Take It or Leave It

Every time I'm getting ready for a trip abroad, I always have the same questions: What on earth do I bring with me? My collection of makeup, skincare and beauty tools all seem absolutely essential, I couldn't bear to part with them. This time, paring down my collection for a whole year weighs even heavier on me.

From my experience traveling to Europe in the past, though, some items are more important to leave behind from others. Trial and error have given me a list of a few things to bring in full size, things to transfer to travel size and things that you should cross off your packing list, so I thought I'd share the info with all of you!

TAKE IT

1. Full Size and Travel Size Moisturizer - Whether you are traveling for a few days or a few months, it's important to keep your skin hydrated as you travel. With the change in environment - due to climate change, change in the water, or different environmental pollutants - my skin habitually freaks out at me for a small period of time. That, and the typically drying effect of air and train travel make my skin super thirsty for hydration. I like to keep a travel sized jar of Pond's Dry Skin Cream in my carry on for on flight dryness and throw the larger container in my checked bag for the duration of my stay.
2. Reusable Water Bottle - Adding on to the vein of staying hydrated, its important to drink water as you're walking around a new city. Not every country requires that tap water be free of charge and water fountains are few and far between, so buying a bottle every time you need a drink can get expensive. Packing a reusable water bottle in your carry-on for the flight will serve you during your air time and come in handy as you explore.
3. Full Size Facial Cleanser - Whatever works best for your skin, its important to keep your cleansing routine consistent when you travel in order to avoid exacerbating the effects of the new environment on your skin. My skin particularly doesn't transition well. I'm always tempted to purchase something high-end in a travel size for when I'm traveling; I think, "maybe this will be better at helping my skin stay clear!" It usually doesn't though. When I change locations my skin breaks out no matter what I do, but washing my face morning and night with my regular cleanser shortens this "freak out" period significantly.
4. Travel Size Package of Face Wipes - These are awesome for on the plane, when you don't have a real bathroom to freshen up. Olay makes individually packed face wipes that you can throw into your purse to wipe all of the grime of the bottled plane air and other passengers off your face, but any smaller package would do the job. Best thing is, they're not liquid - leaving you space for other liquid essentials in your carry-on.
5. Travel Size Shampoo and Conditioner - Obviously we want to keep our hair clean when we travel, but bringing along those large containers can take up space and weight in your checked bag. I usually opt to transfer my favorites from the large containers into reusable travel containers, which you can buy at most drugstores for one or two dollars. I got a whole kit from CVS including various sized bottles and jars and a reusable TSA liquids bag for $9.99. Definitely worth the investment if you're going to travel a lot. These travel sized bottles should last you about a week, or if you're like me and try not to wash your hair every day, probably two. If you're traveling for longer, then you can try out some of the hottest hair products at your destination - something I plan on!
6. Bar Soap - Bar soap is a way to keep your liquids to a minimum and reduce space in your bag. A bar of soap will usually last me the same amount of time as a large body wash, but take up a fraction of the packing room. Many of your favorite body washes have corresponding body bars, so take a look next time you're in the drug store. My favorite is the Dove Body Bar, which has no harsh sulfates and leaves the skin feeling moist after every use. Don't forget to carry a reusable travel soap dish though! Or else you'll get everything in your bag covered in a soapy film.

LEAVE IT

1. Hair Styling Tools - Of all of my electronics, my beauty tools are the most likely not to have an attached converter. That means I have to lug around a whole other heavy electronic box to make my hair stylers work in addition to the plug adaptor. Even when I did do decide to bite the bullet and bring them, though, my beauty tools never seemed to make it through the trip without some damage. I don't know if its the switch to higher voltage outlets or my own inability to keep manuals/read instructions about taking my hair dryer abroad, nine times out of ten these kinds of things are burned out on my European adventures. My advice: avoid heat styling your hair and go for something a little easier. You can use that time you would have spent styling your hair to see more sights.
2. Fancy Shoes - This one isn't necessarily a beauty item, but I had to put it in here because they take up so much weight and space! I always think I'm going to want to wear all of these fancy shoes when I go out abroad, and then end up wearing the same pair of orthopedic boots the entire time. I'm walking so much that all I want is comfort, and heels can get stuck in the cracks between the cobblestones on European streets. Instead of those stilettos, bring shoes with serious arch support and rubber soles, because those quaint cobblestone pathways can get super slippery when it rains.