Toiletries and Travel

Don't be vain, let your hair go for a month. You can buy anything you need in Europe. You not going to third world countries with little resources.

Frank, I love ya, but you just don't undestand. You can't just "let it go". Seriously, you can probably buy your exact brand there. But what's wrong with checking a bag?

I know I'll be in the minority here, but why not take a vacation from your lotions, potions, and hair coloring too? Leave 'em at home and see just how easily you can live without them - it may change your whole perspective on "stuff". I decided my toiletries just aren't worth $50 for checking my bag. The point of travel isn't replicating every convenience of home, is it? You can check out George Carlin's video on this very subject - I think it's hillarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x_QkGPCL18

Usually I'd suggest using the solid shampoos and so on at Lush or shopping over there, but if you are picky about what you use, that may be a problem. Also, I am not sure you could bring enough hair coloring within the regulations, so maybe you do want to check a bag. It could still be carry on sized.

Do you really need to color your hair twice within a month? Can't you do it right before you go and be done? And aren't the ingredients in hair coloring potentially explosive when combined? Even if the bottles are small enough to fit in your ziplock bag, you shouldn't carry them on. If you really need to color on your trip, younwill have to check a bag OR plan on buying it there. I'll bet Nancy is right that you will find the same brand in the UK.

One of my favorite things to do on a trip is to get a haircut. Give yourself a nice spa day during your vacation, or at least go to a European salon. By the way, after my last haircut in Rome I noticed more people speaking to me in Italian. I'm looking forward to a new style in Paris just before I return to the US.

Back when I colored my hair, like last year, I did exactly what someone else suggested. I did it just before I left and it held up fine for a month, but it was a permanent color. One thing you will notice is that there are lots of women in Europe who obviously color their hair. They gotta get that color somewhere. I've seen all the usual brands available both in the UK and France. The same goes for the lotions and potions. A TSA guy once told me that a 3-1-1 item is anything that will make a puddle when it's outside the container. So you don't have to put anything that is solid in your 3-1-1, at least according to him. We take nothing besides the 3-1-1 and, depending on our itinerary, buy the smallest sizes we can when there. For internal flights or the flight home, we just leave it behind if it's too big to meet the regulations. It's a very small percentage of the trip cost and way less than you might pay to check a bag. Plus, it keeps your bag lighter for at least part of the trip and it's fun to go to the appropriate store or a supermarket to shop for such things.

Hello Mary Ann, Ah the problem that plagues women far more than men!! I've done 5 weeks with my 3-1-1 bag so here are my "tips" for what they are worth! 1. Go through everything you use on a daily basis. Are there products that you could substitute that do double duty? For example, if you use a sunscreen for your face and then a day cream could you get one that is both? If you use eye make up remover maybe switch to the make up removing wipes - they take off everything and don't need to go in your 3-1-1 bag. 2. You can buy shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, lotion and just about anything else you need in Europe so unless you are very particular about those things, just take your 2 - 3 oz. bottle and if you run out, replace it there. 3. You may be overestimating how much you need. Try filling up your travel bottles and use them over the next few weeks and see how much you actually use - you might be surprised!
4. As for haircolor, if you usually do it yourself, maybe treat yourself to a salon trip - in general, salon color lasts longer than the at home versions. Explain your concerns to the colorist and they may be able to suggest a different color/method that would allow your color to go a bit longer without looking that way. If that doesn't work, you could def. get it done in Europe!

I agree with Nancy on giving your travel bottles a trial before you go. I was shocked at how little I could get away with using when I put my mind to it. I do have short hair, and found a different hair-washing technique resulted in about half the amount of shampoo I was used to glopping out. I did use way more sunscreen daily than I thought so switched that to a bigger container and the shampoo and conditioner to smaller ones. I also realized after I traveled with just the sunscreen that I do indeed need a face cream as well, so have adjusted things to accommodate that. I went with a cake of glycerin soap instead of body wash, but did wind up using hotel products instead of the bar I took. I am one that has to be particular about products I use on or near my face due to sensitivities. Just don't want to deal with eyes that are swollen shut or hives on vaca! No advice on the hair color products...I stopped coloring over a decade ago and happily live with the gray.

The 3-1-1 rule does not, in my experience, limit you to different liquids in each bottle. So, more than one bottle could be used for your required liquid(s).

To clarify, I do not believe Eurostar charges for a bag. We just took it a few weeks ago and I do not recall seeing any signs. There were others (obviously not Rick Steves pack light people) who had multiple large bags and I do not recall seeing them having to pay to get through the line.

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions! I am going to travel with one bag, and treat myself to a salon experience in either France or Amsterdam!
MA

Here are the websites for the two main pharmacy chains in the UK for you to see what is available this side of the pond. The Boots site sometimes switches from the UK version as they do have international sales so you will need to get back to the UK site to see the full range of products. http://www.boots.com/ http://www.superdrug.com/

Depending on the timing of your visit to France, you might enjoy just buying skincare and hair products there as part of your tourist experience. I use a French shampoo (Klorane)made with pomegranate for my coloured hair. You can buy it here but it's about 1/2 the price in France. I have chin length thick hair and I only need 3 ounces of shampoo for 6 weeks. And the French are reknowned for skin care products. I got good advice in the local pharmacy on what to buy (hypoallergenic, not too expensive skin cream). So the last time I went, I just took 1 ounce of shampoo knowing I was buying the rest in France. I agree that you might not need as much volume of each product as you imagine. I also tried filling my 2 and 3 ounce containers with my favourite products and found that this was often enough for weeks of use. I recently bought refillable toothpaste tubes and find that 1 ounce lasts about 2 weeks. Good plan to get your hair coloured in Europe if that's important to you rather than taking your own colour and possibly being forced to check bags. In France they charge separately for services that we would consider as a part of the bundle (eg. blowdrying), so just make sure you know how much the total cost will be for all the things you expect to have done. I've had my hair coloured in France and in Italy and it all worked out just fine. I don't use bodywash - I prefer Lever soap (Hope that's not TMI!) so I don't have to worry about that product. My friends seem to feel this is one product that they need a lot of. I would think about buying it in Europe.

One more tip: You can take empty 2 and 3 oz bottles with you . If you buy a big bottle of bodywash or something else somewhere along the way, you can always fill the small bottles from the big one when you are about to fly or if you just don't want to cart it around.

Maryann,, if you color your hair a day or two before your trip you should manage easily to make it last four weeks.. really,, coloring more often is not ideal anyways.
Also, if you choose to get a color done, remember with your possibly limited language skills it can be tricky,, its hard enough in your mother tongue to walk into a strange salon and always be understood, so I also suggest you ask your stylist for your formula and brand,, they may not have your brand but they will be able to "translate" your formula .. most formulas are based on a number and letter system that all stylists understand. If you home color, well at least bring an empty box, or learn the words for "ash" " warm" etc..

I don't think it's as complicated as that -- point to the part of your hair that still retains the color, and they'll match it! It's not like the French aren't known for their beauty and style, anyway. If your brand happens to be L'Oreal or similar, remember that's a French brand anyway. Any grocery store has a million boxes of color, cream, etc. I agree too about treating yourself and trying some of the chic French brands at lower prices while you're here. The only problem will be then wanting it when you're back home!! And to confirm, you don't pay to check a bag on Eurostar.