My Top 5 Travel Essentials

Hi loves! When I’m traveling I always need these FIVE travel essentials that help get me through my trip. I’ve been taking small mini vacations to Miami for a competition to New York City to walk in my first ever runaway. When I’m on the go all these travel essentials help make my traveling easier, less stressful, and a breeze. You also need to plan ahead and stay on top of things.

When you travel, it can be a lot of pressure. From TSA guidelines to proper bags and to beauty needs. It’s a lot and depending on where you’re traveling to you may not have time to stop at a store to buy things. These five travel essentials are a must on my list and have made my travels A LOT easier!

Laptop Case

Since I work partly out of my laptop, I always need to make sure my MacBook is properly cared for and easily movable with me. I always recommend a laptop case that’s can serve as a purse. I currently use a black Kate Spade case that not only holds my laptop but also has extra pockets for chargers, sunglasses, wallet, phone, and a small sweater.

It’s totally worth it! I think they were also having a sale and I got it pretty cheap. It has lastly me through a bunch of trips, easily to get ID’s out when needed and its fashionable. I can easily stroll through the streets with it.

Makeup Bag

From my last tips post about planning ahead, you know makeup is ESSENTIAL to me. I’m consistently taking photos or attending events and have to be ready at a moment’s notice. Because of this I need an AMAZING makeup bag. Now I’m not a professional that has all these bags and suitcases just for my makeup.

I do have a really good one that I bought from Sephora. This is their bag called “Vacationer” and I know why because it literally fits so much in it. They don’t sell it anymore but here are some other options that you can easily find on Amazon and Sephora has others as well. This is one of the big travel essentials I feel for most woman so pay for a great bag.

Now every girl is different when it comes to their makeup preferences. Some need more room and bags, some need less. I found out though that by having a makeup bag just makes packing THAT MUCH EASIER! You know where everything is, its secured and sealed properly. You can either pack it in your carry-on or checked bag.

Backpack or Purse

We all know the drama of TSA and we always try to bring more than we need. Because of this, the purse is the MOST important of all travel essentials. I normally have a small purse that I use daily, but when I travel nothing would fit in it. I always travel with a backpack.

It normally serves as my carry on piece, because I normally always check a bag in. For me, it honestly is just so my makeup, and once past TSA my water and food can fit in it. My laptop case holds all the essentials like phone, wallet, chargers, but my backpack has more fragile items, like my jewelry and makeup that I don’t want tossed around in my checked bag.

I currently have two bags that I use. One is my Kate Spade black leather backpack, I got for a steal in the outlet store ONLY $99! Crazy, I know! My second backpack is a bit bigger and more economically, a black leather bag from Forever XXI for $40. Both work amazingly for me, and depending on my trip depends on which bag I use.

For my trip to Miami for the weekend, I use the Kate Spade one because its smaller and I wasn’t bringing much things. For New York, I needed the black Forever XXI bag, because it can carry more things and I have a lot of fragile things to bring.

Beauty Products

Every time you have to travel, it’s exhausting. From waiting at the airport to board and leave, to landing and then getting to your hotel. There’s a reason the term “Jetlag” exists. I constantly travel right after work and come back with heading into work the next day. I’m constantly taking photos and never want to seem tried or rundown.

Face Masks and Under Eye refresher’s literally CHANGED THE GAME! I honestly go into Sephora or Ulta and just pick up a mask and refresher just to travel with. They’re super inexpensive for some and make a difference in how you look but most importantly feel.

When I travel I just feel my face is gross from being in an airport to the plane, all my makeup is still on and just tried from the day. When I put the mask on and let it do its magic, I feel fresh, energized and revived!

I use the eye refresher’s to help reduce those bags under the eyes. This is just something I found that makes me feel me again. Clean. Fresh. And those feelings lead to me being confident for my photos or events of the day. (little things go a long way)

Hair Products

When I’m traveling, sometimes I’m rushing from an event to another and don’t really have time to wash my hair and do a whole new look. I live for Living Proof! They are honestly, the best things for my hair and don’t damage it at all. They also have travel size at Ulta! I currently use Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast, Flex Shaping Hairspray, and Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo.

I had a breakfast event, then a photo shoot, then went to rehearsals and dinner. Obviously for the shoot, I needed more volume and then for dinner I did an up do look. All was easily done with Living Proof! Their products work so well together and during the day I can easily touch up here or there as needed.

Traveling is AMAZING! I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, if I could live in an airport traveling from city to city, I would and never regret it! These 5 travel essentials make it much easier for me to travel.

I know all my important things are with my laptop case, my backpack holds my fragile items and makeup. Plus, I know when I land, I have a face mask and refresher’s to keep looking and feeling my best. As for my outfits… well that’s a whole other post. 🙂

XOXO

Karen Giuliana