10 Product Recs for Your Next Trip
aka an ode to the Calpak Cosmetics Case
Hello!
I just spent a week in Florida – first in Miami, then visiting family in Jupiter. I don’t consider myself to be a particularly strategic packer, but I was honestly impressed with myself! I exceeded my own expectations! But the true praise goes to the products and accessories that made it happen. I’m often asked for travel skincare recs, so I am going to share 10(ish) standouts with you today.
First, I want to make a little PSA about the TSA. 3.4 oz/100mL is a very reasonable carry-on requirement that has an unfairly bad rap. I was concerned about needing all travel sizes until I realized that almost every single full size skincare product I use is well under the limit, which means nearly all of yours are too. Yes, I did have some travel sizes of various things already, but the only full-size products I couldn’t bring if I wanted to were cleansers, hair & body products and some larger body sunscreens (but trust me, I was able to bring plenty). Of course, literal space is an important consideration and travel sizes make things much easier to pack, but that wasn’t even an issue for me, as you’ll soon see…
Calpak Small Clear Cosmetics Case: the real MVP of this trip. I truly cannot overstate how incredible this toiletry case is. It’s all over social media and a top recommendation from my well-traveled sister (60+ countries!), but I hadn’t needed a new toiletry case in, well, years, so I’m only just getting on the bandwagon. It’s a very good bandwagon to be on. The small size fits easily in a carry-on (you can lay flat or zip it up) and fits such an astonishing amount of stuff. I was going to take a picture of my own, but the ones from the website are much clearer and portray a very accurate representation of just how much fits inside. Do you see all those full sizes?! Buy one for yourself and everyone you know.
Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Mini: I only had this mini because the brand sent it to me, but it’s perfect and I will repurchase it when I run out. This is one of my favorite products to use to soothe and repair my skin and I didn’t realize how much I’d appreciate having it to nourish my skin after a day in the sun. It’s also just so tiny and cute. I only brought one moisturizer with me, so this filled in the gap of wanting something heavier at night.
Saltair Travel Size Body Wash and Body Lotion: I took these on a whim and boy, what a pleasant surprise! I asked for the sampler pack of both the body washes and lotions for Christmas and decided to bring the Santal Bloom ones for me and Fragrance-Free for Alex. I did put them in a separate zip lock just in case of leaking since I hadn’t traveled with them before, but not a leak to be seen. I hadn’t thought about needing to close the pumps to bring them back, but I was able to twist close with minimal product loss (just do it quickly!) The wash was excellent for breaking down body sunscreen and the scent is *divine*
The Ouai Detox Shampoo: If there was ever a time for a clarifying hair wash, it’s after a few days of sweating in the Miami heat. I had a 1oz from a Sephora reward (if you see it, get it!) but they sell a 3oz mini or you can decant your full size into this.
Ceremonia Guava Rescue Spray & Leave-In Conditioner Minis: I had these in my stash and they seemed appropriate for a tropical climate, so I took them as my conditioner. Smell amazing, moisturize without being heavy and provide some UV protection for my strands!
Artis Makeup Brush Wipes: Yeah, you read that correctly! I needed a lot of brush cleaning since I was relying on the Makeup by Mario Skin Enhancer to give the illusion of a tan. This is my preferred brush to use with it.
Essie Expressie Nail Polish: I’ve spoken about my love for this product before, but this trip brought it to a whole new level. The stuff dries in literal minutes. I did a haphazard mani/pedi in the 10 minutes before my Uber to the airport arrived and brought the bottle to do quick touch-ups as needed throughout the week.
Everyday Humans Oh My Bod! SPF 50: The TSA Officer said “wow you really know what you’re doing” when she pulled out this bottle, thinking it was too big, but I told her it was exactly 3.4 fluid ounces. Thanks very much, ma’am! I loved this for my body – it has a light, citrus-y scent and was very moisturizing without feeling greasy, especially through multiple layers of reapplication.
Shiseido SPF Stick & AHC SPF Stick: Both Alex and I used these invisible sunscreen sticks to reapply throughout the day, even over makeup (me) and beards (him). Of course, we both used plenty of actual sunscreen lotion for our primary protection.
Foldable UPF 50 Hat with Large Brim: If you follow me on Instagram (you should), you may remember my mom’s incredible discovery over the summer: a baseball style hat that folds completely flat, is made with sun protective fabric and has an extra long bill to shade your entire face. Here it is in action:
Thanks for reading! I hope some of these suggestions help you out on your next trip – the Calpak alone will do 80% of the work.
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xx,
Jolie
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