WhichBudget is Made for Budget Travelers

About a year ago, I was fortunate enough for WhichBudget to contact me through Facebook and tell me all about their website and Facebook pages. WhichBudget started up to help travelers learn about all the new budget airlines available which allow them to fly more often for much less. With the number of airlines increasing and many more people needing to travel inexpensively, WhichBudget is so helpful. Plug in your starting and ending locations and you will see all the airlines (and flights) that fly between those cities. With all the options and pricing available at your fingertips, it’s really easy to choose one that works for you. WhichBudget will direct you to the correct website where you can make your purchase and get ready to plan your holiday.

Another awesome thing about WhichBudget is the option to choose just a departure city to find the many places you can travel to for cheap and when. This is great for people who want to find new cities to travel to, but also for those who don’t know where they want to go, just that they want to travel somewhere. When I searched other sites for travel options between London and Paris, I got quotes in the hundreds of dollars range. With Which Budget, I got a quote on EasyJet for less than $100 per person. Try it! It works internationally, including the U.S.

MakeUp Your Face with Fewer Products

Changing up your beauty routine when you travel can be tough, since it's a change from the norm, but bringing your whole range of make-up and other supplies with you can be a bit overkill or may not even fit in your toiletry kit and 3-1-1 bag. When I travel, I pare down my beauty supplies and just bring the staples and then some smaller items that can take me from day to evening, if I need it. You don't need to go all out on your trips, because there are a few items that can give you some extra sparkle.

Makeup products that do double-duty are fantastic for travel, because they do the same job as two or three different items and also save space!

• Foundation with SPF - You gotta put on sunscreen if you're going to be out a lot during the day. Instead of bringing a second "facial" sunscreen, make sure your foundation has an SPF in it, which most of the department store foundations do. I am a fan of the City Base Compact Foundation from Clinique. It has a 15 SPF and doesn't let me down.
• Moisturizer with SPF - This is a great extra layer of protection if you are also wearing a foundation, or a a nice base layer if you don't wear foundation or can't find one you like with built-in sunscreen.
• Tinted Moisturizer - If you're looking to dramatically cut down on your beauty routine, a tinted moisturizer is one way to do it. Ditch the moisturizer and the foundation and combine them, with something like Stila Cosmetics Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer. I have gotten this as a sample several times with Sephora and haven't quite broken down to get the full size yet, but it might be happening soon. Other great ones are Philosophy's Hope in a Tinted Moisturizer (it even has 20 SPF in it), Philosophy's Supernatural Poreless Flawless Tinted SPF and Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer (also available in oil-free).
• Powder foundation - I love this product, because at home I can use it as a powder over my normal foundation. On vacation, I can forgo normal foundation and put this over a tinted moisturizer and have full coverage. Philosophy's Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas gives you flawless skin and lasts forever. Bare Escentuals has BareMinerals SPF 15 Matte Foundation. Light and easy to apply, plus it's also good for your skin!
• Use a bright shimmery white eye shadow in the corners of your eyes for brightening your eyes and then under your brows to make your eye shadow pop and give definition.
• Moisturizing lip gloss - Leave all your lipsticks at home and replace with two or three colored lip balms. It has been difficult for me to find a lip balm with color that is also moisturizing and lasts long enough to be as good as lipstick. My new favorites are Balmshell's many different shades. It is amazingly moisturizing and comes in fantastic colors. Smashbox carries O-Gloss lip gloss. It moisturizes and tints your lips their natural pink. You can get it in peaches (Gold) and berries (Noir) as well. Burt's Bees and Softlips have some bargain options for you.
• Changing from a liquid to a powder is also a fancy way to save room in your 3-1-1 bag. You can keep them in your carry-on and not have to drag them out for inspection at security or worry about where to put them when you're packing your way back home.
  • Eyeliner - Do you live with liquid liner? If you think you must travel with eyeliner and need some space, try a pencil liner or even a good waterproof cake eyeliner that is applied with a small brush. Clinique has a new one that is seriously easy to apply (and I'm terrible at putting on almost any eyeliner). It looks like eyeshadow and is a powder. Bare Escentuals has a great powder liner that you just add a wet brush to and it glides on like a liquid.
  • Here's another point for powder foundation.
  • Lip Stain - Instead of lipstick, you can try a lip stain with moisturizing properties, like Clinique's new (back by popular demand) Chubby Sticks. They are like crayons and don't require a trip in your 3-1-1 bag. They come in some pretty colors and go on easily.

