In my goal to make someone’s first business trip easier, I am creating packing lists, with specific items and photos, of my typical items for a four-day trip. A couple of weeks ago I talked about clothes, and next in my series of packing photos: toiletries!

Toiletries create a very tricky packing situation for the new business traveler. On the one hand, you want to take all of the items you use at home. On the other hand, you want to have room in your suitcase for, like, clothes and stuff. My very first trip toiletries filled literally half of my suitcase. I got one of these hanging toiletry things (which some people swear by, but I personally hate) and filled it to the brim. As you can imagine, I didn’t use half of the stuff I brought, and my suitcase was incredibly heavy. But now (after years of constant travel) I can pack toiletries for two weeks in three little bags.

A few tips:

• Use multiple bags instead of one big bag. This way you can squeeze them in smaller spaces instead of taking up a ton of room. I have had the same toiletry bag for like 15 years (crazy right? I just think it’s so cute and it’s still perfect for my needs.). I use a Ziploc for my liquids bag, but some people prefer reusable ones like this one.
• Bring your own products, just put them in reusable containers (I use Aveda bottles, although from what I can find they are only available in the UK or stores). Don’t buy travel sized items for anything except maybe toothpaste and contact solution. Or if your skin and hair can tolerate complimentary toiletries from a hotel then use those. Strangely, almost all of my toiletries are from hotels right now. This is normally not the case!
• Contact lens cases are great, inexpensive reusable containers for liquids you only need small amounts of. I label the bottom of the one that has face wash in it (S for shower).

My toiletry packing list (everything is listed clockwise):

Liquids bag:

• Lotion (L’Occitane)
• Hair cream (Frederic Fekkai)
• Shampoo and conditioner (Aveda)
• Pumice stone (it doesn’t have to go in there, obviously)
• Body wash (Aveda)
• Face wash (Eminence)
• Eye cream (Eminence)
• Moisturizer (Aveda tinted moisturizer)
• Mouthwash (Peter Thomas Roth)

Non-liquids bag:

• Razor (Intuition)
• Deodorant
• Glasses
• Contact solution (Bio Pure)
• Toothpaste (Crest)
• Contact case
• Cotton balls, q-tips
• Rubber band and bobby pins for hair

Makeup:

• Pencil sharpener
• Tweezers
• Concealer (Yves St. Laurent)
• Lip pencil and gloss (samples from Sephora)
• Kabuki brush
• Eye shadow (Makeup Forever)
• Powder (Arbonne)
• Blush (Arbonne)
• Mascara (Tarte)
• Eyeliner (Urban Decay)
• Eyebrow pencil (Anastasia Beverly Hills)

On certain trips, like the conference I’m going to soon, I will also bring an extra eyeshadow palette (Tarte) and my brush set (similar to this one from Too Faced).

I usually pack all of my bags (along with my curling iron) in my suitcase’s larger inside pocket, but if need be I spread them out.

See? It is totally possible to bring every toiletry you need without it taking up all of your room.

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A few weeks ago I posted about bringing tissues and sanitizing wipes on every trip moving forward. One of the comments was a question, asking if TSA allowed wipes through. The reader thought since they are technically wet, they may not be allowed.

I have flown with face wipes many times, never taken them out of my suitcase at airport security, and never had a problem, so I assumed they were allowed. But of course, I also never take out my liquids bag, and I know I’m supposed to do that! So I went to the TSA site to see what I could find. I ended up using the “When I fly, can I bring my….?” tool. I wasn’t expecting much, because the last time I used the tool it was terrible. However, this time when I typed in “wipes” it asked me to choose which kind (baby, antibacterial, etc) and said they were allowed in both checked and carryon luggage.

So that’s good news! In fact it’s two pieces of good news. Yes, wipes are allowed, and the TSA “Can I bring my….?” tool works at least some of the time. Hooray!

There are a few things you take on every single trip, and most of them are grooming and toiletry items. I am a big advocate of having two sets of toiletries. One you keep at home, one you keep in your suitcase. This way you never have that “Dangit!” moment while driving to the airport when you realize you forgot your shampoo/deodorant/toothbrush and will have to go searching for a replacement. (Pictured: the Revolon Perfect Heat curling iron that I only have one of but really should buy a second! Available at Amazon.)

However, there are a few things that I don’t have two of. I do not have two sets of makeup, two curling irons, or two pairs of glasses. These are things that I just have to remember to pack every single time. It can be tricky, because I use these items every day, and usually have to use them right before I go to the airport. There have been times when I have forgotten one of these things, and it certainly makes a trip more complicated.

Also, people who don’t travel as often may find it’s not worth it to have two sets of everything. Enter advice from Reader S. She sent me an email with the following recommendation:

I have a suggestion that you may want to try and see if it works for you for packing.  I travel a lot myself and was always forgetting certain toiletries or items as I’m packing.  I have gotten into the habit of packing things as I get ready for the trip. I’ll have my suitcase out, take a shower and when I’m done I put what I have used in the suitcase….brush my hair, put it in the suitcase….put on deodorant, put it in the suitcase….put on eyeshadow, put it in the suitcase…..  I find that it helps me being exactly what I need to get ready and not a lot of extras.  

