by Wendy
I have friends and work colleagues who look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I pack carry-on only. “But what about your toiletries?” they ask incredulously. I think they’re wondering if I become a hippie when I travel, packing a zip-top bag full of patchouli and little else.

No, that is not the case. Would a hippie throw out that excellent Devo-inspired post title? At the same time, you generally can’t be super high-maintenance for this to work. You may have to compromise on brands and your usual routine. And of course, sometimes carry-on only is not ideal for certain long trips, or if you’re packing a lot of sports equipment, or traveling with kids.

I really like to travel light, but give it a try and decide for yourself. For anyone who feels like toiletries are an impediment to carry-on only, here are some tips that may help.

1) List the essentials. Many of these are basics every traveler needs, but some are personal preference. For me, they are:
contact solution and contact case
toothbrush and toothpaste
soap, moisturizer, lotion, sunscreen
lip balm, makeup and makeup remover
shampoo, conditioner, preferred styling product, comb
razors and shaving cream
wet wipes and hand sanitizer
first aid items, such as Neosporin, ibuprofen, tums, band aids
Q tips, baby powder, deodorant
tissues (can also serve as emergency toilet paper)
mints and/or gum

After your essentials, list the “nice to have” items. These can be included if you have room. Mine include perfume and those Colgate Wisp disposable toothbrushes that do not require water. Those are great for freshening up after a long flight.

2) Always be on the lookout for the above-mentioned items in cute little travel size editions. Stash them away and replace on an ongoing basis – and reserve them for travel. When my sis gifted me a three month Birchbox subscription, I resisted the impulse to try out the high-end products right away and instead saved them for upcoming trips. The mini sunscreen, shaving cream and perfume samples were my fave! Sephora also carries a great range of travel size makeup – I always keep a mini mascara at the ready, and I love the travel size cheek stain blushers (the packaging seems to take up less space, and you don’t really need a brush). When you order online, Sephora usually offers 3 complimentary samples, and if you join the Beauty Insider program, there is even more opportunity to earn deluxe samples – often of luxury brands. You can also check the trial size section in stores like CVS, Target and Walgreens. And you may want to keep all extra complimentary products from your hotel room.

3) Divide up the liquids and solids and pack up! Yes, it’s a little inconvenient to have your tolietries in separate bags, but it’s such a minor one. Sometimes I’ll devote a second zip-top bag to first aid items so the bandages and medicines are kept together and easier to locate.

As everyone knows, all the liquids go in the clear, quart size zip-top plastic baggie, and everything else can go in another makeup bag or case. Remember, liquids/creams/gels/aerosols must be no more than 3.4 oz. or 100ml. Here are some other tips to consider:

Look for ways to swap liquid for solid if you need more space. For example, a pack of makeup remover wipes instead of a bottle, wet wipes instead of hand sanitizer, bar soap instead of shower gel, solid deodorant instead of roll on/aerosol.

If you’re traveling with someone else, look for ways to share. My husband Jack needs far less in his zip-top, so I’m lucky to get valuable extra space.

Look for products that do double duty – for example, baby shampoo works fine as shower gel. Baby powder works as dry shampoo.

Pare down. I don’t need to take my whole eye shadow kit on vacation. Consider using blusher or highlighter for a bit of color. Choose one basic shade for your lip and stick to it. Q-tips and kleenex can be substitutes for makeup brushes.

Think about where you’re staying and what will be available. For example, if you’re staying at nice hotels, chances are you’ll have soap, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion. I know these might not be your fave brands, but weigh this option against the space you will save in your bag. If you’re staying in hostels, you not only want to bring soap, but probably a plastic case as well to cart it around and keep your other stuff dry.

If there are certain brands you must have, or are worried you can’t find at your destination, just pack a few travel size items (for example, I’ll take 2-3 mini bottles of contact solution instead of one big bottle). If it’s something like a special conditioner or hair product, buy appropiate travel size containers to transfer a small amount.

Buy at your destination. It can be fun to pop into a store and try local brands. You might even find your new favorite souvenir.

Keep an eye on the latest rules from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and international airlines.

Keep practicing. You can keep cute and carry-on! Enjoy the freedom and fun of traveling light!