Forgive me if I don’t enjoy looking like a disaster when I travel. I know I am supposed to not care about my appearance and throw on the same T-shirt over and over again. I am supposed to uphold the bare bones traveler look, one who is not focused on their mascara layers but rather the layers of their adventure.
This comes across as shallow to many who pack only one pair of underwear, but I don’t want to be a complete mess when I travel. I think places have a lot to do with the traveler. I enjoy looking my best when I travel for I feel better and I hope, just maybe, those American stereotypes of being bad at dressing and assimilating into foreign cultures are reversed. In case you too are of the same mantra, here are my beauty and fashion must-packs. While I wish I received these items for free, I didn’t. However, they uphold a budget conscious attitude, one the one-underwear packing people just might be able to appreciate.
A Classic Trench Coat
If you read this site often, you might wonder if I only wear one thing, a trench coat. I purchased a tan trench coat for my trip to Ireland. That purchase proved to be a great travel find. Almost every store has a classic trench coat. A trench coat is so versatile. You can wear it in any type of weather mostly. It can act as a big blanket on an airplane. If you are down to your worst outfits on a trip, you can just slip on that trench coat and no one knows what is underneath. A good classic trench coat allows you to look put together when you travel, even when you aren’t.
Night Cream
Travel can truly wear you down. It is stressful at times and not always like laying on a beach in Tahiti. However, I always pack a night cream to help with travel stress. The cream relaxes my skin, keeps it moisturized, and also helps relax me personally. While I wish the Olay people would sponsor me, I use Night of Olay Firming Cream when I travel. At under $7 a giant jar, this is easy to afford. Apart from having perhaps the best night cream name, the cream moisturizes my skin on long flights and provides that cooling feel on my face after an extensive day of touring. With the different climates you might be going through, your skin and stress levels can feel it, but a good night cream can remedy any travel fiasco.
A Pumice Stone
The last thing you might consider to pack is a pumice stone. It usually falls on those lists of “I wish I brought one, but I didn’t”. Last summer in Italy, I felt the burn of not packing a pumice stone. When you are traveling, you are most likely walking a lot. Especially in summer, your feet can take a beating in sandals. For some reason, pumice stones are hard to find in foreign countries, at least they have been for me. I always pack a pumice stone now and my feet thank me.
Travel Eye Care Kit
The first time I saw this little kit, I laughed. Who would need a little case with a mirror, tiny bottle for contact solution and a contact case? Can’t you just make one on your own? However, that little eye care case has come in use more times than I can count on the road. While I do think travel brings out a beauty you can’t buy, it is hard to feel beautiful and absorb such beauty you are seeing if a fuzz-ball decides to attack your eye. Red eyes that look tired probably are, but eye drops can eliminate this all together. Taking care of your eyes while you travel might be the best beauty tip. You did come all this way to see something.
Powerful Mini Hair Dryer
I have read so many packing lists that tell you to leave the hair dryer at home. There is always one at the hotel, right? Wrong. Then I have read complaints that many mini-hair dryers don’t have the power to dry your hair quickly on the road. You can either go with the hotel’s untrustworthy dryer, usually one you have to hold a button down the whole time to keep going or take an hour to blow dry your hair with a travel sized dryer. I have found my trusted travel hairdryer. While once again, I wish I received this little gem for free, I didn’t. I use the Mighty Mini Styler by Conair. It has the strength of your hair dryer back home that is far too big to pack. It fits easily in those strange and awkward spaces I find in my suitcase.
Dresses
I hope my male readers don’t use this beauty tip, but dresses are the best way to pack light and look presentable while traveling. Sure, in some climates this won’t work. If you are planning a trip to the Arctic Circle, you might not use dresses. At the same time, I save room in my suitcase by not having to pack addition tops and bottoms. When you just want to get out the door and explore a city, a dress is the easiest and quickest way to do so. I especially find shirt dresses comfortable, easy to pack and classic in almost any part of the world.
What are your budget beauty and fashion travel must-packs?
I can’t say I relate to many of these but two comments about this. First of all, I am not sure if it is the trench coat that is the necessity of the Guinness beer! 🙂 And I love the reflection in the mirror of your camera!
Guinness is a necessity. You should at least try out the pumice stone. Read Roy’s comment below. There is no shame!
Great list, Suzy! I can never get enough of these types of list – probably because I need so much beauty help to begin with. 🙂 I have a Revlon 1875 Ion Select hair dryer that I am in love with. It is compact and folds up but packs a great punch and leaves my hair silky. The best part is that it automatically converts between 110v and 220v, so the only thing I have to worry about is a plug adapter. I love it (and I wish the Revlon people would sponsor me, too, haha).
We need to get Revlon to sponsor you! Sounds like a great travel dryer. If my trusted mighty mini dryer ever fails we, I will check it out.
I totally could have used that traveler eye kit this weekend in Vancouver. My contacts did that thing where they blur out and I couldn’t see! No one had any solution and I was stuck being blind! Also- dresses are key. Such an easy way to look presentable and take up less room. Great list!
Too bad I couldn’t make it to TBEX otherwise I would have had my trusted contact kit in my purse for you to use. It has definitely come in use more times than I can count.
