My must-have personal care items for international travel.

Not sure how to keep comfy onboard a 10-hour plane trip? Struggling to pack all of your face serums or prescriptions in your carry-on? Wondering how to do without your Waterpik? So was I, until recently. Here's are my findings. All inexpensive. All high value.

How I packed for my last European trip (10 days).

After my previous post, I thought I'd follow it with something a little lighter -- less travel diary, more listicle. For my last trip to Europe, I had vowed to take 10-days worth of clothing, shoes, and personal care items in a 21.5" carry-on, and a discount-airline-approved personal item. And I managed, mostly. Part of this was due to the kinds of clothes and shoes I packed (and whose packing advice I took). Good fabrics make a world of difference.

But part of it had to do with how I managed personal care items on a three-city European trip I took last November around American Thanksgiving. I promise to talk more about clothing and shoes. But for now, let me share my favorite personal items for international travel. Heck, these have worked so well that I use them for all of my travel now -train, plane, or automobile. Domestic or abroad. These things simply work.

All of these items (plus more) fit well in that little black pack.

Compression Socks

Although shoe choice is important when it comes to spending long hours aloft, I would argue that keeping your feet comfy has more to do with hosiery choices. Ladies, long-distance air travel wreaks havoc on the body. We can hydrate, we can meditate (and/or medicate - I heart Delta's complementary long-haul-economy-class mimosa), but sitting for long stretches in a semi-pressurized environment on a grumpy seat that is slightly too high for most of us under 5"4'? Unless you are one of the fortunate few, you will swell some. I'm the sort that swells a lot. It never used to be this bad when I was younger. Flying was dehydrating, but my feet would always fit my shoes, even after 17 hours of flying across North America. But my first 40-something overseas flight taught me different. I wore knee-high boots (I know, I know...) and I took them off during the JFK to MHT segment of a four-legged discount journey to England during the holidays that nearly did me in. (My luggage didn't make it, either. I shudder to remember.)

Anyhooo, that's when I made a permanent change to my travel routine. Now I always fly/travel - no matter how far - in compression stockings. There are many types available. They aren't always expensive. And they don't have to be ugly. I have ordered from Amazon, but my favorite socks are the ones I get at TJ Maxx. They are around 6 dollars a pair or less, and often have cute designs on them - pink rosebuds on a black background. Or grey polka dots on navy blue. I like the ones that are more nylon than cotton-poly blend. Nylon dries faster, which is great if you want to refresh them in your hotel bathroom sink. YYMV. But if you choose cute socks, no one will know you're wearing them, other than yourself.

Sometimes I wear two pairs. Sometimes I wear them over compression tights or regular cotton socks. But I always always wear them. Because they allow me to walk pain-free - even after a 10-hour ride on the torture tube (AKA an economy class seat on a domestic carrier.) I have never regretted wearing compression socks.

I always travel with no fewer than three pairs. Because they are not just for flying. I wear them for at least the first full day after arrival. My first days are a mix of jet lag, intense wonder, and long-distance strolling. They help my body adjust to all of those things. I can imagine that these might not work so well for warmer months, but I tend not to travel during tourist season, so it works for me. Even if you cannot wear them during your summer strolls abroad, I highly recommend them for the plane ride there.

Clear Contact Lens Cases for Serums and Makeup

I struggled for a long time to figure how many of my unctions and lotions I could do without while traveling. That's because most of my favorite beauty serums come in large, travel-unfriendly dispensers. A couple of years ago, I played around with storing makeup and serums in contact lens cases I had laying about. But it turned out to be very frustrating because they were all identical and opaque. I tried labeling them, but it was too easy to put the wrong covers on the wrong cases. It's not fun to have to unscrew every container you have to find that small bit of cream blush you brought along. So, for my next big trip overseas, I went to Amazon and I found these babies. They are not only color coded and transparent, they also have little rubber gaskets on the inside so that they keep liquids really well (something I struggle with when dealing with other travel containers.) I didn't label the cases, or use the plastic carrying case pictured above, but I did take pictures as a reference while on the road. I also put my cream blush, concealer, and foundation in these. It worked so well! Using these will save an lot of room in your carry-on. Here are a few action shots.

Compact Pill Box

I take eight different pills and three or four dietary supplements every day. If I had to carry all of these bottles with me, I'd need a dedicated bag just for my meds! In the past, I would recycle empty prescription bottles and fill them to the brim with the number of pills I would need to tide me over - plus a few extra in case I dropped a couple down the sink. But that meant futzing around with tiny pills in a tiny bottle, and trying to figure out which oval pill was which. I also tried those Monday-Sunday, ubiquitous drug-store finds. So very bulky, and not at all discreet. Who wants to haul out a plastic box of rainbow colored compartments that barely fits in the seat pocket in front of you? Not this gal. So I decided to try my luck with one of these smaller (and way cuter) pill boxes. With a little bit of creativity I was able to fit a 12-day supply of drugs in this little thing. I had to resort to one extra pill bottle to make sure I had all of my supplements, but even with that extra bottle, this system saved me an immense amount of space in my carry-on. Plus, pill time was far less dramatic than in times past. A single one of these might not be big enough for you. I got another one on Amazon in preparation for my next trip. I picked my first one up at TJ Maxx. But these are definitely worth a try.

Portable Water Pick/Flosser (USB Charged)

As my autoimmune issues and I have matured, one of the things that I've noticed is that I suffer more frequently from a dry mouth. I've also had some expensive dental work to permanently right a wrong that happened when I was in my 20s. So to better take care of those things, I introduced a counter top water flosser to my sonic toothbrush and regular flossing routine. It's a pretty powerful machine, but a generic counter top flosser is not at all travel-friendly. Although I can manage OK during short domestic business travel, I found that I missed it a lot on longer trips. Did I mention how dehydrated I get while flying long distances? So back I went to Amazon to see if I could find something that would travel well. Lo and behold - this amazing product came to the rescue! This water flosser works so well that I decided to use this in place of my bulky counter top machine. And a charge lasts incredibly long - more than a month of daily use! It's also less expensive. The flow is a little less forceful, but it works well enough for me. It's also less messy! Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this thing. It took up quite a bit of real estate in my carry-on but it was more than worth it to me. I could hydrate my mouth (and sinuses) while I was on my city hopping tour. Did I mention this charges via USB? Amazing.

100% Cotton Feminine Hygiene Products

Ladies, I don't think I need to explain to you all why these are a good idea while traveling, even for those of us who have entered a different era of our lives. Keeping cotton against our delicate areas is healthy for many reasons. And natural fibers are much better for the environment. I have traveled with regular drugstore products before, and there is really no comparison. These were adequately adhesive, extremely absorbent, and kept me feeling fresh for the 21 hours I was traveling. This brand offers many shapes and sizes, so it should be easy to find a type that fits your body type and level of protection required. I find that many conventional panty liners are far too flimsy for me. And bladder control pads are just too much. If you cannot find this brand near you, then I would suggest any sort of cotton feminine product, as long as it fits well and offers adequate protection.

That's all for now, friends. What amazing personal care finds have you discovered? Is there any travel item you'd like me to review? Drop me a line at allora.andiamo.blog@gmail.com. And don't forget to subscribe to my blog to get notified each time I post a new piece!

Much love,

Kelly

PS. If you choose purchase these items through the links above, I will get a tiny kickback as part of the Amazon Affiliates program. No one has paid me for my opinions. I research, purchase and use all of the items I feature. I only share links to my best finds. Pinkie promise!