Welcome to Gypsy Wednesday! Every Wednesday, I strive to highlight all the juicy morsels related to travel and beyond.
Travel and womanhood use to be a difficult task. Not only were women having babies during the pioneering days, but carrying rucksacks and cooking for the entire family in the sparse outdoors was commonplace. By the 1960′s, air travel for the post-war business man exploded. Women of wealth could partake in this luxury as well. Fashion and grooming solely occupied our sisters. Then the feminist movement sprung from the radical 60′s and 70′s, but so did commercial passenger travel, economy and business were spoken in tandem at an airline booking desk.
The post-modern woman travels for varied reasons. To remold societal roles, reinvent ourselves, or simply relax and enjoy. Our questions aren’t strictly gender or status oriented, but practicalities. How to deal with our cycles? What’s the best shampoo to bring? Birth control?
You could chop off all your hair like Kelsey Freeman or find yourself très unchic in Europe like Diana Edelman.
As for me? I’m somewhat of a hedonist and believe it’s more than acceptable to pack a few items that bring enjoyment. So, fair readers, I am opening up my toiletry bag.
1. Long or Short?
The debate rages on whether to go long or short on your round the world trip. I’m most happy with long hair. Can’t help it. It’s me. The solution? Lush shampoo bars.
I started using these shampoo bars prior to traveling. You can buy a durable tin to hold them in and Lush accommodates any hair type. Made from natural ingredients, you’ll never guess how long a bar lasts me: 6 to 8 months. Oh, and these also double as a bar of soap. The icing? Lush has stores in 39 countries (including India). Pssst.. they also sell conditioner bars. That’s my next purchase when my current conditioner runs out. www.lush.com.
2. Make-up
I always bombed at applying a full made up face, and firmly believe it’s useful for time and place. Don’t wear it during a jungle expedition, the mozzies will eat you alive. However, if you’re going out for dinner or clubbing, I always pack three essentials: MEL. Mascara. Eyeliner. Lash brush.
Eyeliner can bring a “wow” factor to tired eyes. Mascara brightens them drastically, and the brush can smooth out applied mascara or bushy eyebrows. Powders, foundations, eye shadows end up weighing down your pack and can shatter leaving a mess.
3. Tampons, Ick
I gave up tampons years ago in favour of the Diva Cup. This is a dream come true for women travelers.
It only needs to be emptied twice a day or it can be pushed to every 12 hours. Use anti-bacterial camping soap and water to clean it, let it air dry, and put it back in the handy carrying case. Why do tampons suck? For one, disposal is challenging in some countries and tampons add to the landfill. A Diva Cup will last up to 2 years. Finally, the one time I brought tampons mosquitoes would not leave me alone. Like a nightmare stalker. The final score was 10 bites on my rear end! Not pretty. Important tip: make sure you’re using treated or bottled water to clean it, not straight tap water! www.divacup.com.
4. Don’t be a Backpacker Fashion Mistake
Especially important if Europe is part of your itinerary. If you want to parallel a Spanish or French dresser, be forewarned – they are always put together.
Readers gave me grief for the flats, but I’m keeping them. Once in a while it’s nice to walk around in something other than Keens or hikers.
They are comfy, but still have detail to give them flourish. Paired with leggings or jeans, Europe will be a breeze.
Other items worth having:
A scarf adds instant chic, and can be used for warmth or a head scarf to block out sun.
Controversial jeans.
Jeans are comfortable and a terrific way to fit in (dependant on the country). Look into quick dry jeans or don’t wash them on a travel day. And fashion hounds, one pair will do, not two. (I made that error!)
The ultimate rule here is ensure these pieces don’t interfere with pack weight. Items that can be rolled or take up minimal space is the key.
5. Eau du Sweat
Rather than smell like a long-haul trucker, get this:
Patchouli essential oil treats acne and for my purposes – wards off mosquitoes. Yes, you are sensing a theme. My flesh is caviar to the mosquito world. I do everything possible to stop them. You’ll smell divine or reek of a rehashed hippie in a tie-dye American Apparel T-shirt. Either way, send mosquitoes to the grave!