Trial sizes are your best friend. Know those great little sizes of beauty products you get free with purchase? They come with tiny bags that you now have a whole collection of and hardly ever use. Well, instead of using them up, save some that you love and pack away in your toiletry bag for your next trip. Tiny mascaras, foundation primers, compacts with several colors of eyeshadow and possibly a blush, dual lip glosses, little moisturizers. These are all wonderfully space-saving and perfect if you can get them of your favorite products. Next time you make a purchase at the department store beauty counter or makeup store, like Sephora, ask if they have any trial sizes of any of your most used products. Generally they have a  good supply of items behind the counter.

Downsize your current products into smaller containers for more room in your travel bag. You don't need full-size bottles and jars for one to two weeks. Any drugstore or store that carries toiletry items will have travel-size items and also travel containers to downsize to. Another tip I've heard from travelers is to use contact cases to store items you need very little of, like moisturizer. Since I am a contact wearer, I think this would just confuse me, I use jars that are just a little bit bigger. 

• If you're a nail polish wearer, as I am, you want to take a bottle with you for touch-ups. I have found that the Sephora brand nail lacquer is a brilliant addition to my 3-1-1. The bottles are small and the variety of colors is huge! The also offer great coverage with only one coat and are long-lasting. And inexpensive! 
• While we're on the subject of nail polish, chips and peels are bound to happen. Don't take a bottle of polish remover. Instead, bring a compact container of polish remover pads like my new favorites from LA Colors. They come in funky scents like pear and grape and one tiny pad can take the polish off all your toes or fingers (maybe even both!). It doesn't have that horrible acetone underscent either that you end up smelling for 2 days. I love them! You can also get some wipes from Cutex in the travel-size section. They come in their own packets, so they don't dry out. 
• A cream blush might be just the ticket to downsizing. I hated bringing a blush brush, because at some point it would end up getting wet and crushed in my toiletry bag and being pretty useless. After some searching I found a great alternative: cream blush. It's not creamy enough to warrant being put in your 3-1-1 bag and takes up a lot less space. My two favorites are by Laura Mercier and Clinique's Blushwear cream stick. You apply with your fingers and can blend as little or as much as you want for more or less coverage. 

Pack beauty kits that have multiple items all in one compact. It save space and has everything you need all in one place. It keeps things from rolling around in your bag, too. If you like many colors, grab yourself an eyeshadow trio or quad or something that gives you a whole look in one place like these fun sets. 

Creating Your Grab and Go Travel Bag (Part 2)

In the last post we started talking about how to be ready for any travel with a grab-and-go carry-on or, at the very least, one that requires little work to add to before you take off. Plan a big holiday or a last-minute city break and still be able to take off with minimal packing effort. While I love packing, I still keep all my essentials, useful items and clothing pieces in or near my carry-on. I know most people either hate packing or tolerate it and would like to do as much possible to make it less painful for all future trips. 

Creating a Travel Wardrobe

Want to start working on a great travel wardrobe? I have some warm weather and cool weather travel clothing pieces, but lately I've been looking at cold weather destinations and need to stock up on some warmer options. This got me thinking that other people probably want to know what kinds of fabric and brands to look for in a durable and attractive travel wardrobe.

• While cotton is comfortable, it's not always the best option for travel fabric, because it wrinkles and holds odors. Look for items that have soy, bamboo or coolmax. These fabrics wick moisture and are resistant to odors, so if you can't wash your clothes right away, they won't smell up your CLEAN clothes and you can get another wear out of them if you need to. Nylon and rayon are nice lightweight fabrics that are also quick-drying. Wool and fleece are excellent layering fabrics, if you need to keep warm in a cold climate, because they have a tight weave that can be thin and still hold in quite a bit of heat.
• Omni-shield clothing has built-in SPF for sunny locales. Just because your skin is covered up, doesn't mean you can't get sunburned.
• If you'll be traveling to a destination that is known to have mosquitoes and other bite-y bugs, look for clothing with Insect Shield from ExOfficio. It has built-in bug repellent that can last up to 70 washes.

