A year ago, I gave you all a list of my favorite travel toiletries. It was a good list, I still use a lot of those products. However, due to some evolutions in my beauty routine, as well as some updates on what is considered a liquid by the TSA, the contents of my liquids bag has changed.

What’s the same:

• Opti-Free contact solution
• Any body wash
• Crest toothpaste
• Frederic Fekkai hair glossing cream
• Skyn Iceland eye pen
• Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist

What’s new:

• Eminence Lemon Face Cleanser. Love, love this stuff! Smells amazing, made from all organic ingredients, and works great. I keep it in a contact lens case and refill it every couple of trips.
• Aveda Tinted Moisturizer. It’s perfect, really–light, creamy, works great, and has SPF. I also keep this in a contact lens case.
• Lotion. Now that my Rosemary Mint has run out (sob) I just use whatever is available–usually one from a hotel.
• Prive Concept Vert Shampoo and Conditioner. This is the best. shampoo. ever. I am doing a full review next week, suffice it to say it will make your hair soft and lovely and the packaging is too cool.
• L’Oreal Eye Makeup Remover. Now that I’ve got so many things in contact lens cases, I have freed up a lot of room in my bag. So now I can carry eye makeup remover with me, instead of using moisturizer.

What’s not in there anymore:

• Deodorant, lip gloss, mascara. Yes! TSA has changed the rules and I don’t need to have this stuff in my liquids bag anymore.
• Korres face cleansing cloths. Cleansing cloths are great for long days, but don’t have to be in the liquids bag.

I actually carry three extra contact lens cases with me these days, with face wash, makeup remover, and moisturizer in them. This bag holds everything I need for my full beauty routine, with space leftover. I am one happy traveler!

Readers, what’s your favorite travel toiletry item?

Recently, a friend wore a sweater to the airport. When she went through security, the TSA agent made her remove her sweater as he considered it “outerwear”. Luckily, this friend had on an appropriate under layer, a short sleeved tee-shirt, so it wasn’t really a problem to remove the sweater. But later, she told me, she started thinking. What if I had worn a cami? Or something else that I never planned to show? We’ve all done it–worn a cardigan or jacket over a shirt that would not be appropriate by itself. But on travel days, remember that airport security will want you to remove anything they deem “outerwear”. Even if you disagree about what constitutes outerwear, unless you want to cause a big stink, it’s easier to just make sure you have appropriate layers underneath. This is especially important if you are traveling with coworkers.

Remember, it’s just as easy to put on a tee or blouse as it is a tank top. If your layers are appropriate, it doesn’t matter if TSA asks you to take off your sweater. Although, it’s pretty obnoxious that they considered a cardigan “outerwear”. But whatever, consistency is NOT what they are known for…….

One of the questions I get all the time is, “Does concealer count as a liquid?” Or, “Can I take foundation onto a plane?” The answer to both of these, of course, is yes. Yes, concealer counts as a liquid, and yes you can take it and foundation onto a plane. However, if you don’t want to worry about it either way, give mineral makeup a try.

Mineral makeup is powder makeup made from earth minerals. Typically, it doesn’t have preservatives or parabens, and it’s pretty high quality stuff. You can use the loose powder as a concealer or foundation by adding a little water and using a specific brush, then fluff  powder over the top with a kabuki brush and you are good to go! So not only do you not have to worry about it being a liquid, but it is basically three makeup items in one. And as you know, multitasking products are an important part of efficient packing. You can also get mineral blushes and eye shadows.

You can pretty much get mineral makeup anywhere now, from department stores to Sephora to drugstores, at almost any price point. If you want to learn how to use it, go to a department store or Sephora for a tutorial, or look on Youtube. Honestly, this stuff is really cool. If you haven’t jumped on the mineral bandwagon, check it out!

Building a Business Travel Wardrobe is a new series here on Road Warriorette. The focus will be on the key pieces a woman needs to build a wardrobe that is ideal for travel. Based on the “capsule” wardrobe model, each week will feature an item that is professional, stylish, and that travels well.

You guys didn’t think I was going to forget about bags and shoes, did you?

