a completely separate case of makeup with them, and that's totally fine. I'm pretty low-maintenance in terms of what I need to bring with me, but you never know what occasion could come up where you'd like to be dolled-up. I'm bringing the ultimate basics with me- mascara, tinted eye primer/eye-shadow cream, and one color of nail polish.
Why nail polish? I can only really justify getting a mani-pedi once or twice a year, because it's always really expensive. Plus, I tend to be really active with my hands so a nice manicure will last for like 5 seconds before it's ruined. If you're going on a trip that's a little bit longer, you might want to try getting a gel manicure. Only problem is that it's a little expensive and only really worth it if you're going for 2 weeks. Purchasing a fabulous nail color only usually costs $9 (at the MOST) and the great thing is, you'll have it for many uses. On this trip I'm bringing an Essie Luxeffects color that I'm in love with: "Shine of the Times." It's great because it's subtle but the glittery flakes in it make your nails look like Opals. I like Essie because it's Formaledhyde/Dibutyl Phthalate/Toluene-free (nasty toxic chemicals in many nail polish formulas).
Well that's enough of my ramblings for today. Adventure-on, world travelers.
