Fashion
6 Travel Toiletries Worth the Suitcase Space
So you've finally bought that ticket to Paris, and you've got this vision for your trip: you, weighed down by nothing more than a chic leather backpack, zooming around the city on the back of a motorbike. What to pack in the toiletry department to make this dream come true?
You'll want everything to fall under 3 ounces, so that you don't have to check any luggage, and the less liquid you bring, the better (not just for TSA purposes — something tells me solids are far, far less likely to spill inside your luggage). You'll also want something extra-moisturizing, since nothing saps moisture like airplane air, beaucoup wine, and jet lag. And everything — I mean everything — should serve some fantastic secret second (or third) purpose. If the product doesn't have at least two functions, you don't need it in your imaginary leather backpack.
A triple-use bar
Snag a sample size of this three-in-one bar if you’re going on a short trip — it works as shampoo, body wash, and shaving cream, costs next to nothing, and will save you the hassle of dealing with liquids.
Carrot Milk & Honey Shampoo Bar, $2.70, chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com
A double-duty mask
If you’re worried about breakouts, you may want to pack a facial mask. But why bring something that you’ll only use once or twice? A pink clay mask doubles as a super-subtle blush (I use this one as blush all the time) that won’t irritate your skin with anything synthetic. Sharp cheekbones by day, spot treatment by night.
Organic Pink Clay Floral Facial Mask, €13.28, etsy.com
An all-over oil
With this magic little bottle, you can remove your makeup. You can repair split ends. You can use it as a body lotion, or an under-eye treatment, or a night time moisturizer for your face. Keep everything simple and low-budget with pure jojoba oil, which absorbs into the skin as easily as sebum does.
Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil, $5.29, swansonvitamins.com
Makeup just for traveling
Sure, normal makeup is usually under 3 ounces, naturally tiny, and can easily fit in the side pocket of your suitcase. But if you find yourself traveling a lot, you may want to invest in a perfect little traveling kit like this one, to make packing that much easier. (Plus, it’s my firm belief that you should always get a little adventurous in the makeup department when no one in the country knows you.)
BUXOM Passport Collection, The Day Tripper Edition, $39, sephora.com
A sensitive skin cure-all
If you’re the type who can’t walk down a Parisian boulevard without getting scraped and sunburned and inflamed and insect-bitten, a simple, soothing balm will fix everything from hangnails to rashes to flaky foreheads.
Ultrabalm Body Balm, $13.95, lushusa.com
Deodorant that's secretly perfume
This may sound like the most counterintuitive double-duty product ever, but hear me out: many perfumes not only come in rollerball and eau de cologne versions, but in deodorant form, too. These deodorants are cheaper than the original perfume, solid instead of liquid, and will ensure that you smell like your favorite fragrance all day long.
Ralph Lauren Romance Deodorant, $20, sephora.com
