What better way to acknowledge the first OFFICIAL day of summer than with a summer travel post? Even if it’s not #traveltuesday. I’ve touched on this before and shared tips and tricks along the way, but this post is your one stop shop for how to make that carry life work for you. Or at least how I make it work for me. I never thought I’d be such an advocate for not checking bags, but rising bag fees and a few lost luggage disasters have convinced me otherwise. Everything I’m sharing is available on Amazon. Sales are happening ahead of Prime Days, so shop now and get ready for summer travels.
We’ve got our big trip of the summer coming up in ten days, so I’m starting to get all of my ducks in a row. Carrying on is VITAL for this vacation because we are boarding a catamaran and island hopping. If our luggage gets lost/doesn’t make the connection, we can’t wait for it. Also? Storage is limited on the boat and with eleven of us on board, we won’t have room for a bunch of big suitcases.
You know I have to start every packing post with my tried and true packing cubes. If you’re not yet on this bandwagon, click here: https://amzn.to/44oeIYW They create so much extra room in your suitcase and they make unpacking once you’ve reached your destination a breeze. I monogrammed a set for a customer several months ago and I can’t stop thinking about them.
Packing Cubes
The next item one needs for carrying on is a clear TSA approved pouch. You can shop monogrammed bags in my own little shop here: https://emerybodie-llc.myshopify.com/products/monogrammed-vinyl-bag
Clear TSA Bag
Now it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. The key to success is to make the investment in travel size products. Several of these items are a one time purchase as you simply refill your bottles from your full size toiletries at home. That’s what I do with my face wash, shampoo and conditioner.
I typically use whatever shampoo and conditioner are stocked by the hotel when I’m on a trip, but we have to bring all of our own stuff for our upcoming boat trip. Soap is easy…just toss a bar or two in our bags (I’ll leave that to Ben since he will likely have more space), but I purchased my usual Pureology in travel sizes for the rare occasion I need to pack them. Since I won’t wash my hair every day, these should last the duration of the trip. Shampoo is here https://amzn.to/43QEmWa and conditioner here https://amzn.to/45xhWKX. If I feel the need to dry my hair, I use whatever dryer is provided by the hotel.
Shampoo and Conditioner
In addition to keeping your liquids small, it’s also important to keep your solids compact as well. Every little bit of space saved helps! Since we travel frequently, I have mini versions of some of my compacts at the ready. I never unpack my travel toiletries, so I can just grab and go. I replenish as needed the moment I realize I’m low on something so I’m not scrambling right before a trip. My favorite find is NARS bronzer and blush in compacts roughly half the size of a normal container. Grab the bronzer here https://amzn.to/444QbHa and the blush here https://amzn.to/3HPoESI
Other hair essentials are dry shampoo and hairspray. I love Moroccan Oil both at home and away. Dry shampoo: https://amzn.to/4ndrTU8. Hairspray: https://amzn.to/3G7O2T0
Moroccan Oil Hair Products
My face wash is always Cetaphil. I occasionally splurge on something fancy and I’m never impressed. Everything about Cetaphil works for me, especially the price! I bought these in bulk and everyone in my family has one in their Dopp kit. Just refill after each trip. https://amzn.to/4l0GqB1
Cetaphil Face Wash
Since toothpaste isn’t something you can refill, I buy these in bulk. Add to cart here to keep those pearly whites shiny on vacation! https://amzn.to/448zScj
Toothpaste
In the interest of saving room, cleansing pads are something I would normally just skip while on a trip. However, knowing I’ll be slathering on the sunscreen and sweating a lot for a week straight, I decided to get these Elemis resurfacing pads in the travel size. I love these pads. They really do remove all the gunk soap leaves behind. If you don’t want to skip this step on vacation, look no further: https://amzn.to/4kQDabj. Your skin will thank you. Moving forward, I can simply refill this small jar with pads from big jar at home.
Elemis Pads (14 count)
Most of my trips require a good moisturizer. I really enjoy this Colleen Rothschild recovery cream. It’s the final step in my evening routine and it’s a luxurious treat. Yes, it’s expensive, but I really want to have it with my on vacation. The 1.7 oz doesn’t take up much room in my clear bag and I love never having to worry about remembering it. CR fans, click here: https://amzn.to/3FPFqk2
Colleen Rothschild Recovery Cream
For cosmetics, I find that NARS Cosmetics has the best travel options. I love my Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. They’re about half the size and price of the full size version. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to always have a makeup bag packed and ready! It’s such a time saver and you’ll never forget anything. The value is there if you are a frequent traveler. Blush https://amzn.to/43SyWtP and bronzer https://amzn.to/43UePvo you’ll never need to unpack!
Another cosmetic I like to purchase in minis is mascara. This Illia tube is my latest purchase. Everything from this brand is great! Try here: https://amzn.to/4eckzEf
Travel Mascara
My foundation/SPF of choice both at home and for travel lately is Supergoop Glowscreen. It gives such a pretty shimmer and the coverage is enough that it can be worn alone. I wouldn’t necessarily wear just this if I was doing family photos or going to a dressy event, but for most travel situations, it’s great. This two pack ensures I’m never caught without! Get it here: https://amzn.to/3ZE9Igm
Supergoop Glowscreen
The trickiest item to pack in a carry on for a beach vacation is sunscreen. Unless I’m heading somewhere for just a few days, I simply cannot fit enough sunscreen in my bag. My solution is to pack what I can and buy the rest once I’m at my destination. Yes, it’s expensive to buy at a resort, but it’s still less than bag fees and certainly better than dealing with lost luggage. I will put a few of these in each bag that I can (Ben and Bodie get the bulk) and purchase more once I arrive. It is what it is. Use these to tide you over for a bit: https://amzn.to/449GDuj
Travel Sunscreen
One of my most asked about items whenever I travel is this pill case. It’s compact, keeps me organized, and comes with labels for anything you can think of. The colors are fun and the monogram is the perfect finishing touch. Order on Amazon and have me make your decal! It’s remarkable how many times this case has come in clutch on vacation. https://amzn.to/445jI3n It’s a mini portable medicine cabinet.
Pill Case
Something else one should always keep in his/her Dopp kit: tweezers and nail clippers. You don’t realize how badly you need one of these items until you do. Worth the money to have an extra set in your travel bag in addition to what you keep at home. Tweezerman is my go to. I’ve shared these multiple times, especially the tweezers, because I buy them every year. Emery always gets a pair in her Christmas stocking. I have no idea what she does with them, but they vanish. Nail clippers here: https://amzn.to/4ehzpt4 and tweezers here: https://amzn.to/3HTCQKh
I think this covers most of the bases. My vacation style is usually pretty minimal; I don’t want to waste time primping while in paradise. Keeping these items in my travel bags helps me stay prepared and organized. The key is to replenish as you go instead of waiting until the night before a trip. I hope this is helpful! Also? A tip from my friend, Erica, who is the carry on queen: wear all of your necklaces on your flight. You may look like Mister T with five necklaces, but it keeps them from getting tangled and frees up some space. I always fly with a lightweight scarf, so nobody can see my neck mess anyways.
Happy summer!
