It’s a brand New Year, and there is no better way to kick it off with some bubbly, good friends and an upcoming hot holiday getaway. A well-planned escape from our never-ending winters works wonders for the body and soul, until you think about the stress of packing.
Our staff have pulled together all of our top holiday getaway packing tips, so you can breeze through and get into relaxation mode early (and keep your suitcase under 50lbs).
1. Pack travel-sized products. It might seem obvious, but packing smaller sizes of your favorite products can heavily reduce the amount of wasted space in your bag. You probably aren’t going to go through that 10 oz can of hairspray in 7 days are you? Many brands now offer smaller travel versions of your faves that are TSA compliant, so you can skip the checked bag (and extra fees) altogether and just bring your trusty carry-on.
2. Bring items with multiple uses. The easiest way to optimize your packing space is to pack items that can be used in numerous ways and avoiding redundancies. Sundresses that go from day to night with a change-up of jewelry, GOE oil that moisturizes hair and body, or a product like RMS Beauty’s Lip2Cheek which plays the role of blush and lip tint in one. Only bring the items that will have repeating value to you.
3. Roll up your clothes and optimize every space. It is amazing how much more you can fill your suitcase by being aware of how you place them in your bag. Rolling clothing items reduces their surface area, and enables them to tuck into extra spaces, such as shoes or pockets. Your toiletry bag should also be soft-sided and/or modular, so you can re-arrange it amongst your other items. (If you are worried about liquids getting squished and leaking, place shampoos, lotions and sunscreens in zippered sandwich bags, just in case.)
4. Pack according to your plans. What do you have scheduled? By evaluating your activity list you can decide whether or not you need to bring that formal evening outfit, or multiple swimsuits, as well as what products you bring. Ask yourself if you will be completing your normal routine and what products are essential and what can be left at home. If you are going on a 3-day hiking tour you probably don’t need red lipstick and nail polish, but you’ll need your Jack Black SPF lip balms and Principessa dry shampoo.
5. Bring a good sunscreen. This is the most important item for you to pack (even if it is the only item you bring). Though you should be wearing at least an SPF 15 on a daily basis (including wintertime) spending long hours in the hot sun on vacation requires good sun care. Sunburns are not only painful, but damaging to your skin. Our pick is Coola sunscreen, which has an amazing range of formulas depending on your needs, and facial sun screens as well. Remember to re-apply often. If you want to build a warm glow, try using a safe self tanner like St. Tropez paired with Prtty Peaushun for glowing skin that is damage free.
We’d love to hear your top packing secrets. Tell us in the comments your sure-fire way to pack smart for your holiday getaway.
Have a great time on your vacation and best wishes for 2014!