6. Desert Hands
So multi-purpose! It moisturizes, removes make-up, and soothes cracked skin. A major essential in my toiletry bag.
7. Sex Education
I tend to select Trojan, a product with an upstanding record. A woman can’t be caught without proper contraception.
8. Diamonds Are Forever
Instead of wasting a travel budget on replenishing deodorant, choose The Crystal.
Composed of all-natural mineral salts, The Crystal neutralizes odor before it even begins. This baby never depletes or breaks off. A godsend! www.thecrystal.com.
What I love about travel is the menu of choices women have. Whatever you bring, or wherever you go – it’s truly up to you. And we can look fabulous doing it.
Editor’s note: I’m inserting a blatant link to Flightster Blog in hopes they hire me as their next, fabulously talented writer: How to Become the Next Paid Writer for the Flightster Blog. Forgive me readers, but this gal needs a job!
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@Nomadic Chick – Indeed, that is the problem. Without electricity or running water of any kind, my access to what I would consider clean water is going to be extremely limited.
@Lilliane – I clearly did not get the job, but oh well – it was worth trying. :)
@Augustus Poplos – Thank you so much for the comment, and your blogs are super cute! Recommendations:
- Rubber door stop for safety.
- Imodium (sounds extreme, might need it).
- TP, TP – every gal needs it!
- I hear New Mexico, Austin, New Orleans , Portland, Seattle (Camp along the Oregon coast, beautiful!) are all cool spots.
Wow, what an adventure. Good luck to you!
@Dina – Look at you defending ol’ Diva Cup. :0 Wonderful. I think Kelsey’s concern is she’ll be somewhere with no running water. If that’s the case, you are out of luck. But otherwise, bottle water and soap would work fine!
Fun read and picked up a couple of stuff I’ve never heard of. Glad to hear that some girls packed stuff for pretty. You’re such a funny, sassy writer. I voted for you. Hope you get the job.
Awesome blog! Although I am not a traveling woman, I will be traveling with one! My girlfriend and I have donated and sold all of our belongings and are heading out september 1st to travel the USA. We will be volunteering, couch surfing, camping, and staying with friends. We hope to interview locals everywhere and raise awareness on social and environmental issues. If you would like to check out our blogs, her address is http://andreainwanderland.blogspot.com and mine is http://theelegantvagrant.blogspot.com
We are both new to the blogging scene, and I am new to traveling aimlessly, so if you have any pointers, recommendations, hot spots, etc. I’d love to hear them!
Also, do you know where I can find the diva cup? She’s expressed some interest in it in the past and maybe I could surprise her with it… probably an odd choice for a gift idea… but i know she would definitely use it!
wow! this is a nice read! i enjoyed reading your post.
How about your type of bag, eh? haha Well, aside from the backpack, that is. :)
Love this!
Diva cup is something that I recommend to my friends back home too. Give up those tampons, or even worse, female sanitary pads. Diva cup is great because it last forever (except you ruined it on stove when sterilize it like me), each use can last 12 hours, no mess, no smell (no mozzies like in your story, haha), and economical unless you ruin it. And we can go swim too, so great. I don’t know why some concern about the cleaning, a bottle of water can handle it if you happen to stuck in public toilet without indoor sink.
I love the crystal deodorant too, but they take up big chunk of space in the bag. And seems like with me, very often my crystal fell and broke/had sharp edges. Then when I was in Europe, I can’t find the replacement. So I said good bye to this for a while. Now that you reminded me of it, I want to buy them again.
@Nomadic Chick – LOL. Yeah, no showering. Bucket baths for me for 3-6 months! You get used to the stink eventually. After a week or two, you don’t really notice.
@Kelsey – Doesn’t sound like a wise decision. Without running water, how do you plan on showering? LOL. Guess you don’t. :)
@Nomadic Chick – Yeah, I doubt it’s quite as wise to use it on a trip where I won’t be anywhere with running water or electricity for three months. ;)
@Kelsey – My solution is to make sure I wash it with anti-bacterial soap and the water I’m using is purified. We’ll see how that fares. The instructions for DivaCup pretty much says that. However, the most ideal is to probably utilize self-catering at hostels or couchsurfing and douse it with a bit of boiled water.
