When and Where

Today's prompt from NaBloPoMo on BlogHer: When or where do you feel most like yourself?

While I do tend to prefer staying at home when I'm not working, it's when I'm traveling that I feel most like myself.  I get so into the experience that I don't think about how others see me as much.  Not that I spend too much time thinking about that, but I have my self-conscious moments and/or times when I'm trying to behave (at work, mostly).  When I travel, I'm just doing and going and enjoying every moment just as I am.  I don't pause to think about being comfortable on my couch at home, I just want to get out and do things and see what I can, while I can (meaning, while I don't have to worry about being at work the next day, running errands, doing chores, etcetera).

DIY First Aid Travel Kit

I try really hard to not pack absolutely everything, but I also believe in being prepared.  With the weather getting warmer here, I just overhauled my at-home first aid kit - checking for expired product and making sure I'm not running out of anything.  This time around I had to pick up bandages, sterile gauze pads, antiobiotic ointment (Neosporin), gauze tape and Mylanta (always a part of my kit).  It also put me in mind to create my own first aid kit for travel.

While I've always brought a few things with me, I've never really sat down to figure out what I should be taking.  Obviously, I won't have room for a complete kit, but I can take the basics with me for planes, trains and (road trips in) automobiles.  Here is what I put in my kit and why:

Neo To Go spray protects against infection with a bit of pain relief.  It doesn't sting or require touching the wound.  And while it does have to go in my TSA baggie, I have plenty of room for it thanks to my obsession with solid products.  A couple of antiseptic wipes go into the kit because sometimes you need to clean up a bit.  I also pack a travel sized tube of Neo To Go ointment in my checked bag if I'm going to have scrapes from my adventures to treat while on the road (as it were).  Or...because I'm paranoid.

       

While my prescriptions have to travel in their pharmacy bottles (when you go through customs, this makes life easier), I use teensy Ezy-Dose disposable pill pouches to carry a few Aleve, Aspirin and Excedrin Migraine in my kit.  This way I can carefully label them and they don't take up much room.

For blister prevention, I have a few squares of Moleskin and Julep Doublestep Foot Treatment Stick (Band-Aid makes something similar) in my checked bag, but that's more about prevention.  For treating a blister on the go, I always keep a few Band-Aid Activ-Flex bandages on me. They're thin, flexible and waterproof. 

I also take a couple each of various bandages for knuckles, toes, fingers, etcetera, in addition to your basic small, medium and large sizes.  And I only get the sheer, waterproof kind.

In my on-plane beauty kit, I always carry a few things to hydrate and soothe, but you may choose to put them in your First Aid Kit instead.



My favorite eye drops are by Rohto.  Amazon doesn't have the ones I got, but your local drugstore probably will.  The key is to find eye drops that will hydrate and little else.


I recently tried saline nasal gel to prevent dryness and really liked the one I picked up by Ayr, since it has aloe in it.  I've read some frequent travelers' raves about lining the inside of their nose with this kind of gel for hydration (which, in turn, is said to help prevent catching something on the plane).  Make sure to bring a few cotton swabs for application.

While you can't pack for all possible accidents, you should pack for the kind of adventures you have  planned.  If you think a pack of steri-strips are a wise investment, then those should be in your kit.  If you're like my dad and think sticking nasal gel into that particular cavity is just plain weird, then consider investing in a spray.  No matter what you bring, make sure it's only enough to fill a quart size bag.  That way you won't overpack and regret the loss of space.

With a bevy of bandages, wipes and packets of ointment, the Coleman All Purpose First Aid Tin is great for road trips, camping and hiking, as well as kind of adorable.  However, you'd have to remove the safety pins and razors for a plane trip.  Either way, I honestly think it's better to raid your own at-home kit and create a travel version tailored to your needs.  Will you be walking a lot?  Hiking?  Likely to get bitten by bugs?  Think ahead and plan accordingly.

In other news, I've just realized that my quart-size, TSA-approved bag o' liquids will only contain 4 things: travel antiseptic spray, nasal gel, eye drops and my greatest savior: a small spritzer of toner water to rehydrate my skin.  That's not enough to fill the bag, so I'm pretty pleased!

And now for you guys - do you bring a first aid kit with you when you travel?  Is it a pre-made one or DIY?  What do you make sure always goes in it?

Do Me a Solid

In preparation for my trip to Italy this Spring, I'm going to be writing a lot about travel prep.  I am a very anxious traveler, so the more planned out everything is, the better for me.  This is also a chance for me to talk about something I truly love: stuff.  While I am trying to be more minimalist in my home, I admit to having a mad affair with travel accessories and other such products.  Because of my shopaholic past, I've also owned quite a few different things and have a lot to say about them.

I have written about solid beauty products before, but this time I'm going to do more showing than telling.  

You can either pack all of your favorite liquid and gel products into tiny containers, then into the TSA approved plastic baggie...

 

 
 

 
 
Or you can pack these full size solid products in your carry on (purchase all Lush Handmade Cosmetics items from Lush.com for better prices and to make sure you're getting the real thing):

From the top of the solids we have toothpaste, facial cleanser, a shampoo bar, solid conditioner, a bar of my favorite soap which doubles fabulously as shaving cream, a scrubby bar that also moisturizes, a lotion bar (for those who don't want scrub), a solid facial serum and a tin of lip balm that I've used on cuticles and flyaway hairs just as well.

