travel kit tips from wanderlust women

I come from a line of wonderful wanderlusting women; women who are gorgeous inside out and look ravishing in every travel picture they share, online or with their friends. 

One is a grandmother to a toddler and an internationally acclaimed speaker on childhood asthma, the second is a teacher who is considered a rockstar by her students,the third is a gynaecologist and mother of two teenagers, and the fourth is in the blooming best of her twenties with the flush of youth no makeup brand can emulate. 

As part of the fifth birthday of my travel blog, I asked my mom, aunts and cousin to share their travel kit pictures and their travel essentials. 

Here is a treasure trove of great information, amazingly versatile products for
 age group ranging four decades. take your pick !


BARNALI BHATTACHARYA 

Most of my travels are work related where I squeeze in some exciting moments, and sometimes it is a pure holiday. 
The travel make up kit remains more or less same. But since when work related it's to deliver a talk, I wear saree hence I put in my red bindi and some safety pins first! Imagine a no bindi traditional saree look or the saree slipping while on the dias!

The rest of the kit is essentials first, tooth paste tooth brush, face wash(one which removes eye makeup too!), sun block, moisturizer, face care (day and night). 

Presently I use products from little bottles which are leak proof and occupy very less space.

 Bobby Brown remedies for day and O3 Age lock at night. These products change from time to time. But whichever I am using at that time, I swear by them. If it's a long trip then take my undereye care, been loyal to No7 for sometime. I carry a shower cap as sometimes they are not available in the hotels that I am staying at. I carry a hair grip and a rubber band. 

A complete face cover up after moisturizing is BB for me, Mac's Prep+ Prine BB SPF 35 is fantastic.

At night or for that special photography session make apply Nars face illuminator. 

I have to put my black kohl, feel insecure without it. 

I carry to pencil lid liners a blue and a green, just in case I want to feel glamorous. 

I carry a pink and a cinnamon brown lipstick, both matte, long lasting, Mac's. 

Between the two they can go with any coloured outfit. 

For perfume I carry Pleasures ( Estée Lauder), if off to a beach, a little pack of talc!

Since I travel twice a month, and have been doing so for over a decade, I do it quick. 

And oh yes my travel kit is partially see through so that I can access products quick if in a rush!

sunning in Maldives

asthma talk in Mahapedicaon

CHAITALI SARKAR

My idea of holiday is to chill at home doing nothing!!!

But whenever out on a holiday, some essentials would be  

  Agelock Vit C serum,bODY SHOP  Oil of life gel cream for day along with LotuS matte gel sunscreen, an SPF 50 loose powder, Maybeline Colassal kajals in black, blue, green & their mascara, lip pencil & current fav lip colours in pink & cinnamon.

 Maybeline Total Clean preferable over Loreal Gentle make up remover, that empties its bottle before you reach your first destination!! 

Night pampering would be Body Shop Oil of life cream or Forest Essentisls Soundarya serum. Boroline for chapped lips & Body shop beautifying oil pre sleep & post bath!! And of course, keo karpin sandal body oil. 

Hair care would be of L'Oréal X tenso shampoo, mask & serum.

 And not to forget ear buds for perfecting make up, tweezers, mirror with magnification, nail polish remover & the nail paint used, wads of cotton & wet wipes,nail cutter, safety pins, rubber bands, grips, scarves for a bad hair day, set of threads & needle, yes of course threader too. Rayban & an extra pair of reading glasses!! Pleasures by Estee Lauder of course!! 

And packed not in pouches, however attractive they are. I lay them out in empty saree boxes , easy to locate & retrieve.

vacationing in Venice

KAKOLI KUMAR

I love to travel and the family tries to squeeze in two holidays a year. most of my holidays are for over a week, and I prefer to carry all most of my products. I swear by vaseline petroleum jelly, as well as body lotion and would never leave without Maybelline's colllosal kajal. 

Creams, cleanser, tonic, compact are my essentials.so is a nail clipper , nail file and tweezers.

Make up- kajal in various colours , mascara, liner, highlighter, eyeshadow, lipstick.

 I carry my shampoo Loreal Absolut repair and conditioner L'Oreal extenso. Perfume has to be Jadore by Christian Dior. 

I am very particular about makeup removal and never ever forget to pack extra cotton and tissues, make up is essential, but removing it is even more so! 

Contact lens paraphernalia, anyone who wears contact lenses would agree with the me here. I carry an extra pair of monthly disposable contact lenses in the event I lose my pair.

i carry a separate bag for accesories as well.

strolling the streets of Spain

family holiday Sikkim

VASUNDHARA SARKAR

I love cosmetics, I wont lie. But my hair is my crowning glory, on a holiday I prefer to carry my straightening tongs as well as my hair care products, so that I never have a bad hair day.

1. Moroccan oil smooth conditioner and repair shampoo - for all sightseeing  

2. Kerastase thermique heat protectant - before hair styling 

3. Makeup revolution London - basic eye shadows, highlighter, blush - all in one 

4. Perfumes - Estee Lauder 'pleasure' and Gcci 'bamboo' limited edition 

5. Lakme sunscreen powder

6. Body shop night cream 

7. Hand sanitizer, handy M&S cream 

8. Lotus herbal spf 50 sunscreen 

9. Serums: Kerastase elixir ultime hair serum and clinique ' revitalizing serum'.

10. Multipurpose earrings - S,M,L size 

11. MK rose gold watch, prada sunglasses - basic black sunglasses 

12. Black Lakme eyeliner, Mac ruby woo lipstick, lakme absolute lip post-production (magenta magic), loreal exclusive collection (delicate rose)

13. Maybelline colossal mascara

14. Plum black kajal 

15. Loreal lip and eye makeup remover 

16. Gillete satin care - for shaving 

17. Lakme foundation

disney princess

Honestly I had lots to learn from the ladies . here are some of the take home messages.

1. carry stuff in individual see through pouches.
2. always pack essentials like bindi and safety pins, cotton to take off makeup, tweezers and shaving cream, depending what your 'essentials' are.
3. multipurpose your lipsticks, carry some great shades, one compact colour palette, and BB creams which can double as sunscreen.
4. dont forget hair care
5. dont forget makeup removers.
6. carry a perfume which suits your signature style.

read these fabulous tips about staying fresh on long distance air travel HERE