Tips to Travel By

In addition to introducing you to art and art history every other Tuesday, I will alternate Wardrobe Wednesday with tips, advice, and products that will enhance your travel experience. I've done this ad hoc in the past - here, here, here, and here for example - but want to make it more formal and regular. As with my other series, your feedback is always valuable and I hope you find this useful!

So let's jump right in, shall we?

I am really into beauty products. I love trying new lotions, makeup, and hair serums. I also like to treat myself to manicures and pedicures. However, Gman and I have always lived in tiny spaces, so I don't have room to keep variety of products in the bathroom. I buy one thing at a time and it usually has to serve duel purposes. Traveling can present similar space issues. As I'm packing for a trip I usually realize when I'm almost done that I will have to sacrifice shoe space for jacket space or makeup space for book space.

At home and on the road one of my favorite beauty products is baby oil. That's right, good ol' fashioned baby oil. I even buy generic drug store brands. Baby oil is the multi-tasker's dream come true. I use it to shave {no ingrown hairs!}, as a moisturizer {at the end of your shower, before turning the water off, rub onto skin, afterwords lightly pat dry with towel}*, for a makeup remover {even takes off waterproof mascara!}, as a cuticle softener, and for an emergency conditioner {it can be heavy so mix with water}. The best part is a 20-oz bottle costs less than $4 and lasts for months!

You can purchase baby oil in a 3 oz size travel container too, so one little bottle takes the place of multiple products and go in your carry on. Now when I'm packing, I don't have to choose between shoes or makeup!


*Don't use the baby oil at the end of the shower if your partner is coming in after you. They really don't like when they jump in unsuspecting, then slip on the residual oil, fly through the air and land on their backs in the middle of the bathroom. I've had reports of this from many an angry man after I've advised his lady on this method...