Now here's an idea

Traveling with a netbook or even worse a heavy laptop computer when you're going to another country just does not sound appealing to me.  What I had not considered until about two minutes ago is that I can just use the option on my iPhone to speak into it instead of typing.  So when I go to Italy in April for my brothers wedding and to spend time with my mother I think that this is the best way to do things.  I won't have to use my mother's computer, as it is the only one in the house, it won't take me very long to write everything, and though I will have to edit - it won't be very much.  So this is my test run.   There won't be any fun pictures of course in this case - I'll have to figure out how I'm going to do that later - but I think this is going to work pretty damn well.

Now let's see if I can figure out how to post this sucker.

Ooo, here's how to post a picture!

Online notes:  

I don't know what happened with the fonts up there, but it's not the end of the world.  

What I was trying to say, but am a little foggy-headed right now, is that using an iOS device's ability to convert talk to text will mean I can just bring my iPhone - no computer needed.  Since I only have two weeks in Italy this April, I want to limit what I'm bringing with me.  And since I'm attending a wedding, I'll be losing some space to things I'll only wear the once while there (heels, foundation garments, a dress).

I'm going to create a new board for LostGirls on Pinterest for travel tips and such.  If you have anything to share along those lines, it would be much appreciated.  While I have been to Italy twice (Mary lives there, so I always have a place to stay), I am a bit of a nervous traveler when I'm going overseas.

We bought the tickets today, which has just made it real for me and now I'm freaking out because I'm so damn excited.  

Also, the apps for learning Italian that are designed for kids are perfect for me.

The Chosen Few

While packing for my trip to Seattle, I got to thinking about the products I have to have at home that aren't really necessary on the road.  I realized that I could slim down my toiletry bag and still be happy with the contents.  Of course, there are certain things I like to have with me in certain places, depending on climate or the like.  I wouldn't last a day in Park City (Utah) without some serious moisturizers - we're talking about a place where it's so dry that fleas can't survive.  And the hard water at Mary's place in Genoa (Italy) drives my skin crazy, so I have to bring every calming, soothing item I can think of.

Inspired by this internal discussion, I decided to put it out there to some of the Lost tribe.  Here are the three (or a bit more) beauty items we can't live without:

Meg:

Dove Soap Gentle Exfoliating!  Mmm...it smells so fresh and leaves my skin super soft.

Burt's Bees Original Lip Balm.  Tingly.  Perfect.  I use it all day, even under gloss or lipstick and at night, before bed.  My lips are hella kissable.  

Lubriderm Sensitive Skin Lotion.  Obviously moisturizing is a priority in my life.

 

Jodi: 

Philosophy Lip Gloss: a ton of great colors, scents and flavors! I am a lip gloss junkie, but have at least one (sometimes more) in my bag,

Makeup drawer and makeup bag at all times. 

LUSH Whoosh Shower Jelly: I know most people do not get it, but this is the PERFECT morning shower pick me up! 

Miss Jessie's Quick Curl: I first got this in a Birchbox and am so happy I did.  This styling cream sets and holds my curls perfectly.  I get tons of compliments when I use it! 

Wow! That was really hard!!! It was fun too, though!  

           

Jessica I.:

Fresh Sugar Lip Tint in Honey - A nude tint that is moisturizing and long lasting.  I also love the way it feels. 

I also love Burt's Bees Lip Balm, I think it's the "revitalizing" one, for when my lips really get out of control.  

I've been using the ShiKai shampoos and conditioners for a while now and I love them - they really do add highlights to your color.  

I also like Tarte's Amazonian line, but I cut it with a moisturizer.

And then there's me, the Jess who has two lists for you (all the products on this list are featured in the YouTube playlist, above).  First, the at home must-haves:

LUSH Blousey Shampoo:  It wasn't intended as a 2-in-1, but that's how I use it and it has made my scalp and curls equally happy.

LUSH Imperialis Facial Moisturizer: Just the right amount of hydration for my skin and takes all the red out.  I have a whole sensitive skin routine, but I've discovered that taking this out is a huge mistake.

LUSH Honey Trap Lip Balm: I love the honey/vanilla flavor, but you have to try it on to discover the light mint finish.  I am also a huge fan of Fresh Sugar Lip Tint in Honey, but if I had to choose only one lip product, it would be Honey Trap.  Nothing I've tried moisturizes as well, not to mention that it has some serious staying power without involving too much science (only safe synthetics here!).

But I have a whole different set of must-haves for travel:

Then the travel must-haves (I could survive anywhere with just these four items):

LUSH Full of Grace Serum Bar:  Soothing, preservative-free, solid moisturizing bar for my super sensitive facial skin.  I also used it as a wash when dealing with hard water and it was fantastic (though that is certainly not its intended use).  I keep one on hand to put under face masks, but in a pinch I could use it as moisturizer, cleanser, and even lip balm.

LUSH Honey I Washed the Kids Hand and Body Soap:  The soap that turned me away from shower gels!  HIWtK (as I will now call it) glides over skin, provides plenty of lather without drying skin out, and smells divine.  I also shave with it (though, again, not its intended use).

LUSH Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub:  LUSH has a lot of wonderful products for exfoliating, but Ocean Salt does it all.  This flexible scrub can be softened with a bit of warm water (for sensitive skins) and smells like a margarita.  I use it on my face a few times a week and on the rest of me daily.  

LUSH Chou Chou...I Love You Toothy Tabs:  Although it isn't on my must-have list, the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner is one of my favorite things...in life.  The lemon in it keeps the rose from smelling too floral, instead it smells like a rosy-lemony confection.  When I travel, I take Chou Chou Toothy Tabs with me because they have that rose and lemon confection flavor goin' on and they're solid so I don't have to worry about putting them in my plastic baggie o' liquids.  

Does anyone out there have some favorites you'd like to share?  We'd love to hear from you!