Traveling Toiletry Bag Must Haves

Dane and I are heading on some pretty awesome trips in the next few months, but that also means that my normal routine is going to get all wonky. I’ll be on the go pretty much every three weeks from now until January which makes my head spin a little bit. With so much going on, I wanted to make sure I kept as much “status quo” as possible when it comes to my makeup and beauty routine. As much as I love traveling, it makes my internal system go BANANAS – skin, bowels, sleep pattern..you name it..so the more I can keep things “normal”, the better off I am. Without further ado, my traveling toiletry bag must-haves!

Let’s start with some essentials. Tweezers, hair care supplies and contact solution..oh my! Tweezers are a must for me when traveling. Stray eyebrows, unruly chin hairs (yep I went there) and the “WTF is this” moments all requires a pair of tweezers. If you are one of those lovely non-hairy people, consider yourself blessed. Moving on – contact solution. I wear my glasses when actually on the airplane, but contacts when I reach my final destination, so solution is a must. It’s also great for fixing dried out mascara tubes and cleaning out any cuts or scrapes in a pinch. We are adventurers when we travel, so I like to be prepared. Hey…it works! I floss my teeth twice a day, so you know I’m not leaving home without my favorite floss and toothbrush. My sleep routine isn’t normal to begin with, so when I travel it’s only worse. I turn to Melatonin to help aid me in sleeping, so I’m sure to throw it in my toiletry kit before we hit the road. Now, let’s talk haircare. I don’t like to pack anything that isn’t necessary, so when I can combine two products in one….SOLD! Big Sexy Hair Powder Play helps me add volume to my hair without having to pack a teasing comb AND product. It’s a double win in my book and it’s incredibly affordable. I highly recommend it. This travel-sized bottle was actually a gift from my friend Sarah and you can see her Basset, Floyd, decided to test it out for me ahead of time 😉

Now let’s talk skincare.

I don’t play around when its comes to my skin. Why? Because it’s the largest organ in your body. Moreover, mine gets really finicky when I start messing with its normal day-to-day products, more finicky when I’m not sleeping and MOST FINICKY when I start throwing in late nights out, snack food, travel, etc. You see where this is going. Because of this, I don’t take any risks when it comes to being on-the-go and pack my full arsenal of Dermalogica wherever I go. I’ve been using Dermalogica since our wedding three years ago. It was recommended to me by both a dermatologist and my facial lady so I figured…what did I have to lose? Dermalogica offers a wide range of products depending on your skin type, but these are what work best for me.

Let’s start with the Special Cleansing Gel – it’s good for all skin types and is a soap free foaming gel that cleans without interrupting your skin’s normal moisture balance. This was SO important for me, because I have combination skin.

Ultracalming Mist is a new add to my arsenal, but it’s a good one that I think might help with my periodic patches of redness. Like I said before, I have combination skin, so some days I’m oily and some days my face is dry and flaky. It’s a toss up what I’m going to get, but I will say that when I’m dry, I’m also red and splotchy which is so uncomfortable. I use the mist to soothe and hydrate post-cleanse. It works to relieve redness and prevent future flare ups!

Dynamic Skin Recovery is my go to for moisturizing during the day. It’s an anti-aging moisturizer that has SPF 50 in it. Let me be frank – if you don’t think you need to put sunscreen on your face daily, you are wrong. I don’t care if you live in Alaska – you need sunscreen. Those UVB rays don’t mess around and your face will thank you in 20 years. So it’s a no brainer to pack it when I’m headed somewhere especially sunny for vacation.

And finally – every girl needs a good mask. For me, it’s Dermalogica’s Sebum Clearing Masque. Unlike other masks, this one cools, which might be my favorite part. But at the heart of what it does is clear skin and prevent future breakouts. The clay absorbs the dirt and detoxes skin. Given all the sweating I do, this mask is a MUST.

As a side note, I also highly recommend and use Active Moist. It’s not packed in my toiletry kit, because the travel size is in my carry-on. My skin dries out terribly on flights and I turn to Active Moist to keep things in check until I land!

Pssst! If you are intrigued, but not ready to dive head first into full sized products, this travel kit is how I started my love affair with Dermalogica!

Now let’s talk about body creams. I think sometimes when you travel it’s easy to be like…well, I’ll use whatever the hotel has, but I learned the hard way that (at least for me) not all lotions are created equal and I’m doing my skin a major disservice by counting on hotel hygienics. And when I’m traveling somewhere warm, especially on beach trips, my skin likes what it likes, so I go the extra mile to make sure it’s happy.

Let’s start with Malie Organics Body Gloss. I discovered this dream potion when I first moved to Hawaii. All of their products speak to me for different reasons, but the Mango scent is, by far, the best one. They offer skincare and beauty products, but the Body Gloss is my favorite. Here’s why: it absorbs immediately into my skin. The consistency is like melted coconut oil (which makes sense since it’s made with botanical butters and beeswax) with an amazing scent. Do I worry about it spilling when I travel? No. It solidifies at anything under 76 degrees, so as soon as that bad boy gets on the plane – boom! SOLID. It’s great for when you get a little too much sun, acts as an all-over moisturizer that is perfect for dry skin and I use it when my lips are chapped. It’s one of those multiple use products that you don’t mind paying a little extra for. The beauty in that? It’s only $25 and a jar lasts me about 4 months!

Now let’s talk Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. This little diddy is a new add to my traveling bag of tricks, but it’s one that I’m anxious about for two reasons: 1. The travel size tub is small enough to be stowed in my carry-on and 2. I’m packing it as a dual lotion/fragrance combo. I don’t have the patience to be packing glass perfume bottles on trips (too much potential for error there), so I’m taking a new route. The scent of Sol de Janeiro’s Bum Bum Cream is one that sticks with me for hours. I’ve never had a lotion do that before, much less be complimented on it by complete strangers in stores, restaurants, etc. I picked up the travel size tub and can’t wait to test out my theory!

Brazilian Bum Bum Cream | Malie Organics Body Gloss

In addition to the above, I also pack q-tips, cotton pads, a mini mouthwash, foldable hair brush, 4 bobby pins, 2 hair ties, 2 head bands, an extra set of contacts just in case, my portable electric toothbrush (less than $15 for an amazing clean!) and toothpaste. I should also add (and I’ve been doing this for years), that I don’t have a very fancy toiletry bag. Because I travel with some full size products and things that are liquid, I pack all my toiletries in a Vera Bradley lunch box, because they are lined with plastic and insulated. If/when things spill, it’s an easy clean up and all my products are kept at a consistent temperature. Plus, lots of pockets for storage and organization. A total win! I use this one in the print shown 🙂

Okay, now that you are officially ready to travel with me, what are your must-haves or packing hacks when you are traveling? What can’t you live without when you’re on the go?!