@Erin – My concern is what do you do with the diva cup when you’re traveling somewhere that you can’t reliably wash the thing?
@Wailana – In my estimation danger is everywhere, even in your own city. A lousy reason to not go. And sassy is where it’s at!
Great article Nomadic Chick – there’s enough being said about how “dangerous” or “judgmental” female solo travel can get. Now for some positive, sassy pieces!
The Crystal reminds me of a perfume stone I bought at a market in Morocco that is basically a rock that absorbs sweat and smells. Definitely useful for those icky times!
I think feeling refreshed is important when traveling. I can’t imagine how many times I’ve been stuck at an airport and found myself feeling ill–but a quick jaunt to the bathroom with my soap, toothpaste, and hairbrush perked up my spirits instantly. Bonus if the airport has free showers (okay, I’ve only seen this once, at London Stansted)!
@Srinivas Rao – What a lovely sentiment. I’m apt to believe it’s the same at Nomadic Chick. Thanks for connecting and couldn’t agree more, this community swells, new discoveries are made, and we are morphing into a travel force. :)
Thanks so much for your entry. It’s been really cool to connect with all these travel bloggers, people who weren’t on my radar before despite my two other blogs :). You mentioned us working with Colin Wright. Well, that was by design :). My idea was find a group of bloggers who has an audience that loves them and everything they do and hire them.
@Laura – Great tip! I just bought handi-wipes, not baby based, but I’m guessing the same thing. Definitely check out Lush, they also have conditioner bars, and even massage bars that double as moisturizers. :)
@Shannon OD – I actually know this about you, having read that from your site well before mine emerged. That’s probably why I liked you instantly. Finally, I thought, a fellow Diva Cup user promoting it for travel!
@Dena – Wow, thanks for the acknowledgement. :) Some ladies aren’t comfortable with disposal re: Diva Cup, but do it during a washroom visit and there is no garbage or overt mess to contend with. Good luck!
@Sherrie – Agreed! Agreed! I will NEVER return to tampons!
@Erin – Jeans can be so darn useful! Interesting advice on Lush being scarce. I’m totally going to try and visit the Lush store in Ahmedabad, India. Wouldn’t that be a trip in itself?
@Joel – Ah, but the upside is a slim wasitline. Bet you can fit into size 0 pants now. :)
@Karin – Damn straight. Those flats have jazzed up an outfit for me more than once! Good tip on the Crystal!
I’m intrigued by the Lush shampoo bars. Definitely want to try them! Liquid shampoo is so bulky to carry around. I also carry body spray around- you never know when you might need it! The other thing I find handy to have on me is baby wipes- whether it’s to sanitize your hands, wipe your face of sweat, or clean muddy feet in Africa, they always seem to come in handy.
I love the Diva Cup! Great list Jeannie – I have been hearing a lot about these Lush bars over the past couple of years but have yet to try – you may have just convinced me to test them out on my next travels!
Hello Sweets!
You already know that I adored this post, but I finally got around to sharing it with my readers over here: http://bit.ly/bU96BI
All of this advice was excellent, but my first to-do is to get myself a diva cup!
Have a gorgeous day.
xo,
Dena
Diva cup!!!!! Love it!!! I keep meaning to do an entire blog post on it and never do, but will do one day! It’s better for you body, for the environment, AND it takes up next to no pack space!
Lush bars are amazing although I do find them hard to find when we run out, unless we are in US, Australia etc. I also completely agree with the Diva Cup (or Moon Cup in UK) – I don’t know why anyone would still use tampons. It’s perfect for travel.
I only have hiking shoes but there are times when a pair of lightweight flats would be useful , especially if you like going out at night a lot. Despite travelling light I have a pair of lighweight jeans as well. They aren’t necesary in the tropics but in cooler climates they do make you feel more normal than travel trousers.
Nice to have time to catch up with folks finally! The downside to riding the bike 5 or 6 hours a day is it limits the time to do other stuff, but the scenery is definitely worth it.
And I was kinda looking forward to the Flock of Seagulls ‘do.
Ha, you’re keeping the flats – good on ya!
