Happy Tuesday, friends. Hope you all had a great weekend! I'm pretty behind on work at the moment, so bear with me. Last week I got some tough news back home that deserved my attention so I put Friday's post on the back burner (to be shared at a later date). I'm also leaving for a week in Ireland tomorrow, which has been a lot more work than I thought it would be to get ready (obviously I've made myself right at home here in London these last 3 weeks!) Nonetheless, I thought it would be fun to shift gears a bit today and share some travel tips of a different sort.
I've never claimed to be any sort of "beauty blogger" but I'd like to think I've learned a thing or two about the topic when it comes to travel. You see, I'm a girly-girl, but living out of a suitcase means I still need to be able to get by without too many frills. As my travel schedule has changed and really picked up in the last year, I started to realize that my "beauty routine" (if you want to call it that) was naturally adapting with it. It no longer made sense for me to have drawers and drawers full of various product because it was too much of a hassle to tote it all around with me, so I've scaled everything down quite a bit.
If you've ever packed for a vacation before, you know how tricky this department can be. Do you pack your entire hair, skin and makeup regimen? Do you put everything in a travel size bottle or just throw the full-size guy in there? Will there be a hairdryer or should I pack my own? The questions go on and on.
As I slowly started to refine my routine, I decided to consult some experts in each field to help me decide which select "musts" I should pack everywhere I go, without overtaking my suitcase.
While I won't try to convert you to live like this on a day to day basis (if you want endless products to work with, by all means- go for it) I do think it's helpful to know some alternative options that you can adopt while traveling to make your life significantly more simple.
HAIR
I've been seeing Liz at The Yellow House Salon in East Nashville for years and years now. She understands how much I'm on the go, and I've always appreciated her ability to give me highlights that can last a while without my roots looking terrible .
Right before this long leg in Europe, I went in for a final refresh to last me through the next few months. She did a heavy blonde balayage with focus pieces around the face and a soft root tint glaze to help minimize demarcation from grow out, and make for a smooth and easy, low maintenance travel season.
She also helped me pinpoint which products were my "musts" (I have fine hair so we opted for this Kevin Murphy Full Again Volumizing Lotion and then my very favorite, Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray
She also helped me put together a list of some travel tips for your hair when you're living out of a suitcase for a little bit (even if it's a week- not 3+ months!)
1. SKIP THE CONVERTER:
Her (and now also mine) número uno tip for international travel is to skip the converter and just buy a mediocre flat iron/wand/curling iron when you arrive. After witnessing my friend Sarah burn off a huge chunk of her hair in Paris last year, I couldn't agree with this advice more! Even if you don't burn off your hair, it will save you from burning up your expensive hair tools. You just never know how the converter will work- so avoid rolling the dice and take this little nugget of wisdom. I found a cheap curling iron in Croatia for less than €30 and it does the trick just fine.
2. SKIP A BLOW DRY FOR TOUSLED HAIR
While most places will usually have a hairdryer, you can't always guarantee how great it will be. With that said, packing your own hairdryer is a HUGE pain (skip it if you can). Instead, try packing a beach spray like Kevin Murphy's Hair Resort Spray and a little serum like Oribe's Gold Lust Serum. The combo of these products helps you skip a blow dry and keeps hair low-maintenance while still giving you that sexy tousled bed-head look.
3. DRY SHAMPOO IS QUEEN
If you haven't already tried dry shampoo, your life is about to change for the better. Not only is it a huge time suck to wash and dry your hair everyday, it's also not great for your hair. Having a product like Oribe's new Gold Lust Dry Shampoo is a MUST, for when you need to be on the go and still look fresh (another perk: fewer washes means you don't need to pack much shampoo.) If I told you the number of days I can go without washing my hair, you may actually be disgusted, so I'll just keep that as my little secret...
If you're wanting to minimize product even more, you can always skip the dry shampoo and simply opt for Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray... Well because it's hair crack, and once you try it, you wouldn't ever go without it! It's the ultimate quick hair style re-fresher (although it's worth noting that while it does have a similar impact as dry shampoo, it's not actually dry shampoo- so don't expect to be able to go as long without needing a wash!)
Liz, her husband Kris and the entire Yellow House team know what they're doing when it comes to hair. If you're in the Nashville area and looking for an awesome set of hands to love on your locks, book them for a service below!
SKIN
As much as I love to travel, let's just say my skin doesn't as much. It always looks it's best when I'm at home- eating a healthy diet, getting my monthly microderm facials, and allowing it to adjust to one climate rather than jumping from dry to humid every other day.
So right before I left for Europe, I met with Niki Johnson, my aesthetician, about what I need to know before I go. Now because of her words of wisdom paired with weeks of my own personal experience, I've learned these musts:
1. BRING YOUR OWN PILLOWCASE
I now officially swear by this, as the cleaning lady at our flat in London recently took mine by mistake and now my skin is breaking out like there's no tomorrow. Even if you don't think your skin is sensitive to detergent, you don't know what kind they'll be using wherever you stay. There are tons of chemicals and fragrances in most detergents and more often than not, your skin isn't going to like them.
