Carry-on Packing Guide for Women
Welcome to your “Carry-on Packing Guide for Women!” Whether you’re a road warrior who travels half the year, or simply a lady who enjoys frequent adventures: you need a quick, go-to packing guide, right? I’ve created this list of essential items especially for the female traveler who likes a little bit of luxury on the road…but on a budget!
Carry-on Packing Guide…
Smell Good on the Go!
1. Rose Water Spray – Smelling roses gives you a mental & physical lift in about one second flat. I keep rose water spray in my purse when I travel, & LOVE using it on planes, trains ~ even before & after working out. It gives me a mental “reset,” & provides moisture, acts as a toner, & sets my make-up. Once you discover rose spray: you won’t be able to live without it.
Where You Can Buy: Whole Foods or Amazon. Brand I Love: Heritage Rose Petal Spray. Price Tag: $6-10.
2. Small Candle of Favorite Scent – When traveling, you’ll come across some truly funky-smelling rooms. I’ve been in many rooms where I wished I had a candle! While it may seem like a luxury to bring a candle ~ I beg to differ: if you find a nice, small one – the benefits it provides will greatly outweigh its small weight. Where You Can Buy: Anywhere. Brand I Love: Pacifica. Price Tag: $10.
3. A Great Scent or Perfume – Two months into my South America trip, I ran out of my favorite perfume. And believe me, I MISSED it! You don’t realize how nice it is too smell good until, well…you simply don’t smell good anymore! Scent, to me, is #1 in a carry-on packing guide, in terms of making me feel good. Thus, I bring several travel-size scents with me on the road, & keep some in my purse ~ others in my toiletry bag.
Where You Can Buy: Whole Foods, Amazon, or Nordstrom. Brands I Love: Pacifica & Jo Malone. Price Tag: $9-65.
Carry-on Packing Guide ~ Moisturize!
4. Coconut Oil – If you travel a lot, there’s one thing you 100% need: MAJOR MOISTURIZER!!! So many aspects of travel dry the skin: stale air on planes, sunburns, long train rides, & hot, dusty hikes. For this reason, moisturizer is essential. And the great thing about coconut oil is that it moisturizes your entire body: hair, nails, legs…even feet! Mucho bang for your buck.
Where Can You buy: Pretty much any market. Brand I Use: Anything organic. Price Tag: $10.
5. Jojoba Oil – Jojoba oil is my secret weapon. While coconut oil is great for moisturizing the body, I find it too greasy for my face. That’s where jojoba comes in: it has a similar pH balance as your skin, which means it will “sink in” to your skin easily, without leaving you with greasy shine. And there’s just one ingredient in it, making it great & hypo-allergenic for just about everyone.
Where You Can Buy: Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or Amazon. Brand I Use: NOW Organic. Price Tag: $10.
6. Sunscreen + Moisturizer – While oils are great for nighttime use, I prefer a lighter moisturizer with sunscreen for daytime. And keeping it natural, I like Yes to Carrots’s day-time moisturizer with SPF 15. It uses zinc & titanium dioxide instead of chemical sunscreens, which means it starts blocking the sun immediately without parabens or chemicals. It’s 95% natural, & includes shea butter & sweet almond oil for extra moisturizing ~ & travel-sized at 1.7 oz.
Where Can You Buy: Most markets or Amazon. Brand I Love: Yes to Carrots Fragrance-Free Daily Moisturizer, SPF 15. Price Tag: $9 for 1.7 oz.
How to Sleep Well on the Road!
7. Silky Eye Mask – There’s nothing luxurious about getting zero sleep. And when you travel, there are many variables you can’t control. Too much light can interferes with sleep, which is a why a silky, natural eye mask is one of my greatest travel luxuries. I like this mask so much, that I use it at home as well.
Where You Can Buy: Amazon or your local drugstore. Brand I Use: Sleep Mask Purefly Natural Silk Eye Mask. Price Tag: $8.
8. Melatonin – If you really have trouble sleeping on the road, then add melatonin to your carry-on list. Your body naturally makes melatonin, in order to regulate sleep cycles; it’s also a free radical scavenger. Looking at screens all the time (TV’s, tablets, laptops) can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, so I find this to be an excellent supplement to use for better sleep. It should have you asleep in about an hour, & is a natural alternative to Tylenol PM. Where Can You Buy: Most markets or drug stores. Brand I Use: NOW. Price Tag: $10 for 180 capsules.
9. Ear Plugs – On planes these days, I find that good ear plugs are a MUST. I always seem to find myself in front of screaming children or babies ; ) And not all ear plugs I’ve tried are comfortable ~ these are the best I’ve found. Where Can You Buy: Amazon. Brand I Use: Flents Quiet Please Ear Plugs. Price Tag: $11 for 50 pairs.
