Toiletries on Tour

There is no rule about carryon only--it's a suggestion to make it easier. The only given is you must be able to handle your luggage by yourself.

Most products are available in Europe, so you could buy more once you arrive.

Conditioner is available in other countries. Buy it as you need it.

Have you tried solid bar hair conditioners? I use HIBAR, but there are lots. Amazon search solid bar conditioner for curly hair - you'll get lots of options.

Shopping in European pharmacies can be fun! I bought mouthwash in Paris, and learned that it’s called ‘bain de bouche’. I bought a knee brace in Merano, Italy, and the pharmacist came around the counter with a measuring tape and measured my knee. That doesn’t happen in Rite-Aid.

You have time to plan. I would suggest getting an 'allowable' TSA size container, decant conditioner into it and see how long it lasts you at home. Then decant in as many as you need to get you through the tours. I also suggest reading and considering the value of daily shampoos (if that is your norm at home). If your concern is carrying liquids for flight carry on, then that is a different discussion, but my recommendation above still holds true. Also start trying out some bar alternatives to some of your daily liquids....or do as suggested above. Decant into much smaller containers and see how far it takes you in order to see the real amount you need to take - rather than just tossing in the entire container you purchased.

Hopefully you’ll be arriving a few days before the tour. You can buy conditioner then.

How do you bring enough toiletries to last the whole tour

A 3 day tour or a 3 month tour?

There is no rule about carryon only--it's a suggestion to make it easier. The only given is you must be able to handle your luggage by yourself.

Not checking a bag on the plane to Europe is a smart way to travel and what I believe the OP was asking about, not the luggage while on the RS tour. There are most definitely rules about liquids in carry-ons

I suggest the OP bring enough to start and buy more in a local store. RS is always talking about getting close to the local culture, here's a great opportunity!

I want to second the suggestions already made. Do consider solid products. Solid conditioner works really well for me, but my hair is different from yours (though the perm makes it tangly); I need about 1 oz. of solid per month on the road. If the solid doesn't work, measure how much of your regular product you use. I bet you'll be surprised at how small the amount is.

I use the shampoo provided by my hotels (which are definitely not up to RS tour standards 95% of the time). If I were unwilling to do that, I'd use solid shampoo. Perhaps that would work for you even if you need your usual conditioner.

Also monitor your usage of toothpaste. Large tubes of toothpaste are heavy and bulky. You can probably manage with a smaller tube than you would imagine. I'm so fanatical I've even figured out how much dental floss I use (28", or 56" worth per day).

A travel size (1/2 oz.) solid anti-perspirant lasts me just under 6 weeks (using it just once a day). That's something I've had difficulty finding in Europe, so I make sure to take enough to last my entire (long) trip.

Things used sporadically are harder to estimate. I always end up with too much medicated ointment and lotion, but I don't want to try to find prescription products like that in Europe.

I have curly hair, so I can relate. I know how many uses of conditioner fit into my travel containers. I bring two 3 oz containers for 3 weeks. I don’t wash my hair every day, so that helps. I prioritize my hair items over other liquid toiletries. You can always buy toothpaste, body wash, sunscreen, mascara, etc in a grocery store. Often the same brands available at home. Just pick it up when you arrive. Many airports and train stations have grocery stores. And there are pharmacies on every other corner. Or experiment with reducing your liquids: bar soap, bar shampoo, solid toothpaste tablets, powder foundation, sunscreen stick, solid deodorant, etc.

Also, reduce the size of any other liquids you bring. I’ve found that I can fit my a daily moisturizer/sunscreen in two contact lens cases for a 3 week trip. This is much smaller than any travel size container.

How often do you wash your hair?
How long is the tour?

Learned years ago when I colored my hair that the tube of conditioner included in the Lady Clariol
box were perfect for travel.

And, agree, it’s not written in stone to only bring a carryon piece of luggage.

What did you do on previous trips?