When shopping for a business travel capsule wardrobe, some of the hardest working pieces are your shoes and purse. During travel, you will be taking your shoes off and putting them back on, walking through miles of airport concourses, and then having to look polished during your actual work. Your bag will have to hold your laptop, files, and normal purse stuff, get stuffed into overhead bins or under plane seats, and still look professional. Is it any wonder that I get the most questions about shoes and purses for travel?

What to look for with shoes:

• Comfort. I know I say this every time, but it is especially important that your shoes are comfortable. I never travel in heels, because I know that I will have to be on my feet so much. Try adding gel insoles for additional comfort. This sounds like a no-brainer, but please don’t wear shoes for the first time during travel.
• Easy to take off/put on. Make sure that you can quickly and gracefully slide your shoes off and back on for airport security. I have seen people with shoes or boots that buckle or lace up, which definitely takes longer.
• Neutral color. Colored flats are one of the great joys in my life, but I had several pairs of black shoes before I branched out.  I strongly recommend that you start with cute, comfortable shoes that coordinate with your suit first. They don’t have to be the same color–for example, if your suit is taupe, you can wear black or brown shoes. If your suit is gray, I recommend black shoes.

What to look for in a travel purse:

• Size. Make sure it will hold everything you need for work and for your flight.
• Pockets. A divided interior is very helpful, and small pockets on the inside will help corral items such as keys and cell phone that could otherwise get lost. Exterior pockets are great for holding your boarding pass.
• Comfortable straps. Too-narrow straps will hurt your shoulder, so look for straps that are at least an inch wide. I also like double straps.
• Looks. It goes without saying, make sure your purse is durable enough for travel and professional enough for the office.

Great travel shoes are available in a variety of price ranges and locations, so shop around for the right pair. Here are a few of my favorites.

These Bruno Magli flats are gorgeous, professional, and, well, pricey. But wow! Love them.

Geox is an Italian brand that designs shoes specifically for travel. These Sheila wedges are lovely, and would work with pants or a skirt.

DSW has a bazillion pairs of shoes online and in their stores. These Rocket Dogs brown suede flats look comfortable, professional, and adorable.

Travel purses are a little harder to find, but department stores and eBags are great resources. Wherever you end up buying from, make sure you know their return policies. Sometimes what looks like a great travel purse can not even last one trip. Once I had different purses break  three trips in a row!

I did a review on Lo and Sons purses last week, so you guys know how great these bags are. Perfect first business travel bag.

Ebags has tons of purses that would work well for travel, but this is the first time I’ve seen this green Samsonite laptop tote. It’s adorable, and very well priced.

So many people liked hearing about my favorite travel sites and blogs, I wanted to continue the trend. These are four business-related websites that I check daily, whether traveling or at home. After reading their words for so long, I feel like I know these people! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Corporette. If you’ve read my blog for any period of time, you know that Corporette is my favorite blog. I check it religiously every morning to see what fabulous clothing item Kat has found for us, and then throughout the day for her business-related posts. She discusses everything from how to effectively search for a job to how to interact with coworkers to software to make you more efficient. A great resource!

Wall Street Journal’s The Juggle. Trying to figure out how to balance career and home life? The Juggle talks about it all, examining the choices and tradeoffs people make juggling work and family. If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only person who can’t quite seem to get it all together, this site will make you feel less alone.

Daily Worth. Started by Amanda Steinberg and MP Dunleavey in 2009, their goal is to increase the net worth of women. The sad fact is, women still make 30% less than men. Daily Worth aims to simplify complicated financial concepts to make them more accessible, as well as give women a forum to discuss them. I only discovered this site recently, but I already feel better prepared to increase my net worth.

The Art of Non Conformity. This site is part travel, part lifestyle, and part business. But man, can Chris Guillebeau write. And more than that, he makes you feel inspired. He believes that you don’t have to follow the traditional path to happiness, and that your path may in fact be very different from everyone you know. And that’s okay! Every time I read his column I feel ready to go out and follow my dreams. What more can you ask for?

Readers, what are your favorite business/career/money sites?

As you know, a few weeks ago I held a contest for two two-night stays in a Country Inn & Suites. It was incredibly successful, and I love all of the amazing tips I got from my great readers. So, here are a few randomly selected tips from the contest. I hope they help you!