I think it’s a great idea! It might take a few minutes longer getting ready in the morning, but you know you won’t forget anything!

Readers, do you have two of everything? Or do you have to remember to pack certain grooming items?

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Business Travel 101 is a series from a couple of years ago about making that first business trip as easy and successful as possible. I’ve re-tooled the series, and now it’s more comprehensive than ever! It covers everything a new business traveler needs to know for that initial trip, including essential tips for packing, security, safety, etiquette, and comfort.

Toiletries can be a tricky part of traveling, especially for women. You need all the things you use every day that make you feel beautiful and confident, but they have to fit in an itty-bitty space. The 3 oz. rule has made this even more difficult. Carrying-on is the best way to save time (and money) while traveling, and you don’t want to have to check your suitcase just because of your toiletries. So how do you get all of your makeup, shower things, hair products, and face stuff into your bag?

The first step is to separate out all of your liquids from your non-liquids. I typically have three bags:

1. Makeup bag
2. Non liquids bag
3. Liquids bag (1 quart clear plastic bag)

This works really well because it allows these small bags to fit wherever there is room. Here is a specific list of what I put into each bag.

Non-liquids

• Toothbrush
• Contacts case
• Glasses
• Razor
• Comb
• Bobby pins and rubber bands
• Contact solution
• Deodorant
• Face wipes

Liquids–travel sizes (3 oz or less) of all

• Face wash
• Body wash
• Toothpaste
• Lotion
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Hydrating mist
• Tinted moisturizer
• Hair smoother

A few additional tips:

• If you are going on a trip for a few days, don’t pack your whole bottle of eye makeup remover. Instead, dip one end of several q-tips into the liquid and then put them in a Ziplock bag.
• Bring your own products but put them in refillable bottles.
• Put small amounts of liquids into clean contact lens cases. Try moisturizer, facial cleanser, and hair products. This will save you a ton of room.
• Bring a few extra Ziplock bags. Just in case.
• I’ll be honest—I don’t usually take my liquids bag out at security anymore. I still keep my liquids separated though in case I get busted.

Readers, what are your favorite products to travel with?

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One of the hardest packing skills to learn is how to pack toiletries efficiently. Most women have spent years evolving their hair care, skin care, and general beauty routines—and now you have to condense all of that into a 1 quart plastic bag? Unfortunately yes, to an extent. However, there are ways to work within the system to make sure you have everything you need without checking your bag. Hooray!

Take small bags. On my first business trip, I brought an enormous hanging toiletries bag that took up half of my suitcase. And I wondered why my back hurt after trying to lift the darn thing into the overhead bin! These days, I take three small bags: one for liquids (the clear 1 quart plastic bag), one for non-liquids, and one for makeup. They will easily slip into the tiniest spaces in my suitcase.

Only put liquids in the liquids bag. It sounds like a no-brainer, but for a while I was keeping stuff in the liquids bag that didn’t need to be in there. For example, stick deodorant, contact solution, mascara, and lipstick. According to the TSA, those things don’t have to be in there. Hallelujah! More room for important stuff.

Use your own stuff. It can be so tempting to take advantage of travel-sized lotions and potions that are pre-packaged, but it’s not a good idea. If you have sensitive skin, like Ana from The Well Appointed Desk, you can end up with some severe skin irritation. In my case, my hair reacts poorly to most shampoos and conditioners, so I always bring my own hair products. Which leads me to….

Take smaller containers. As tempting as it is to bring your full size shampoo and conditioner, unless you’re traveling for months at a time there is just no need. Get refillable containers (available virtually anywhere, including these GoToobs from TravelSmith) and pour your normal shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, and other items in there.

Readers, what are your best toiletry travel tips? Do you have a current favorite beauty item?

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This is one of my favorite posts to do all year. I get to spend time searching the internet for the most fun, interesting, and useful gifts. And boy did I find some! Bring on the shopping.

Flight Comfort

The Cabin Cuddler is a great gift for anyone who travels long distances! It’s super warm and cozy, is easy to pack, and includes a pillow. Travel slippers would also be great on a long haul trip, plus they would be nice to wear around the hotel room during the winter. Eye masks are great for helping travelers sleep on planes or in a hotel room, and this one is super cute! Finally, compression socks are a must have for long flights. Keep your loved one’s ankles and feet from swelling and reduce their risk of DVT.

Passport cover

Give your favorite road warriorette a passport overhaul. A fun passport cover can liven up boring travel docs. Love this one from Ruche.

Fun travel toiletries

A little pampering makes frequent business travel more bearable, and this Oatmeal Whoopie Pie scented body wash sounds verrry luxurious. And tasty.  Another option is this Travel Spa in a Box. It includes anti-bacterial aroma mist, anti-bacterial hand oil, a lavender flax eye pillow, lip balm, and others. Fabulous. Not only is this little bag from Etsy shop Aunt Meep’s Attic very cute, it’s made of oilcloth so it’s easy to clean, and can be used for makeup or non-liquid toiletries.