So, what makes travel clothes better for traveling than your normal wardrobe? This is easy. Travel clothes are made specifically for travel conditions. They are durable, lightweight and super packable. They can also be very versatile and stylish, with great pieces that are made for layering, and are convertible. You can have pants that roll up to make capris or zip-off into shorts. You can buy long sleeve tops that have roll up sleeves to make a short sleeve shirt, so it works for chilly weather or warm weather. There are dresses that can be converted into 20 different styles. Now you can even find reversible clothing, so you can wear one piece two different ways and get more looks out of it. So, where can you find these awesome clothing pieces? 

Other Useful Travel Items

I tend to have the same items packed for every trip, so now I just leave them in my travel bag all the time.

• Small crank torch. You never know when you might need some extra light. These are great, because they are inexpensive and don’t require batteries. I found one at a local store that’s on a keychain, fits in the palm of your hand and gives off enough light with just a few cranks.
• Pen and paper. Take some notes, play a game, leave a message for the maid. You really can’t go wrong by having this set in your bag. Even if you don’t end up using it, it takes up almost no room.
• Folding, pop-up mesh hamper. They really are useful. Use as a hamper and a laundry tote for vacations of a week or more. For less than a week, use it to keep all your dirty clothes separate from your clean ones or as a catch-all for your purchases.
• Laundry line. In case you plan to do laundry in your room, or want to save money on dryer costs by bringing back your clean clothes and hanging them to dry in your room. The best ones are the rubbery ones that have a braided line, so you don’t need to bring clothes pins, as the clothing can be held in place by placing them between the plaits.
• Sewing kit. When you only take as many clothes as necessary, you don’t really bring anything extra. It’s imperative that if something happens you can fix it, whether it’s a popped button or an unruly hem.
• Basic first-aid kit. I have a small one that fits in my toiletry bag, but it has all the essentials: band-aids, antibiotic meds, gauze, aspirin, gloves, tweezers…If you fall and break your leg, it won’t help you much, but if you skin your elbow at the pool, you won’t have to shell out $13 on a tube of Neosporin at the hotel gift shop. Great for clumsy people like me or those with kids.
• Anti-bacterial spray and wipes. I like to have both of these on hand. The spray can kill germs on your hands…or anywhere else on your body and in the air and the wipes can be used for the same, on surfaces, to clean up spills or to refresh yourself after a long plane ride. Both are also wonderful if you have kids in tow.
• Compass. Yes, I know this isn’t Boy Scouts, but sometimes, even in a big city, you’re confronted with a map and no real point of reference to where you are. A compass helped us out greatly when trapped in the depths of Hyde Park. The map doesn’t show you trees and benches, so knowing a general direction to head in got us back on track.
• Packable rain jacket. You never know when a downpour will interrupt your vacation, but having a packable jacket can keep you dry and also serve as a light cover-up for a chilly evening, making it more useful and convenient than an umbrella. You can get affordable, lightweight options in a variety of colors. 

Need to know more about how to choose the appropriate makeup that will take up less room in your bag and still have the same great coverage? Some even do double the work, meaning you can use one product to replace two or three.  Check out my Monday post for help to make your toiletry bag lighter and more efficient.

Creating Your Grab and Go Travel Bag (Part 1)

Do you hate packing or always leave it to the last minute? What if you had your carry-on pretty much packed with all the essentials and then just had to add a few tops and bottoms to be able to take off? I find this to be tremendously helpful when I pack a bag, so much so that I buy travel items to pack and use on my trip throughout the year. Of course, if you go to the same types of destinations each year, then you could probably pack all of your holiday clothes as well. For those of you who do not, let’s look at what you can get away with packing that can be used in any destination.

First thing’s first: Make a packing list. You know what essentials you need to take for each vacation, so make a master list with these on them and then leave blank lines for clothing choices, since each vacation might need a different type of attire. You’re not going to be able to take your Bermuda travel wardrobe with you to Iceland and not freeze to death, so keep that in mind. You might want to make several different packing lists, if you’re the organized sort. I tend to keep mine as a Word doc on my computer, where I can leave all my necessary items on and then delete and replace the rest with travel clothing choices that are appropriate for my destination. If you aren’t sure where to start when making a packing list, follow the list below and then go from there or steal some other ideas from websites like TravelSmith or Independent Traveler, which has packing lists they create for different trips.