Packing

• Keep car and house keys in your carry on or with you. My boyfriend left his car and house keys with his check in luggage and then his bag was delayed leaving him stranded at the airport for a couple of hours. –Jen
• Be sure to clearly tag your luggage on the outside with your name, address, and phone number. (You might want to use a business address or PO Box instead of your home address.) Also put a piece of paper inside with the same information, in case the tag gets stripped off. –Arlene
• If you forget your phone or iPod charger, ask at the hotel front desk for if they have extras. Most business hotels have a giant drawer filled with chargers that have been left behind, and most will let you borrow what you need. –Louise

Get rewarded!

• Sign up for all of the hotel/miles rewards programs. For hotel “clubs” ask the front desk about special perks like priority for late check-out, extra points, to-go breakfasts, and snacks upon arrival. –Cat

Just in case…..

• Scan the front and back of any credit/debit cards that you carry in your wallet, along with key pages from your passport and any other critically important documents and email them to your internet-accessible email account. I use cryptic names for both the documents and the subject fields of the emails as an added security measure. –Chris

Experiencing the city you are in

• If you are feeling adventurous, I like to ask the concierge at the front desk at the hotels where the good places are to eat. You don’t have to eat at the chain restaurants and get a chance to experience the city. They will even print out directions for you. –Karla

Long flight safety

• I am a travel agent. My suggestion on long haul flights is to get up and walk around at least hourly. We have a 46 year old client die recently due to a blood clot which traveled to his lung and killed him instantly. He had just returned from a trip to China-a 14 hour plus long flight. –Marianne

Finally, peace of mind.

• Anytime you travel you are bound to encounter every kind of person, some having good days, some bad. On any trip things can go wrong and not work out as planned. Start with accepting this. Getting angry or anxious ultimately only hurts you. Roll with things. Let it all go. Enjoy the trip you’re on. –David

One of the things I consistently include on my packing lists, whether it’s for a week vacation, a short business trip, or a day trip, is Emergen-C.  I talk about it all the time to my family and friends, handing out packets for them to try. I don’t work for them, they don’t compensate me in any way, and they probably don’t know I exist. But Emergen-C gets me through my toughest trips away and my longest days at home.

When I started my Lifestyle Change last April, I thought, oh no! My favorite Emergen-C flavor (tangerine) has six carbs in it! I can’t have two of those per day like I have been! And in fact for several months only took it on the direst of days. But last fall I made an amazing discovery. There is a “Lite” version! That only has one carb and five calories! Honestly, it doesn’t taste nearly as good as the Tangerine. But it’s not terrible, and the effect is the same. So now I can feel alert, awake, and productive, without wrecking my Lifestyle Change. Love it!

Macy’s has introduced “The Work Wardrobe Style Guide” with four “styles”: Corporate Chic, Dresses That Work, Business Trip, and Creative Casual. Now, you may not know this, but I am a sucker for style guides. It started back in college with Sherry Masonave’s Casual Power, continued on with the Lucky Guide to Shopping, and most recently has resulted in several purchases of various In Style books. It makes me feel hopeful and excited for travel when I see suggestions for what to pack for a weekend in the city, or how to create a business casual capsule wardrobe. Rational? Probably not. I just love the potential of having all of the “What to wear?” questions answered by a simple list.

But I digress. Of course I immediately had to look at what Macy’s considers appropriate for a 3-day business trip. And actually, they did pretty well. Their outfits consist of a suit, pencil skirt+blouse+cardigan, dress+cardigan, and jeans+trench for the travel day. I love that they included flats on their list, even though they are not shown with any of the actual business outfits.  Another thing that gets a thumbs up from me is using the cardigan twice. However, that’s the only piece they used twice. If you have read this blog for a while, you know that I am a strong believer in wearing solid basics more than once on business trips. So here is what I would have done differently:

1) Wear the suit pants instead of the skirt on Day 2.  There’s no reason to have slacks, a skirt, and a dress for a three day trip. Plus, wearing gray bottoms with the black cardigan means the cardigan+blouse+skirt combo looks less, well, suit-like. Unless that’s what you’re going for. In that case, I would suggest bringing a black suit, although I do love that gray one.

2) The Dooney & Burke pocket satchel bag is gorgeous. For a simple workday, or even a commute, it would probably be fine. But seriously–it’s white. Does Macy’s know how dirty airports are? And don’t get me started on airplane floors. This purse could easily be a bright color or even black, look just as good, and not show dirt.

