TRAVEL ESSENTIALS THAT ARE ALWAYS IN MY SUITCASE

Travel is a word that has not been on many of our lips for the past two years. We’ve stayed put for the most part, and traveling was something that came to a screeching halt. I have just started to travel, and I’ve already got a few trips planned for this year. The travel essentials that I take on a trip might vary slightly since the items I would need for a ski vacation might differ from the items I take to the beach.

I’m going to be sharing with you the travel essentials that I took with me to Belize, and many of them are the same as when I travel to my mom and dads. These are not clothing items, they are the items that we need OTHER than clothing.

Garment Steamer

This Handheld Garment Steamer is AWESOME! It puts out as much steam as the large standing steamer that I use every day. The steamer produces steam very quickly, and even though it doesn’t hold a huge amount of water, I can usually steam two items before I need to refill. This is lightweight and doesn’t add a lot of weight to my suitcases which can be a big deal when you are flying. I’ve tried other handheld steamers that had great reviews, and this one is hands-down my favorite.

Banded Straw Visor is perfect for windy days and has a stretchy elastic band to help hold the visor on tight. Plus, the wide brim is great for keeping the sun out of your eyes. The inside of the band has a cotton lining, so the straw isn’t scratchy against your skin. This is the hat that I wore most when traveling on the golf cart.

I love the size of the Wide Brim Straw Hat! It looks great while walking on the beach or lounging by the pool. Even though I have a large head (no comments), the hat fits me great. I ordered the M/L, which fits me great. The Summer Rafia Fedora hat is excellent for keeping the sun from beating down on you, but let’s be honest…it is the style factor that we all love. The wide brim hat is the one that I wore most at the pool, and the fedora is what I wore when we went to eat.

Handbags and Totes

I always try to travel with a crossbody handbag. Crossbody bags make it convenient to keep your bag close by, and it frees up your hands for carrying other things such as your luggage. The neutral leather crossbody clutch that I took with me is one that I bought from Chico’s last year. I like this size since it will carry my phone/wallet, sunglasses, lip SPF, or any small items that I might need. This one is no longer available, but I found several that I really like, and I’ve already got the ivory one in my cart.

Because I came to the beach, I wanted to bring a large Straw Tote. I love the modern style of this tote, and it was plenty big enough to carry everything I needed for the pool and beach. Plus, it looked great with all my summer outfits since it is a neutral color. The tote also comes in black and a lighter color.

Waterproof Shoes

Waterproof shoes might not be something that you need if you are going skiing, instead, you would need warm waterproof boots. The tan pair of Crocs are a pair that I’ve had for a while, and I like that you can walk in the water, etc. without them coming off. The white pair is one that I bought this year, and I liked that I could easily put them on and kick them off when I went to the pool. I sized up one size after reading reviews, and they fit me great. Both of these shoes looked fine to wear out to lunch, so I wore them almost the entire time we were in Belize. Here are some similar Crocs like the tan pair that I have.

Ear Buds

These babies go with me on every trip, even if it is only back to Grundy for the day. I use them to talk on the phone, listen to Audible books or YouTube posts, as a noise-canceling device when others are talking and I am trying to work, and on the airplane for the same reason. I use these so much that I even have a backup pair in case these get lost or damaged. I have Apple products, so I use their AirPods, but my daughter uses Samsung Galaxy Buds, and says they are her favorite. I keep mine in a bright red silicone case so they are easy to see.

Sunglasses

When I travel to the beach, I take cheap sunglasses with me. I know that they might fall in the water, or get dropped on concrete or in the sand. Scratches are inevitable, so I don’t wear my RayBans there, but I do take them when I go to my mom’s or Grundy. The large oversized pair is part of a 3-pack and the Black Pair has a chic and modern look to them.