Luggage tag

Help your favorite traveler keep track of their bag with these brightly colored, fun luggage tags.

Kindle/iPad case

Seriously I am putting this on my list. I didn’t even know they made Kindle cases this pretty!!! And don’t forget a Kindle or iPad to go inside of it

Travel mug

Travel mugs keep your beverage warm and reduce trash. This clever mug from Mighty Leaf is made specifically for tea drinkers, and would be a great gift for the traveler in your life! (Enter our contest, and you could win one!)

Readers, what are you shopping for this holiday season?

It’s early in the week, but there are already some interesting travel stories out there.

CNN has an interesting look into the future of airport security. What does the future hold? Well, thermal lie detector tests and cloned drug and illness sniffing puppies, for starters. Yowza!

Worried about keeping clean on the road? MSNBC has a roundup of some very interesting products designed to keep you refreshed, germ free, and, well, less smelly.

Nuts About Southwest has a post with details about Southwest Airline’s long awaited Rapid Rewards Shopping. Today only earn double points when using the portal. Yay shopping!

Dry airplane air, late nights, red-eye flights, travel stress…. All of these can wreak havoc with your skin and hair. For me, looking my best helps a ton with confidence when I’m super stressed or busy.  That’s why it’s so important to have the right supplies on hand. With that in mind, here are the things I need the most for grooming while travel.

1. Moisturizer. I use Eminence Organics Caramel Latte Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25. It works amazingly well, plus it’s organic and smells amaaaazing. My skin just drinks it up after a long flight.
2. Mascara. It was hard to pick my favorite cosmetic! I love my Makeup Forever Aqua Cream eyeshadow, but if I had to pick one thing I would pick my mascara,  Lancome Hypnose in Black. It turns my short blond lashes into long, thick, eye-framing lashes that wake me up even more than a Venti Americano.
3. Curling iron. My hair is curly. Mostly. Well, it’s kind of in the middle–there are straight pieces and curly pieces. After years of trial and error, I’ve discovered it’s much easier to curl the straight pieces than straighten the curly pieces. So now my Revlon curling iron is MVP in my suitcase. One time I left it in a rental car trunk and didn’t realize until I was on the plane. I freaked out, and my first stop once I landed was Target to replace it.
4. Shampoo and conditioner. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I can’t use 95% of hotel-provided hair products–my hair is just too sensitive! I pour small amounts of my home products into refillable bottles and bring ‘em with me. Right now I’m using Aveda Be Curly shampoo and conditioner, and I love it.
5. Hydrating mist. For any flight over two hours, I make sure I have my Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist on hand. It refreshes my face, keeps me from getting dried out, and smells nice.
6. Honorable mention: For long-haul flights, I’ve got to have my Korres Pomegranate face wipes on hand. I love being able to get my face clean without using airplane bathroom water, which just feels kind of icky.

Okay Readers, now it’s your turn! What are your top five grooming necessities?

P.S.: I am guest posting on Corporette all week!! Check out the fun clothes I picked out for the morning TPS reports.

For some reason, I’m always surprised when I learn a new toiletry packing tip. I guess I think I’ve heard so many there cna’t possibly be any more! But they just keep coming. In the past, we’ve talked about using contact lens cases for small amounts of creams and liquids and soaking cotton balls with makeup remover. Here is one more genius space saving tip from Real Simple. Dip a q-tip into your eye shadow and put it in a plastic bag, saving even more room in your makeup bag. They suggest doing this to several q-tips, with concealer or lipstick as well, and keeping them all together. I don’t actually think that would work, as the various types and colors of makeup would rub off on each other. But certainly one q-tip can have a color on each side. This is a great idea for people who don’t use more than two eyeshadow colors most days.

It makes me wonder what great toiletry packing tips are around the corner. You can never save too much space!

Have you ever gotten to the airport and realized, “Dangit! I forgot my toothpaste/deodorant/razor?” I know I have. Well, that won’t be a problem anymore. If you forget some critical toiletry item, you can now purchase a replacement at GroomingZone. You all know I love a good vending machine (Sephora anyone?), and The New York Times calls it “The New Touch Face of Vending Machines.”  I would say it’s probably 20 times nicer than a mere vending machine, as GroomingZone does not disappoint. It has all kinds of products, including:

• Razors and shaving cream
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste, toothbrush,  and whitening strips
• Shampoo

Many products are available as stand alone or part of a nice little kit. Granted, a lot of the brands are more male-oriented, but there are definitely things here that ladies can use. They are also launching a more female-oriented BeautyBar at a variety of malls across the country on September 5. They sent me a lovely bag of sample goodies from the BeautyBar, and I can tell you that there will be some great products in there. (Maybe one will end up in an airport sometime? We shall see!)

GroomingZones have been set up at DFW in Terminal C (near Gate 28), SFO Terminal G, and ATL Terminal C.  So if you have a few minutes, or forget your toothpaste, check it out next time you’re at one of these airports.