How I Travel Light

I am no stranger to the world of travel. My long distance relationship, although challenging, has some travel perks. I’m constantly visiting my boyfriend in LA, or meeting in a different city for the weekend. With all these quick trips, I do everything I can to avoid checking a bag and travelling with only 2 pieces of carry-ons. A black zip up tote from Forever XXI and a black carry on luggage. My black Forever XXI tote was a total fluke because I found it in the clearance section for $14.99 and I love it! This is closest bag I could find for you guys with a similar style to mine (a little more expensive), but worth the money if it’s a multi purpose bag for you! You can view that product here.

The hardest thing when it comes to carry-ons is managing toiletries and liquids. Those damn liquids get you every time, especially when you have to cram them all in that mandatory plastic bag. Contrary to popular belief, liquid make-up does not count as a liquid! Trust me, I’ve never had an issue with my make-up in my carry-on. I take my liquid foundation, concealers, primers, and anything else that you might classify as a “liquid” on the plane with me. Powders, blushes, and mascara are no problem. Don’t bring your sharp tweezers or brow trimming scissors, security will take those away (I learned the hard way!)

Now that you know all this new info, the next thing that’s important is finding the perfect bag to hold your makeup. The right bag will make all the difference when trying to compact everything nice and tight. I used to spend a lot of money on beauty bags, until I randomly found the perfect one for all my products and brushes at CVS. Keep your eyes peeled when your at a department store, you might find a good one when you’re not looking!

Are you guy subscribed to Ipsy? If, not subscribe here. Ipsy sends out a monthly glam bag full of samples of all types of makeup, creams, serums, hair oils, polish, you name it! The sample size products are amazing for travelling and the glam bag itself comes in handy for little things like lip-gloss, brow pencils, sharpeners, bobby pins, and extra pony tails (not just the one on my wrist!). Oh, speaking of ponytails… did you can take your blow dryer and flat iron in your carry-on? You can! #bestever

Are you obsessed with Sephora products (I mean who isn’t)? Ask the staff to score you a sample size of a cream, mask, or toner that you love. Perfumes, too! Ask any department store for samples left and right, even when you don’t need one so you can stock up for when you do. I’ve found the best mini containers from Michael’s and they are great for things like eye creams and eye serums. See the round honey looking stuff in the photo below? That little container is from Michael’s, it’s great for any product.  As far as shampoos, conditioners, and lotions, scoop up a travel size! Although all these samples sound like a lot of stuff, you’ll be surprised how much you can fit in that plastic bag.

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Now that we’ve dealt with toiletries and liquids, clothes are the easy part. Learn to pre-pack! I always organize my outfits a couple days before I actually leave. Lay them all out on the floor and do your best to pick clothes that can be mixed and matched to create about 4-5 different outfits (depending on the length of your trip) and eliminate pieces you know you aren’t going to wear. Same goes for shoes. Take a couple pairs that you can wear with all your outfits. Do you guys know the roll method? Roll the shit out of those clothes, nice and tight and pack them neatly in your luggage. Save some serious space by putting socks and underwear in your shoes.

I ditch my everyday purse because it’s filled with a bunch of shit I don’t actually need and swap it for a mini clutch (see above photo) that doubles as a wallet (I use this one from Danier). Danier has always been one of my favorite stores for leather purses and I’m sad to announce they are closing all their locations. On the bright side, because of this their entire store is up to 70% off! Score the mini clutch I have for only $62.10 (regular $99!).  I love that it’s so lightweight and I can fit in my I.D and credit cards perfectly. There’s enough room in there for my phone and favorite lip-gloss, too.  I love the gold body chain to add a little sophistication to your outfits and feel secure having it strapped across your bod carrying your most prized possessions.

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Master these skills and you’ll be travelling like a pro!

Visit Danier for killer deals on leather goods here.

Sign up for Ipsy and try hundreds of products for less than $20/month here.

 

Do you have tips to maximize your carry-on space?

 

Chia-Sig