I Went to Europe for 6 Weeks & Here Are the (Many) Beauty Things I Regret Taking With Me
Alisha Bhojwani is a Sydney-based digital strategist and content specialist. When she's not reminding her friends to wear SPF, you can find her drenching her face in Vitamin C and consuming copious amounts of peanut butter. You can find her on Instagram here @alishabhojwani_.
Hi, I’m Alisha and I’m a chronic over packer.
You think I would’ve learnt my lesson considering I’ve done three big international trips since the borders opened, but alas, I have not.
I’m going to put it down to the fact that Australia was locked up for two years and MAYBE, just maybe because I’m a little high maintenance.
But the good kind of high maintenance, the self-sufficient kind.
The type that books a trip to Europe and then proceeds to take 14kg worth of skin care, haircare, and beauty whilst simultaneously telling her friends to pack light.
Yes, I am that person and I have no regrets.
OK, that’s a lie – I have some regrets.
So, let’s talk through my packing strategy and how you can learn from my mistakes.
3 Things to Know Before You Start Packing.
Now, when it comes to packing, I always ask myself three questions:
1. What climate am I going to be in? E.g. Is it hot, windy, cold or will it rain?
2. Am I going to be doing specific activities? E.g. Am I going to be swimming or am I going to be walking a lot?
3. And what’s the landscape look like? E.g. Does it have a lot of stairs or is it flat terrain?
Unfortunately, in the case of my European holiday, I had a lot of destinations and events planned, making it very easy to over pack.
But having returned with battered suitcases here’s a few things I’d do differently...
1. Take Less Skin Care Than You think You'll Need.
When it comes to skincare, just pack the basics.
Because let’s be honest, you’re going to be too busy sightseeing, swimming, and enjoying the city you’re in to be doing a 10-step routine every night.
A cleansing oil or micellar water, a hydrating cleanser, antioxidant serum, maaaaybe an exfoliant, pimple patches, a nourishing but lightweight moisturiser is more than enough.
Bonus points if you have travel minis of products because it'll cut down the weight of your bag.
The most important skincare product to pack is sunscreen.
Many, many tubes of sunscreen.
Here are my top picks:
2. Pack Essentials in Your Carry On Bag.
I learnt this the hard way last December when I got my period as a I boarded my 14-hour flight to Dubai.
Needless to say, it was not a fun flight experience.
Ever since, I have my flight essentials ready to go. For me, this includes:
- A mist to hydrate your skin (aircraft air is no one’s friend).
- Sheet masks to trap moisture back in.
- Sanitary items in case Ms. Flow decides to come early.
- Eye drops, hand cream and lip balm, because there is nothing worse than dry eyes, hands, or lips.
- Deodorant and a mini fragrance (this one’s self-explanatory).
3. Leave Your Fancy Makeup Behind.
Makeup is always tricky, especially when you have a variety of events.
Plus, you'll always have an idea in your mind of particular things you want to wear or looks for certain events.
For me, it was festival adornments, palettes, rhinestones and glitter.
My advice would be: if in doubt, leave it behind.Instead, if you're travelling with friends, share the load. Assign each person to bring something so you can split the excess weight among you!
4. Don't Pack Foundation.
I said what I said.
If you’re thinking about bringing foundation, DON’T.
We all want to look cute on holiday, but trust me, multi-purpose products will work harder for you.
Think: Skin tints, tinted sunscreens, lip liners, a gloss, cream blushes, and bronzers that double as lippies and eye products.
Minimal products, maximum effect.
Case in point: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation was the one product I regret packing.
Whilst it’s absolutely divine and one of my favourite foundations, I did not wear it even once.
Did I mention it was a brand new bottle made of glass? I repeat, do not bring a foundation.
5. You Only Need One Hair Tool.
In hindsight, taking three hair tools overseas was probably not the smartest decision.
And even though everyone tried to talk me out of it, I decided to pack my Mermade Hair PRO Waver Mini 25mm Pink (for the festivals), a curling wand.
What I didn’t factor in was the complete and utter chaos of travelling.
Between moving cities every three days and the unexpected heatwave Europe went through, the hair tools went mostly unused.
At one point, I even convinced my aunt to let me leave one of my three hair tools behind so I didn’t have to lug the weight home.
Next year when I go back to Europe, I’ll just be leaning into the heatless curls trend.
You can learn how to style your hair without heat in this YouTube video below!
6. Pack a Hair Mask.
If I could have a do-over, I’d have packed more hair care.
European water, sun and salt is HARSH. It’s even harsher for someone like me who gets their hair cut and coloured every eight weeks, and a keratin treatment every three months.
I thought taking 2 heat protectants, 1 leave in cream, 2 hair mask tubs and shampoo + conditioner would be enough.
Sadly, I was wrong and found myself in Amsterdam buying a Kerastase Nutritive Hair Mask for Dry Fine Hair 200ml to undo some of the salt damage.
Moral of this story?
If you get a lot of hair treatments, take a lot of hair care. Or be prepared to fork out the cash overseas.
7. Buy Enough Luggage.
The last part of this puzzle is being honest with yourself about how much luggage you need.
When I backpacked, I didn't need as much baggage allowance. Fast forward 10 years, and I know what I’m like.
I knew well before I booked the trip that I would need to pay extra luggage for my internal flights, so I did.
And honestly? That and carrying my own luggage scales was the smartest thing I did.
It took the pressure off especially when I’d done a little bit too much shopping.
One final piece of wisdom I can impart on you before your travels:
European pharmacies are far superior to Australian chemists.
So if you forget something or realise you need it, you can buy it there!
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