The older I get, the more I appreciate systems. I know they don’t sound sexy, but systems make decisions easier and life run more smoothly. As a fly-by-the-seat of-my-pants kind of girl for most of my life, this is pretty revolutionary to admit. But after over a decade of helping other women pack, I’ve developed a simple but useful system for taking my beauty necessities on a trip. I’ve been tweaking and testing it out for years, and really got to test it on my recent trip to Scotland, and it just works. Here it is, step by step.
Stay till the end when I share my 3 all-time favorite travel beauty products!
Be Realistic
Be honest with yourself about how much product you actually need. Don’t take travel sizes when large ones are required, and vice versa. And just because it’s tiny, doesn’t mean it belongs in your travel bag. 23 unnecessary sample sizes are still going to take up room.
Divide & Conquer
I divide my beauty products into 3 different types of containers:
Hanging Toiletry Bag: Mine contains 3 compartments, one for skincare, one for bath and body care, and the final, a small zippered compartment, for jewelry.
Large Ziploc Bag: Hair Products, as I take large sizes of these and don’t want them to leak
Cosmetic Bag With Multiple Compartments: This goes on the plane with me, and features plane essentials in one compartment, makeup in another, and miscellaneous items (my silk scrunchie, compact mirror, Kleenex, makeup brushes) in the others. (Note: Airlines prefer the clear Ziploc type bags, so you can always use different ones for different categories).
Pack Solids When Possible
Almost everything you use is now available in solid form, from cleansers to lotions to shampoos and conditioners. Obviously this won’t work with everything, but if there’s a product that you’re not brand specific about, consider a solid. You’ll find a few of my faves here.
Keep Skincare Consistent
A trip is no time to experiment with your skincare. Keep it consistent by sticking to the same skincare routine you use at home. That way, you don’t risk any reactions and you keep skin issues at bay.
Skip Travel Containers
Especially for skincare. If you want to put some of your favorite body wash or shampoo into a travel container, fine, but skincare is often small anyway and it’s easier and less wasteful to take the whole thing. I know this is counterintuitive, but only use travel containers where they make sense.
Now that we’ve talked about how to pack, let’s talk about what to pack.
3 All-Time Favorite Travel Beauty Products
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t switch up my makeup or skincare routine for a trip, but there are a few travel beauty products worth considering, in my opinion. Here they are.
Spongelle
These ingenious sponges with built-in body wash last for 14+ washes and are perfect for a trip! There are often no washcloths in European hotels, so I always love having these with me. You can use them up and toss them out before your return trip. This special Sunflower edition benefits the children of Ukraine.
Tru Earth Detergent Strips
Whether you’re headed to an AIR B&B and will have full laundry facilities or simply need a gentle way to hand wash your clothes, these are the best. They are compact, spillproof, and very eco-friendly. I use mine as our regular detergent and they work so well. Clothes get clean and smell amazing. And they ship them to me every month in a compostable envelope. No more heavy jugs filled with mostly water!
Merit Five Minute Morning
I’ve done whole videos on Merit, so I’ll just touch on this minimalist makeup line here. You get a handful of products (I add my own fave lipsticks) that are all you need to create a simple but polished makeup look: Foundation/concealer stick, highlighter stick, blush stick, mascara, and eyebrow gel. And they’re all compact, solid, and spillproof.
What is your strategy for packing for a trip? And do you have any go-to beauty products? Let me know!
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