Those dresses are gorgeous! Where did you get them from?!
I am a firm believer in the stay hydrated. Such a simple thing (that I still fail to do when I am not travelling) but it improves my skin twice over.
Great tip Sanny! Drinking lots of water is a great beauty routine. The dresses are from all over, some JCrew, some Zara I believe.
A trench is an absolute must!
I love a classic trench! I think I live in mine when I travel.
Definite yes on dresses and night cream. I also try to bring a bunch of dangly earrings, so that even if I am wearing something of travel frump, I can feel a tiny bit glamorous with dangly earrings. Don’t know/how I get glamorous out of that, but it works! And cute flip-flops.
Dangly earrings are key! It’s funny how much more dressed up and put together you can feel with a simple black t-shirt and some show-stopping earrings.
Love this list! That eye care pack is too cool. I usually bring these things, but they are so small and they fly around in my huge purse 🙁 You should get Olay to sponsor you 🙂 I’ll actually get myself one and try it since I’ve been looking for a good one.
I would add something to that list: a huge scarf (for women at least). It’s great on a place to keep you warm when the AC kicks in. It’s great when you travel in predominantly Muslim countries and you out of a sudden need to cover up a little more. It’s handy for the same reason when visiting some churches in Europe (e.g., Vatican Museum). You can also bunch it up into a pillow. And it goes great when you want to dress up some summer dresses since you can just drape it around your shoulders. Now, which scarf producer will sponsor me? 😉
A scarf is such a good one. In Ireland, I brought about 4 and I used them almost everyday. Let’s see what scarf producer comes to your aid now! Let me know what you think of Night of Olay. I really like it.
Finally another traveler who admits to wanting to look nice while on the road! I’m not sure how many “luxury” items I’ll be able to pack for my long-term trip (probably not many) but I will definitely be bringing a couple of dresses and SPF skin cream. I like wearing dresses in Europe, especially, not just because they look nice, but also because they help me blend in.
Sunscreen is a good one, especially for the Caspers of the world like me!
Great list! Love the trench coat idea 😀
Thanks Seattle! I live in my trench when I travel. I probably look like I don’t own anything else. Such a great travel piece to have.
Maybe this was meant for the ladies, but I think I may go get myself some pumice stone and night cream! thanks for the advice 🙂
Roy, there is no shame is a man using a pumice stone and night cream. Honestly, I think a pumice stone is the only way to really get your feet clean and smooth when you travel.
Great post and great tips! I need an eye kit…badly. Trench coat is definitely one of my own tips – I feel so dressed up when I have it on. I travel very light so packing strategically is important, especially when you’re on the road for a year like we are now.
I bet! I remember packing for a year in Italy and that was a challenge. I love to hear other travelers utilize the trench. It’s such effortless style but you do feel more dressed up.
I’ve got to admit, I rock the same pair of jeans and I am definitely a t-shirt repeater…haha, as long as it doesn’t smell, I’m good! But I do always carry a nice dress as well. You just never know where you might end up!
In Ireland, I was T-shirt repeating a few times. I think it’s ok until a certain smelly point ha. Dresses are so easy to pack and easy to put on while traveling.
Maybe I need to give that hairdryer a go…i bought a cheap one in Bangkok, but got rid of it soon after…t was crap..i have really thin hair and it still took hours to dry!
One other essential for me is moisturizer with sun cream in it too.
Moisturizer with sunscreen is key! Definitely a good travel beauty trick. I hate those hairdryers that take forever to dry your hair! I have thin hair too so if my hair isn’t dry in 10 minutes, the hairdryer doesn’t make the cut.
There are some things on here I would not have thought of, so thanks for the tips! I love to take some cute cardigans because they either keep me warm, provide an extra layer in the a.m. or evening, and give me more outfit possibilities with cute ts or tanks underneath. I also like some big earrings and cute necklaces to dress up even simple clothes.
I really need to find a decent-looking pair of comfortable shoes. I love to walk everywhere when I travel, and the Chaco sandals simply don’t look good! Any suggestions?
Cute cardigans are great too with dresses. They make a repeat outfit look like a new one too! Jewelry certainly helps. Although I need a better way of packing jewelry. I haven’t found the right organizer yet. In terms of walking shoes, I always have this problem too. I was born with the flattest of feet, so I usually try and find something that molds to my feet.
I’m on a mission now to find some cute but comfortable travel shoes!
I also need to find a way to pack jewelry. My stuff always gets tangled in my suitcase, but I would want something small since I don’t take a lot when I travel.
Love the list! Just working on my packing list, it’s so difficult – I was struggling to make a decision on whether to take a travel hairdryer but I think you’ve sold me, thank you! 🙂
I think packing the hairdryer is a wise move. Whenever I don’t, I need it. In summer, this isn’t so bad, but if you are traveling in colder places it can be hard to walk around with wet hair.
Oh dresses are a must. At home I had a wardrobe just for dresses and while I have whittled it down to 4 or 5 nothing makes you feel instantly classy like a dress a must for certain. I love this article. My hairdryer is also a must (its pink and has kittens on it my mum knows me perfectly) but also its powerful I love it xx