If you checked a bag, then check a bag this time. As people said, the tour rules are not written in stone. If you can handle the bag, you can bring it.

One tip if you plan to bring bottles......to help prevent spillage, take the top off the bottle. Put a small piece of cling film/saran wrap over the top. Screw the top back on.

Most of the hotels provide shower gel and shampoo but providing conditioner isn’t consistent. I buy a higher quality conditioner and pour it into a small dish to let some of the water evaporate out of it. Then I put that into a small container.

I’ve also bought the intensive conditioner and just use a tiny dab of it.

Just bring a tiny travel toothpaste if you need more room in your TSA bag. Toothpaste is easy to buy there.

A 3-hour tour? Bring a life vest.

You'll be surprised what fun and how easy it is to get toiletries or OTC in UK and Europe. I remember one trip to Italy where I discovered I was allergic to Plane trees. I went to a chemist and asked in my horrible Italian if they had Claritin and she answered in beautiful English, yes, we have the generic loratadine (pronouncing all the vowels.)

I have curly/wavy hair and have learned which products work for my hair, they are high end and once my hair is washed and styled, it goes in a ponytail at night, or I wake up with a huge head of tangled hair and never gets brushed after that first day...I can go three days this way. The 3.5oz plastic tubes I use last exactly three weeks. I hear silk pillow cases and silk bonnets really help also. I could not find any comparable products in Europe for my hair, my skin yes, hair no. You may need to just check in your bag if your hair product needs exceed the carry on limits.

“she answered in beautiful English, yes, we have the generic loratadine (pronouncing all the vowels.)”

@LaurieBeth..that made me laugh out loud and also made me think of The Christmas Story when Darren McGavin pries open the shipping container of his major prize marked FRA-GEE-LAY.

Re: hair toiletries. I vote for the trial method over the next few weeks covering however many nights you’ll be gone using containers that will fit in your 3-1-1. I have opposite hair from yours…short and straight but I also am allergic to many hair care products so need to bring my own. I can use hotel products for a night or two but not more than that. I also realized I could get by with less if I changed how I apply it…you may need to experiment with this.

Are you traveling solo? If you have a travel companion will their 3-1-1 be full or can they accommodate another 3.1 oz container? Once you are thru security you may he ok to transfer back to your bag unless you are transiting thru an airport in Europe.

Curly haired girl here - second all the recs to test out options (and track quantities used) before you leave. I've tried solid shampoos that don't work for me, others that do. I also have a sensitive scalp so making sure it works before you go is very, very important. I personally use a spray in conditioner before drying my hair, and I know a 1.5 ounce spray bottle lasts for more than 3 weeks.

Here are some options for solid shampoo/conditioner (some of them I've not used, YMMV)
https://www.wildfororegon.com/pages/solid-shampoo-and-conditioner

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/F5973EE6-C531-450C-8BC3-43CF404269C9?ingress=2&visitId=a66063bf-ca5a-4bf4-aac8-860b5ae0b6da&ref_=ast_bln

https://www.lushusa.com/hair/conditioners/?gclid=CjwKCAjw__ihBhADEiwAXEazJtrNj_Fg3Auibuooytu_bkcCJQnPfF6h0Er4alT48dntBNaLR1ZDMBoCLCkQAvD_BwE

Lush retail in the malls has a lot of solid bar hair care products . They give samples so you can test them. Not perfect but good enough for 3 weeks. Also it is fun to try out different local products . Found a great mousse at Hema in Paris last I still use. Almost gone :-(

I have very curly hair and I can relate to the amount of product needed. When we did RS tour in Italy in 2018, I checked a bag so I could bring enough- and the airline ended up losing our luggage for 4 days, and so I purchased toiletries in a local pharmacy, and it was a great experience. We are going on a Portugal tour in a few weeks, and I am just going to bring a small amount of toiletries, and instead hit the pharmacy when we get there! Should be a fun cultural experience.