Don’t have anything to add to your very good list – just don’t drop the Crystal, mine exploded into useless little pieces. But it was good while it lasted.
I paint my toenails, so have found nail varnish remover tissues great for travelling (found them in Japan, weigh practically nothing).
@Joel – Nice to see a full blooded male promoting Lush! I adore them! As for the cut, depends if you have a steady hand. I would end up being an 80′s rock video asymmetrical joke, you might turn out dashing! Nice seeing your mug on my site again. :)
Well, I’m no woman, but I now swear by the Lush shampoo bars too. Picked one up in London at the start of the trip and dumped the bottle. It’s amazing how long it lasts. 3 weeks later and I’ve barely made a dent in it.
Next up – do I get a professional haircut or do I use the scissors from my bike multi-tool and just chop it off?
@Nomadic Chick – I have the Euro version which has an even classier name… the Urinelle :)
@Andi – Whatever you’re doing, it’s working, because you look gorgeous in all your photos! I’m a bit of both. For stomping around a tourist site, I am in backpacker grunge. When I go out on the town, I like to look a bit put together. I’m just not someone who lived in sweats in my pre-nomadic life, why pretend I want to now? The best motto – do what makes you happy and comfortable!
@Alison – Someone else mentioned the P Mate. LOL, and what kind of name is that? The best! :)
@Cornelius Aesop – You might have to trim your fur, but I’d say yes. And after using Lush, you will smell like a beautiful monkey. In this day and age, it’s more than acceptable for women to take care of their contraception, so why not the best?
@lily – YES! A lot of these products I used before my travels and The Crystal definitely works for me. No smellies after sweating like a hog in Toronto. :)
@Dee – Tis true on the shampoo bar wearing down faster if used for soap. Even the soap bars can be purchased with a durable, light carrying tin. I just thought it was fantastic that a shampoo bar could even do that!! With Lush, it’s totally about supplying at opportune times. The good thing is their stuff does last for a decent amount of time so you can get away without supply, at least a little while.
As noted in my post, jeans are definitely not suitable for every country and dumping them might make sense rather than keep them. In your case, goodbye in Asia. :-D
Isn’t that what is great about travel in general? The ability to do what one wants!
Thanks for commenting!
I loooooved this post! You talked about some things that no one else dares to talk about, so you go girl!!! I know that I’m probably one of the only serious travelers out there that chooses style over comfort, but I want to look good in all of my pics. :)
I’m all about the woman having condoms as well, I don’t know why so many women assume it is only the man’s responsibility to carry them. If you truly want to be safe, then I think you should think about yourself and protect yourself – don’t leave it up to someone else that you may meet at a random intoxicated event.
As for the Lush, does it work on fur?
2 words for nasty bathrooms – P Mate http://www.pmateusa.com/ Trust me on this one :)
Does the crystal *anti pong* thing really work?
Lush soap bars are PERFECT for male or female. However I found they went much faster when I doubled them for soap. Watch out however! They do supply quite a lot of international countries, however if your traveling in Asia you won’t find any stores in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. So make sure to pack an extra if your travels will bring you to that area of the world.
As for short or long, I went mid length for the first half of my travels and then ended up dreading my hair in Thailand for my second half. (Was already thinking about doing that before I even left on the trip, finally I found the guts to do 6 months later) Couldn’t of been happier with my decision!
And couldn’t agree with you more with the Diva Cup! ALL females, esp ones who travel should use this fabulous product!!
I had jeans while I was in Europe but soon as I hit Asia I stopped wearing them due to heat and they became a burden in my pack so I abandoned them in a bungalow for the maid to take if she wanted.
@Alouise – Thank you for the comment and for not pointing out my ridiculous spelling mistakes. I pressed publish in tired mode forgetting to proofread. Those are corrected and tea tree oil is being added to my list – I heard it is great for combating head lice, which is prevalent in India (orphanages, I’m volunteering!).
I always use tea tree oil for acne but it doesn’t have a particularly great smell. I’ll have to try the patchouli oil. And I always pack makeup but I never really use it, the only thing that ever gets used is my C.O Bigelow lipgloss… it’s my favourite.