What I've Loved This Month: The Travel Essentials Edition

The bits I take everywhere with me and the tips that will make you feel like your most organised self.

I had hoped to get a New York-style observations deep-dive live today, but sit tight, paid subs, because that’s coming your way next week. In the meantime, I thought I’d drop in with a travel-themed monthly favourites, seeing as summer holiday season is just around the corner, and my trip to New York worked as a test-run to remind me of what’s a true essential when I travel and what’s not (yes my luggage was 30kg on the way out - I was rusty! It had been a while!). Here’s what I’ll be packing for next time…

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I mean, obviously, I’m very into the colour palette.

I categorically do not travel without some combination of these travel tubes in my beauty bag (I can’t find the exact ones I bought because I’ve had them for years, but these* or these* look very similar). I use them to decant my larger toiletries - cleansers, body oils, shower gels, shampoos - into smaller, lighter vessels. Then, when I get home, if anything remains, I squeeze it back into its original bottle and wash these up, ready for next time. They always make me feel like a packing pro.

All toiletries go into the Space NK Large Travel Bag*, my makeup stays in its usual Makeup Bag*, and I pop any travel essentials into this Mini Travel Bag*, keeping it in my handbag for the duration of the trip.

The secret to feeling v.organised.

I carry this Space NK Mini Travel Bag* at all times anyway, but on holiday it really comes in handy. I used to pack the kitchen sink beauty-wise for the plane - a full skincare routine! - but now I just take this and accept I’m going to be dry and spotty at the other end, no matter what I do. Inside I keep:

• A little pill box with paracetamol and mints.

• A mini mirror, a tampon, a spoolie and tissues.

• A mini hand cream and cuticle balm.

• A travel-size perfume*.

• A lip balm - it’s always this*.

• A pen, a hairband and blister plasters.

• A tide pen* - I didn’t pack that many pairs of trousers and one of them was white denim, so it definitely came in handy in NY!

• …and most importantly, an unsexy hand sanitiser that eliminates Norovirus germs.

Proud of myself for being ready so early, I managed to have a full-on photoshoot with my hand luggage.

I used to look like I was moving in when I got on the plane. These days, if I’m checking my luggage, then I like to go for a less-is-more approach with what’s coming in the cabin with me. Those seats are small! Maybe it’s the EasyJet luggage restrictions rubbing off on me? I’d rather just have a handbag that I can lodge on the floor in front of me and dip into throughout the trip, rather than need to keep getting up to fish around my bag in the overhead lockers. I usually board with just a handbag and a tote of snacks (snacks > plane food).

A fully loaded Kindle is a travel MUST!!

I never leave my Kindle at home. It comes everywhere with me (and if I ever forget it, I just use the Kindle app on my phone). It’s a travel non-negotiable. These days, I have my next reads locked and loaded, so I never need to faff around with the WiFi. Here are some recent reads I’d rate:

• ‘One & Only’ by Maurene Goo - if you fancy a bit of romance.

• ‘Lost Lambs’ by Madeline Cash - a weird and wonderful small-town family saga.

• ‘Exit Lane’ by Erika Veurink - a NYC-based snappy love story.

• ‘We All Want Impossible Things’ by Catherine Newman - be prepared to CRY.

• ‘The Safekeep’ by Yael van der Wouden - months later, and I’m still thinking about this book.

And here’s what I’ve got ready to go:

• ‘Strangers’ by Belle Burden

• ‘Big Nobody’ by Alex Kadis

• ‘In Her Defence’ by Philippa Malicka

  • I’m pretty sure these three recs come from Pandora and/or Grace, who are usually the ones I turn to for the best book reviews!

• Every few months, I check Amazon for the upcoming ‘831 Stories’ releases and pre-order them all so they download directly when they come out. Sexy novellas! As a publisher, they never disappoint.

Tell me you’re Type A without telling me you’re Type A.

Your digestion takes a complete walloping when you’re away, so if there are particular things you do for it at home, replicate them when you’re away, too. I start my days with a protein powder*/Athletic Greens*/collagen powder concoction that looks a little like mud, and I try my best to sling it back 365 days a year. So when I travel, I decant my powders into these containers* and pop all my daily supplements in here*. I throw them into a ziplock bag and into my case, and my daily sludge routine continues.

We can’t buy melatonin over the counter here in the U.K, but if I’m travelling and there’s a time difference, then I’m taking a little before bed (I just stock up every time I’m in the U.S!). I know it feels like everyone is on the Lemme Sleep* payroll, but I was getting in a solid seven hours while I was away, which is unheard of with the time difference.

Both animal print, durrrrr. This Zebra Print Tote* is an obvious monthly fave.

For actual packing, I’m not as organised as you’d think. Sure, I have a list, but I rarely use packing cubes, and there isn’t much rhyme or reason to my strategy beyond clothing on one side and everything else on the other. But I guess there are a few packing mantras I stand by:

• You rarely need more than two bags. One larger tote that can serve as your carry-on, beach bag, and day handbag whilst you’re away, and one small clutch for evenings. The free makeup bags you get with your first MERIT order* are handy because they fold completely flat.

• If there’s a gym at the hotel, I usually pack one set of workout gear, even if I plan on working out multiple days - I just air it out in the room after each session (and use my spray - see below). I’m not much of a runner, so I can usually get away with packing my Converse*, which means they can do double duty as my trainers for the rest of the trip, too.

• I try to pack more lounge-y pyjamas rather than pyjama pyjamas, in case I ever need to grab something from reception or leave my room - it spares me changing. I love the Coucou Cotton Jersey Pants* with your favourite oversized band tee on top.

• I take the ByMATTER Another Day Spray* with me on every trip that I go on. An odour-eliminating spray, it’s exactly what you need if you plan on packing light and sweat profusely (that’s me!!). And it actually works. Tried and tested, baby!!

• One charging cube will mean you don’t need to pack 19 adapters with you, and just the odd one or two. Something like this* is what I use at home next to my nightstand, so I just unplug it and take it as it is, so I know I’m not forgetting any charging cables I might need.

• Pack some kind of home comfort that’s completely unnecessary but makes you feel good. Maybe it’s your slippers? A boujee scent that doesn’t come in a travel size? For me, it’s my body brush*. Could I go four days without body brushing? SURE. But I crave it in the mornings, and each time I used it, I was grateful that I’d packed it.

This line-up pretty much comes with me everywhere.

…and finally, perhaps my most important monthly favourite.

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