Sunscreen

Sun protection is necessary every day, but especially so if you are at the beach, lake, or pool. This is the first time that I’ve tried either of these products and while I wasn’t wild about the scent of the PLAY SPF 30 sunscreen, I didn’t get sunburned. The Elta MD Skincare SPF 40 was one that I had heard a lot about, and I liked it a lot. Normally, I use sunscreen by Rodan and Fields, but I made the mistake when I placed my order and sent everything to the house in Grundy. So, my daughter picked up the Play one for me when she was at Ulta, and I had the Elta MD that I bought years ago but never used.

Lip Care

If you’ve ever had your lips sunburned, then you understand why these products made my list. I always put the Rodan + Fields Lip Shield (2-pack) in my cart when I’m placing orders. Joe uses these too for golfing, so we go through them often. The Dior Lip Sugar Scrub feels amazing on your lips. There is a slight exfoliating scrub when you apply the balm, and then you are left with 24-hour hydration. I have the Glow Pink color that is hardly even noticeable.

Moisturizing Lotion

The sun dries out your skin and since I already have dry skin, I make sure to take moisturizing lotion with me on my trips. I usually use the Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Lotion before I apply faux-tanner, so I stuck it in the suitcase for my trip. I do take lotion with me when I go to my mom’s also, with skin this dry you always need moisturizing lotion!

Dental Hygiene

I know that all of you take a toothbrush and toothpaste with you on a trip, so this is not earth-shattering. However, I get asked a lot about my teeth and how I keep them white(ish). I love Colgate Optic White Renewal 10X whiter teeth toothpaste, and Joe loves it too. I can’t tell you 100% that it works, but I like it and am going to continue using it. The toothbrush is not important, it is the Antibacterial Toothbrush Cover that I wanted to show you. Like the toothpaste, I can’t tell 100% that the Antibacterial thing works, but it keeps my toothbrush from getting dirty in my drawer and in the travel case.

At home, one of my very favorite new products is the Waterpik Sonic Fusion 2-0 toothbrush and flosser in one. I have extremely tight teeth on top, but near the base of my gums, they are far apart. I am all of the time cutting my cums because I am trying to get the floss between my teeth, and I have to use so much pressure to get them between my teeth that the momentum causes me to cut my gums. I picked up the Waterpik combo and I am soooo thrilled that I did. Joe is a skeptic and refuses to try it, but it works wonders. I used it the first time, and then I went behind the flosser with regular dental floss. The water flosser did a great job and got everything that was between my teeth. You can adjust the water pressure, and you can also draw blood if the pressure is too high, so start with the lower pressure and build up.

Razor

My daughter took my Billie Razor with her when she went to the other adventures, so I used Joe’s razor instead. Don’t tell him that I used it, he is very territorial about his razor. Lol! What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him!!!

Waterproof Makeup

Since this trip was to the beach, I took along some waterproof makeup. I use Essence Princess Lash Mascara all of the time, but on this trip, I brought the Essence False Lash Effect Mascara. Normally, I don’t wear waterproof mascara because it is hard to remove, and I don’t want to pull out any lashes. But, I hate raccoon eyes at the pool, so I brought this along and it worked great. I also used the By Terry Waterproof Eyeliner so that my eyes would show up even in the pool. And, although it isn’t marketed as waterproof or water-resistant, the Brow Defining Boost by Rodan + Fields stays on even if your sweat, get caught in the rain, or take a dip in the pool.

Skincare

My skincare goes with me on every trip, no matter if I’m only spending one night. I started using Rodan and Fields in February or March of 2016, and I became a consultant with them for the discount in May. I love their products, and if you’ve seen my photos from 2015 until now, you will understand why. Here are the products that I use daily:

If you are interested in using the same products that I use, I would love to be your consultant. R+F offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Until the end of the month, I’ll be reimbursing the $19.95 enrollment fee for becoming my Preferred Customer. Here is how you order:

1. Go to my website
2. Take the solutions tool or, pick your products
3. At checkout, check the box that says, JOIN PC PERKS
4. Fill out billing and shipping info
5. Make sure to hit the SUBMIT ORDER button

I will reimburse you by PayPal, Venmo, or a check.

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