This seems like a given, but it’s one of those things that if you don’t put it on your packing list, you could easily forget. Keep 5 pair for each traveler in a zip-top bag (for freshness) in your bag, that way there’s no chance that you thought you packed them and then get to your destination without any. Socks can also be packed like this. I’m sure you take the same kinds of socks with you on most vacations (unless your destination is really cold and you need special toe-warming ones), so you might as well add these to your bag while you’re at it.

Toiletries

Shampoo & Conditioner can easily be bought in travel sizes or put in reusable travel bottles and if they don’t get used for months, it’s not a big deal. I know some people like to just buy these at their destination, but I travel prepared for anything. If I have a layover or get stranded, I would like to keep myself clean.

Soap/shower gel. See Shampoo & Conditioner.

Almost all Deodorant brands generally come in smaller travel sticks. If you can’t find them at your local store, look on Minimus.biz. If they don’t have them, you may need to settle for a similar brand, or take a full-size stick, but those take up a lot of room in a toiletry bag.

Toothpaste and toothbrushes are a travel must. We have a set of travel brushes that we keep in the bag at all times. That way, we don’t risk the chance of leaving them behind on the morning of our trip, because we left them in the bathroom. Travel size toothpaste is available almost everywhere. I have so many tubes, you’d think they gave them away free at the airport.

Hair care products always seem to take up so much space. Here’s how you can make them take up less and leave your everyday products at home. Buy an extra set of combs and/or brushes. If you require a comb or brush, buy an extra one that can pack neatly in your toiletry bag.  Obviously combs pack better than brushes, but if you need one, try to get a travel-sized one or a pop-up brush that takes up almost no room. You can find them in the aisle with other travel-sized items.

If you curl, blow-dry or straighten your hair, then consider getting smaller versions of those devices that will take up less space. Conair has some wonderful products specifically for travel that have gotten really good reviews. Or you can look for other brands. Look for folding models. You have no idea how much space you can save in a bag when you buy a smaller hair dryer that has a folding handle or even a curling iron that can retract into itself for easy portability.

If you wear contacts, keep an extra pair in your bag, with a spare case and small bottle of solution. That is a lifesaver anywhere.

Ladies who wear makeup, can buy a new bottle, jar or powder case when the old one has a few weeks of use left in it and put it in their travel bag. I do this with foundation. It is easy to estimate when you will need to go buy or order a new one, so instead of waiting until the last minute, I get a new one earlier, put the old one in my toiletry bag and am set for my next trip. I also keep a crème blush in my bag, to keep from needing to also carry around a brush, and a spare lip balm. I hate getting to my room and then having to dig around in my purse for half of what I want to put on my face. When you receive a gift with purchase, instead of using the samples, throw the mascara and eye shadow in your bag. They are usually smaller, work just as well and are easily replaceable. (Another plus is that if you toss it at the end of your vacation, you won’t feel like you’re wasting anything and you have less to carry on your way home!)

Easy 3-1-1 bag: Gather all the things that are liquid, gel, paste and whatever else they make you squish in there now and put it all in your plastic bag next to, or inside, your toiletry bag. That way, when travel day comes, you can just put it on the top of your packed items or throw it in your purse to be able to quickly produce it for security. Nothing is worse than when you see people get to the airport without a bag or all their products in 3 different bags or in their carry-on pocket and you end up stuck behind them in line. Preparation is key to whizzing through security and starting your vacation.

Electronics

Now, I know you will be using all or most of your electronic devices during your daily life, so I’m not suggesting you pack up your laptop and iPod weeks or months before you trip. What you CAN do is purchase an iGo multi-charger (or win one via my Facebook page) and keep it in your carry-on with all your essential tips. That way, when you get ready to leave, you don’t have to hunt down chargers for everything AND you save so much space you wouldn’t believe it.  Imagine having to take only one adapter with you everywhere you go, even if you take twelve electronic devices. I don’t have an iGo adapter for my netbook, but you can buy those, too. They seem to take up the same amount of space, so I just make sure to add that to my list of must-haves on my packing list.

Create the rest of your grab and go travel bag in post #2