Bathroom Essentials

     Even though I don't leave until Saturday, I already have my toiletries packed.  I can't pack my clothes yet because they will be rolled up and probably will wrinkle if I leave them like that too long.  However my toiletries are ready to go!  Until I leave, I just take out what I need and then put it back in its bag when I'm done.  So here's what I'm bringing:

I have a gallon-sized plastic zip bag filled with my liquids, which will go in my suitcase once it's packed.  The small black makeup bag and a quart-sized plastic zip bag with 3 oz. liquids, plus my toothbrush and my contact lenses case will go in my carry-on bag.

     Here is my small plastic bag that will go in my carry-on:

On one side (see above), you can see I have a mini toothpaste, eye drops and a box of spare contact lenses.  I can't sleep in my contacts so I will wear my glasses on the plane ride.  The pink case is for my toothbrush; I have a bit of an obsession with having clean teeth so that will go directly into my carry-on bag.  On the other side (below) are my contact solution, body spray and mini deodorant.  The body spray is a new favorite, Victoria's Secret PINK Spring Break in Passionfruit Hibiscus; it's fruity and a little sweet but subtle.  I was almost out of my full-sized deodorant so instead of buying a new one that I wouldn't be able to fit in the bag, I bought a mini one.  Remember that if you're travelling, you're only allowed liquids on the plane that are 3.4 ounces or less in a quart-sized clear zip top baggie!

     This is a contact lens case my friend Leah bought me for Christmas from Vera Bradley.  It helps me keep track of my plastic case when it's in my purse (or my carry-on) and the mirror inside is extremely convenient.  I will need this until the last minute so I will probably just toss this into the top of my backpack.

     I am a makeup junkie.  That being said, I feel I controlled myself pretty well in packing the minimum I will need.

I packed a BB cream because sometimes I need a little more coverage than my concealer pen can provide.  I still like simple makeup though that doesn't require a lot of fuss so BB cream was the way to go for this trip.  I can't live without powder; my T-zone gets oily during the day if I don't use it.  I packed a bronzer and a blush that will work for every day, no matter what I'm wearing.  I also packed two cream eyeshadows; again, even though I'm a makeup junkie I like simple products.  The Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara is a holy grail product for me; I usually just wear mascara on a day-to-day basis.  I wear liquid eyeliner quite often; I've never tried this one though so this trip will be its first test-drive.  The eyelash curler is also a must-have; I have thin asian lashes that point down so without the curler, I might as well have no lashes at all.  I also packed a pencil eyeliner but because it has a smudger on the opposite end, I didn't have to pack my smudger brush too!  Kill to birds with one stone!  Tweezers are a must, plus eyebrow gel to make sure I don't have a stray eyebrow hair sticking up.

      It all fits nicely into the small black bag, which can easily be wiped clean if anything explodes.  It seems like a lot but it all fits, I promise!  See?

     This is my large liquids bag.  This will be packed away in the  zipper pocket of my suitcase, so I technically don't have to worry if everything is less than 3.4 oz.  I believe everything in the bag actually is less than the limit, but it won't all fit in a quart-sized bag so I couldn't take it in my carry-on.

     My favorite facial cleansing wipes are these ones from Simple Skincare.  They're gentle, but take off all of my makeup with one swipe.  I'm big on exfoliating so I grabbed this mini apricot scrub from Target the other day.  The Garnier Skin Renew roller helps reduce puffiness under my eyes.  I may end up packing this in my carry-on baggie instead on second thought.  The contact lens case has facial moisturizer; I get a new lens case with each new bottle of lens solution so I use them for a multitude of things.  The regular is fairly large and with this moisturizer, a little goes a long way; I won't need a lot so this small lens case should suffice for two weeks.  My BB cream should be enough but in case I go out at night, I'm bringing a light coverage foundation as well.  The sunscreen seems like it won't be needed since it rains most days in England, but I always wear it if my arms or legs are exposed, in addition to my facial moisturizer that has SPF 15.

      I have sensitive skin, but also sensitive hair.  My hair is a bit strange; it's thick and straight, hard to style and dry at the end.  I use two shampoos, the combination of which helps with my roots from getting greasy (One bottle isn't filled yet because I have to buy more).  The conditioner is the end of my Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque; you apply it to clean, wet hair and rinse it out after seven minutes.  It has done wonders for my hair; I highly recommend it!  I've never tried the body wash, another purchase from the Target travel section.  It smelled good and as long as it does its job, it should be fine.  The disposable razors have scented handles and are colorful, both of which appealed to my girly side.  They will fit neatly into the top of the plastic bag, but I can throw them out when I'm abroad and won't have to worry about bringing them home again.

      My hair tangles easily in the shower so when I get out, my normal hairbrush often rips out my hair.  The purple brush is called The Wet Brush; I bought it at Sally's Beauty Supply but I know they are available in Ulta and Amazon.  The bristles are specially designed to detangle wet hair.  The other hairbrush is unfortunately necessary because the Wet Brush is too bendy when my hair is dry.  The hairspray isn't a favorite and I don't use it often, but the can is small (and therefore convenient) and sometimes my wispies get out of hand.

      My miscellaneous items include medicine and Downy Wrinkle Release spray.  This spray is a life-saver!  My family is not exactly one that loves ironing and I don't always have the time to do it myself.  It works far better than hanging it in the shower to steam.  Since my clothes will be rolled up, they will most likely be wrinkled when I take them out of the suitcase.  The medicine is prescription, but I will also be packing pain reliever and motion sickness medicine in my carry-on bag.

     Now the easy part is done.  I'm still struggling to decide what to wear on the plane but I think I have chosen the rest of my clothing.  I'll post them when I'm done packing the rest.