3) You can get at least one more outfit out of these clothes. If your company has a “jeans Friday” policy like mine does, you could wear the dark jeans+suit jacket+flats (or heels, if that’s how you roll) for a sharp casual look.

Overall, I would give them a B+ for their efforts. I sure did enjoy looking at it though! Love that trench coat–maybe it’s time to invest in a new one?

Building a Business Travel Wardrobe is a new series here on Road Warriorette. The focus will be on the key pieces a woman needs to build a wardrobe that is ideal for travel. Based on the “capsule” wardrobe model, each week will feature an item that is professional, stylish, and that travels well.

Now that we’ve covered the basic components of a business travel capsule wardrobe–pants or skirt, top, and jacket–it’s time to move on to the icing. With accessories, you can complete an outfit or completely change its feel. Whether your personal style is bold or classic, scarves, jewelry, belts, and brooches will take your business travel wardrobe to the next level.

What to look for:

• Coordination. I recommend starting with some classic pieces, such as pearl earrings. Once you’ve got jewelry that will go with everything, start looking for more fun stuff.
• Comfort. Necklaces or earrings that are too heavy, belts that are too tight…. Just like anything else you’re wearing, if it bothers you or feels weird then you will feel self-conscious all day.

Every road warriorette needs the following:

• Earrings and necklace that will go with most tops. I find myself grabbing my pearls more often than anything else.
• A couple of fun scarves.
• A belt that coordinates with your suit.

If you want to add other things, try:

• More earrings–the more the merrier!
• A statement necklace
• A skinny belt to wear over cardigans
• Brooches–I like vintage ones.

Tips for traveling with accessories:

• Get a travel jewelry case. You can find one anywhere, and it will help keep all of your items corralled. A Ziploc bag can work in a pinch.
• Just as with any other clothing item you travel with, don’t let your trip be the first time you wear something. I once wore a very cute brooch that ended up being too heavy for the shirt I had on. I tried for hours to keep it from hanging awkwardly, and finally had to take it off.
• Some metals will set off the metal detectors at airport security. I have seen this happen primarily with larger, medallion-type of necklaces. If you are wearing something like this, you need to put it through the X-ray machine with your suitcase.
• Some people can wear bracelets and rings while working, but I have to do so much with my hands they inevitably end up bothering me. If you love them, and can do your work with them, I say go for it!

I have a few go-to accessories that I wear on a regular basis: large pearl studs, a long strand of pearls, black drop earrings, a black skinny belt, and a number of scarves. If you’re not sure about what type of accessories are appropriate for work, I highly recommend that you check out Corporette. She suggests specific pieces several times a week.

Jewelry and scarves can be found almost anywhere! The options are almost unlimited. Belts are very common, but a little trickier to buy so I recommend you actually try them on.

My favorite place for jewelry is Etsy. They have so many things to choose from, the prices are usually incredibly fair, and you are supporting artists. I love this Green With Envy necklace from the Etsy store DeniseJewelryDesigns.

Nordstrom is a great place to find lots of things, and belts are no exception. They have a huge selection of gorgeous belts. This Cole Haan Patent Leather Belt is a great neutral belt, and could be worn in belt loops or over a cardigan.

I love this black and white polka dot scarf from Macy’s. It’s interesting, but not distracting, and could be styled many different ways.

Shopruche was recommended to me by a friend over the weekend, and I can’t get enough! I love, love these refined romance dangling earrings. For $15.99, they are a gorgeous steal.

Accessories can be found just about anywhere, at all price points. Your outfit won’t look complete without some sort of finishing touch. Find some accessories you love, and have fun with it!

Seriously, how cool is this? Brazilian airline Azul has purchased a pink plane to promote breast cancer awareness. They are also promoting FEMAMA, a Brazilian non-profit group fighting the disease. During the first week of the plane’s operation, the airline will conduct awareness initiatives on breast cancer screening and self examination procedures at the Brazilian airports where the plane will land.

The plane was recently manufactured by turboprop manufacturer ATR, and Azul is operated by JetBlue founder David Neeleman. It’s certainly not every day that passengers see a pink plane – or that they see a plane dedicated to promoting a social cause. I wish they would get one here! I would love to see that.