10. Silk Pillow Case – This is a new addition to own my carry-on packing guide: a silk pillow case. Think about how much BLEACH the average hotel uses to launder their sheets….a lot, right? Clearly, they use it for sanitary reasons ~ but we all know how drying it is, & there’s no need to rest your head on that all night. So, the solution is: pack your own silky pillow case.
Where Can You Buy: Anywhere. Brand I Use: Mommesilk. Price Tag: $18.
Carry-on Packing Guide ~ Stay Well!
11. Probiotics – One of life’s greatest luxuries is having a happy, flat stomach. Taking probiotics before & during your trip is the best way to achieve this, & they’ll keep your immunity robust as well ~ since 70% of your immune system is in your gut.
Where Can You Buy: Most markets. Brand I Use: Jarrow (look for a brand that is room-temperature stable & doesn’t need to be refrigerated). Price Tag: $22.
12. Wellness Formula – This is one of the BEST wellness formulas out there: it’s packed with vitamins & immune-boosting minerals & antioxidants. It’s POWERFUL. The second I feel a cold coming on, or my throat gets scratchy, I take six capsules ~ & that’s usually enough to prevent getting sick. Otherwise, take two capsules daily for overall health. Where Can You Buy: Health food stores or Amazon. Brand I Use: Source Naturals Wellness Formula. Price Tag: $23 for 240 capsules.
13. Ginger Tea – Few things calm me like tea does, especially if I’m worn out from traveling all day. I love bringing Organic Ginger tea when I travel, as ginger calms the stomach, is a powerful antioxidant, & helps with nausea. It’s easier to pack than you think: just place a few packets in a zip-lock bag or small compartment in your carry-on.
Where can you buy: Any market. Brand I Use: Yogi or Traditional Medicine. Price Tag: $5.
Carry-on Packing Guide ~ Miscellaneous
14. TSA-Approved Travel Containers – Pack all your favorite shampoos, conditioners, & cleansers into these colorful travel-size containers, & breeze through TSA. Where Can You Buy: Amazon. Brand I Use: Kaptron BPA-Free. Price Tag: $15.
15. The Perfect Hanging Toiletry Bag – Personally, I love my hanging bag SO much ~ I use it at home too, because I can SEE where everything is! This one is a great size & should fit all your essential toiletries with no problem. Where Can You Buy: Amazon. Brand I Use: ProCase. Price Tag: $19.
16. The Perfect-Sized Hair Towel – I can’t travel without this anymore! Usually in a hotel, you’ve got large towels & small hand towels ~ & nothing in between. If you’re a woman with long hair: you know how frustrating this is! Traveling with a good, absorbent hair towel is the ultimate luxury ~ & makes life on the road SO much easier. Plus, you can always use an extra towel & they pack easily.
Where Can You Buy: Amazon. Brand I Use: AuroTrend Micro Fiber. Price Tag: $12.
17. The Perfect Passport Holder – No explanation needed. Where Can You Buy: Amazon. Brand I Use: Bambina di Cioccolato. Price Tag: $25.
Adios…Carry-on Packing Guide!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this carry-on packing guide for women, & I hope it helps you add a little luxury to your next trip! And since feeling loved is the best luxury of ALL ~ pack a small, personal memento in your bag, something simple that means a lot to you. Personally, I love hand-drawn cards from my niece & nephew. They make me smile no matter where I am in the world, & remind me that I’m not alone.
And that, is priceless.
xoxo Noelia
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Hi Noelle, My husband & I met you briefly at the Grist Mill Inn, Monticello, Ut. We invited your travel companion to eat breakfast with us. She suggested taking the Wolf Creek Pass route which we did after staying in Pagosa Springs, Co. Gorgeous! Please thank her for us. I also enjoyed reading your suggestions about ‘girly packing musts’… definitely items I will be adding to my bag. Thank you. Vicki Jensen
Vicki ~ hi! I read your sweet message to her in the car…she says hi! Wolf Creek Pass is GOReous ~ especially right now! Glad you guys remembered the name of the blog & safe travels back to Florida…correct?? xoxo Noelia
That Rose Water spray is divine! I just brought it to Mexico & it worked fabulously after sweaty walks, & I’m now keeping it in the fridge at home. I spritz it on my face whenever I need a “refresh.” Perfect for summer!
Hi Diana! I soooo agree!! I’m in 100 degree, Palm Springs weather right now ~ & I spritz the rose spray on my face every afternoon, & after workouts. Absolutely love it!! xoxo Noelia
Buying the sample sizes of Jo Malone perfumes for travel is ingenious! I bought some for my trip to Hawaii with my boyfriend, & he said he felt like he was out with a different woman every night, b/c I kept switching up my perfumes! Thanks for the genius idea xoxo Cheryl
Thanks, Cheryl! Those sample sizes fit anywhere ~ & TSA can’t take them away! Ha love the part about your boyfriend, that’s too funny! xoxo Noelia