Niki recommended the Skin Laundry Sleepcycle Pillowcase that I now bring with me everywhere. It has an innovative natural anti-microbial effect that reduces bacteria by 99.9 to help prevent breakouts, absorb oil, dirt, germs and dead skin cells from your face. For longer trips (like this one) I also pack a small bottle of All Free & Clear to wash the pillowcase and my own washcloth I bring from home. When I stick to this, I can notice a drastic improvement in my skin compared to when I don't.
2. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE
I know this probably goes without saying, but you need to be drinking water like it's your job. While you need to be doing this anyway (I won't go into the laundry list of reasons because it's pretty obvious, right?) it's even more important while traveling. The travel environment is responsible for significant water loss (aircraft cabin humidity levels are so low... like, even lower than the Sahara Desert!) Not only does deydration lead to chapped skin, increased wrinkles, fatigue, headaches and all sorts of other terrible things, but it also exaggerates jetlag. Always carry a bottle in your purse and drink as. much. as. you can.
3. FACEWASH + SUNSCREEN
There are TONS of products you can buy: anti-aging serums, moisturizers, masks, cleansers, toners... ahhhh I'm overwhelmed just typing this. But Niki has taught me that less, good quality product is better than lots of products. So all I packed for my "regimen" was 3 simple products: cleanser, sunscreen, and a topical cream to treat blemishes.
For my particular skin type, we opted for Circ-Cell's geothermal clay cleanser to really do the job of removing all the dirt, oil and impurities my skin picks up over the day. For sunscreen, Niki recommends Elta MD UV Clear because it's oil free so it protects from sun while preventing breakouts. Last, we found a prescription topical cream that my skin has responded well to (but you should make your "packing list" based on a tailored recommendation for your skins needs).
Regardless of your skin type, investing in a good cleanser and sunscreen are the two most important products you need while traveling.
4. EUROPEAN PHARMACIES ARE WHERE IT'S AT
Since I'm gone longer than most and don't have space in my suitcase for normal luxuries like my Circ Cell Red Algae Clarifying Masque, Niki advised me to make the most of European pharmacies (especially in France). The skincare in France is next level and there are so many great brands (like Vichy or La Roche Posay) that sell more product variety in Europe than they do in the states. I've loved finding clarifying masques (sold in individual packets!) by each of these brands at various pharmacies (although be sure to pay attention to the ingredients and what your skin will respond well to-don't get too adventurous!) So if your skin needs some extra love from extensive travels, enjoy taking advantage of these little perks we can't get in the states (you can even bring some home with you!)
Niki is truly talented at what she does and has helped me drastically with my skin (I am missing her so much while I'm away!) If you're interested in learning more about customizing your skins needs, book an appointment to see her at Hyde Salon in Belle Meade (Nashville, TN).
MAKE UP
It doesn't really make sense for me to tell you what to bring or not to bring in terms of make up. This is one category where we're all going to have different preferences, so you do you. With that said, I would advise allowing yourself one standard size cosmetic bag (something you can fit in your purse) and nothing more. I've managed to fit an entire NAKED eyeshadow palette in mine, so you can still get creative with how you pack it all in.
But one cosmetic "hack" that will save you some space in that bag is lash extensions. While most people get them for an event or special occasion, I love having them all year long (call me high-maintenance if you want, but don't knock it 'til you try it). When I have lashes I shave tons of time off getting ready everyday, because I don't have to apply eyeliner or mascara. My travel companions often comment on how quickly I can get ready, and I'd attribute a good bit of that equation to the time I save here.
You don't have to get crazy long lashes that are obviously fake. They come in all sorts of lengths and curl options- ranging from totally natural to glam and Kardashian-esque (if that's the look you're going for). I go to Wink in Nashville, and Jordan and her team do an awesome job giving you lashes to fit your desired look. If you're in the area and interested in giving lashes a try, pay them a visit!
Full disclosure: for the best look you need to get a fill every 3-4 weeks. I'm gone for so long that I knew it would be tricky to find a place I trust as much as Jordan at WINK in parts of the world where they barely speak English. So I'm taking a break from my beloved lashes for a few months (until I'm home anyway). If you're going to be gone longer than a month, this hack may not apply to you.
I know there are tons of other "hacks" I haven't included (some because I haven't explored yet) but I've found these tips + tricks above to be extremely helpful while traveling. I'm sure that I'll learn more along the way, and I'll share them with you when I do!
In the meantime, I'm off to do one last yoga class at Lumi Power Yoga (an awesome studio I found here in London) before I pack up for Ireland! Hope you all are having a great week, and as always- thanks for stopping by!
xo
Whitney
