Labeling toiletries

I use a label maker

I write on a tiny piece of paper and place clear packaging tape (the kind for mailing packages) over the top. Works for me. I just accidently put a container in my dishwasher with the label on it, and it survived the heavy duty pots and pan cycle. :)

How about a piece of clear packaging tape over the sharpie writing?

I use a contact lens case for my moisturizer and then color coded bottles for hair products. Pink is shampoo, white is conditioner and green is gel. I’ve done this for years so don’t need to label them.

I used an indelible laundry marker - that shouldn't wash or wear off. I also marked them on the bottom of the container which doesn't get touched as much so not as likely to get worn off. I like the idea of colored dots instead of writing and I also like the idea of waterproof clear tape over the writing.

My hubby makes me labels on his handy dandy label makers. They stay on the container even in the shower, don’t wear or fade off. Plus he can use different tape and font sizes to match container size. His label maker is similar to this

I agree with packing tape over sharpie.
Rounded corners help, too. Put a piece of packing tape on kitchen parchment to cut to shape needed.

I have to say I used a label maker and the labels on containers that went in the shower did not stay on. I had shampoo, co defines, and shaving cream in same container but different colors. I ended up using shaving cream on my hair!!!

I use a sharpie on masking tape.

Thanks for the great ideas. My husband said to color code and then make a legend. Seemed overly complicated. I'm going to start with the packing tape and then perhaps a laundry marker.

Hi Jules, take a photo of all of the bottles on your counter. Then do an edit screenshot of the photo and write on the photo what is in each bottle. Then when you can’t remember, you can just refer to the photo.

I just used Cadence capsules for my last trip. They were great. A bit pricey, but I was tired of bottles, and pots that would never come clean after use. These stick together with magnets. Oh yes, there are tiles that fit onto each capsule that reflects what’s in the capsule.

I was just in France. What happens with the water?!

My solution is very low tech.... use various and different size/ shape/ color containers for each product for years...e.g., my blue bottle has only ever held my conditioner. And that's helpful because I can't read the labels in the shower anyway!

For 1 or 2 things, like liquid makeup, the product itself provides the color.

CWSocial—same here, I couldn’t read the labels n the shower. The colored containers are easy to know what they at just a glance.

If I ever settled on containers I like, having a permanent color designation could be an idea. I usually don't have problems with shampoo, conditioner, etc. It's more like the hair serum, face creams, etc.

I have used contact lenses cases for year. I found that for a month + trip they typically don't hold enough for some of the items I use. Further, somethings seem to leak from them (foundation) Also I've been trying to clean them. I've put them in the dishwasher, have let them soak, and nothing gets them clean.

The question about France water hating my hair. Well, I have pretty normal hair, very slightly wavy. I'm not much of a "primper", either. Some days, I just let my hair air dry. The water in France makes my hair look frizzy. If I don't have a good hair dryer so that I don't dry it completely or when I do let it air dry, it just looks awful. I don't travel with a hair dryer, curling iron or anything. Sometimes I bring velcro rollers which can help rescue a bed head or hat hair.

I appreciate all the interesting suggestions. I worried that this would be a "duh" post.

I've tried using a heavier conditioner and that just made my hair limp.

Yes, unfortunately the water here is very hard. Lots of calcium, which gets deposited on your hair as you shower. I have kind of gotten used to it over the years but am reminded of it when a visitor notices.

Maybe these days, some companies sell shampoos/condiitioners/hair masks specially formulated for hard water ? It might be something to look into.

Jules, Bets/now Elizabeth sent me to L'Occitaine en Provence in Paris a few years ago when I was complaining about yucky hair from the Paris water. Her suggestion worked just great. I planned to go back this time but my shampoo seemed to be working ....sort of.

I say sort of because I got new containers on the recommendation of a friend and somehow managed to get shampoo in BOTH the conditioner and shampoo containers (as both foamed like crazy). My solution was just to use both, leave on my hair and it worked fine for the month I was in France. That does remind me I need to see exactly what I did and remedy it for next trip! Good grief!

BTW, this time only ONE hotel (out of 6) had actual shampoo, everyone else had converted to a combo shower gel and shampoo product in the shower. I did not try it as my hair is pretty dry so I thought that would not be good for it.

I just used a ball point pen on the new containers writing big enough I could see without my glasses. The labeling stayed on. My face cream and my hair goop are both white but I used different sizes so I could keep them straight.

I had to buy Nalgene bottles and pots from the Container Store for a few things: liquid foundation and SPF lotions. I haven't seen them in colors, so I get different shapes and sizes - wide mouth for hair gel, narrow mouth for foundation and cylindrical pots with tight snap on lids for SPF.

It doesn't take long to recognize which shape I consistently use for which products, if I can't tell just by looking.

I also use a label maker and put a piece of clear packing tape over the top. I use contact lens containers and have to use the tiniest font on the printer, so that does sometimes defeat the purpose due to my aging eyeballs. Due to constant handling (often with wet hands) and jostling around, I have to re-label my containers about every third trip. But that gives me a chance to also decide if I want to keep taking something, so it's sort of a mandatory audit of the toiletries kit.

I use fingernail polish. It is difficult to write with so I just do one letter. S for shampoo.

Oh, fingernail polish is an excellent idea. And I even have blue polish so I can color code single letters on to the containers.

How about fabric paint?
It’s washable and the tips on the bottles of it can write fairly small.
You could just write one initial on each container to identify the contents.
H for hair, F for face, etc.

I've used a combination of ways.

Color-coded bottles and recognition of the color of the contents along with an old-fashioned embossed label. Those labels tended not to stick or were too stiff and came loose.

I have a since bought a hand-held label maker similar to Horsewoofie's husband's. I use abbreviations instead of full product names and for things like shampoo, conditioner, face lotion, add how many weeks it will last.

On contact lens cases, I put the label on the bottom of one cup and how long it will last on the bottom of the other. And I try to color code the caps to match the color of the original container.

I usually refill things once I get home, so I'm ready to go again. Might not want to do that with things that could have a shelf-life.
Color-coding helps when you can't read the labels without your glasses. >> One of my pet-peeves with hotels going to large bottles attached to the walls instead of individual mini-bottles.

Maybe the solid shampoo/conditioner bar companies will see this as an opportunity to introduce their products and we'll start seeing individual sized bars in hotels.

I use Nalgene bottles and contact lens cases. Permanent sharpie markers are not resistant to many products. I use a label maker with success but also find that old fashioned ball point (not gel) pens on masking tape works well- much better than sharpies

I worked in a research lab and for guaranteed permanent marking nail polish is best.

I've used clear mailing labels (like Avery) and I either print them or write on them with a Sharpie, then I place a second label over the top of the first to "seal" the writing. You can get either the 1" x 2 5/8" size (standard mailing label) or for smaller items, the return address labels, which are 2/3" x 1 3/4". They've held up pretty well so far on my travel items, and I've started using them to label kitchen containers as well.