What's in my carry-on? Summer 2015 edition

Ready to roll (literally hehehe...)!

I am totally nosey (no shame), and love when bloggers/vloggers do a "What's in/on my [noun]?" series. I've always wanted to do one myself, so I figured that with my upcoming month-long trip, I'd do a What's in my carry on? for you!

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I also hope that you find this helpful and sort of inspirational, because it's not everyday you see bloggers/vloggers talk about the things they bring in their carry-on for a 2+ [summer] week trip! Once I get to the US, I'm shipping my bags to my final destination to save money on baggage costs and time spent waiting for my bags otherwise, so I'll be primarily be living out of my carry-on for a month. I've been planning how to pack this carry on for months (me? A compulsive planner? What are you talking about...), so hopefully I have most of my bases covered!

This post will be broken up into the following sections:

1. Liquids (in the 1L clear plastic bag)
2. Skincare + other toiletries
3. Makeup
4. Clothes
5. Other items

Liquids

I am in love with my Winnie the Pooh Ziplock bag

Tackling the hardest category first! This has probably caused me the most grief due to my skincare routine, and my high-maintenance hair. However, I managed to decant and whittle it down to the pictured items above. It took a lot of tetris and wrestling with the 1 quart Ziplock bag, but I managed to get it all to fit and zip!

Skincare

This is actually more or less the routine I've been sticking to for the past couple of months, minus one or two items. It's pretty bare bones compared to what other AB-ers and bloggers tend to have, but it has so far worked wonderfully for my skin! It'll most likely change when I move since I'll be in a totally new climate, but that's for another day.

In order of use, from bottom left, spiralling clockwise:

• 2nd cleanser: Hada Labo Mild & Sensitive Skin Face Wash
• Active: COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
• Toner: Hada Labo Gokujy-un Moist Lotion
• Toner/Essence: COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence
• Serum/Ampoule: Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule aka Long Name Ampoule
• Light moisturizer: HA gel
• Spot treatment: Benzac AC 5 (benzoly peroxide 5%)
• Sleeping pack: Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack
• Face oil: Rosehip oil (decanted into a Paula's Choice Vitamin C sample bottle)

I decanted the Hada Labo face wash into such a larger tube because I'm planning on having that double as my soap too! I mean, I'll probably borrow my friends' stuff, but I'm staying with my brother for a week, and another male friend for a week, so using their body wash might not work...

Makeup

Most of my makeup items aren't liquids, thank goodness! 

Pictured above are:

• Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50 PA+++
• Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream in 32 Light Beige
• Kiss Me Heroine Long & Curl Mascara

If I had planned it out better, I would've brought a sunscreen that was also water resistant so I could use it on face and body if/when I head to the beach and/or hiking. Alas, my careful planning failed me in this area. I'm just going to be using my Biore sunscreen as an everyday face sunscreen, and either mooch off of friends or buy waterproof sunscreen as needed and leave it with said friends when I head towards my next destination.

Other toiletries

From left to right(ish)

• A mix of Suave Naturals Conditioner and L'Oreal EverPure Conditioner
• A mix of Paul Mitchell Super Sculpt Hair Gel and coconut oil
• A mix of Suave Naturals Conditioner and L'Oreal EverPure Conditioner
• Opti-Free Replenish Contact Lens Solution
• Monthly contact lens
• The Body Shop Shea Butter Hand Cream
• Malin + Goetz Peppermint Body Scrub sample
• Sensodyne toothpaste
• Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet perfume
• Gla Nature Lemongrass and Mangosteen body lotion (not pictured because I derped and forgot to include it in the picture)

My hair is pretty high maintenance because it's curly and colored (well, more like highlighted, but still). As such, in order to keep it happy, hydrated, and unfrizzy, I have to be a bit selective with what products I use with it. This means I can't just use the conditioners available in hotels, or easily borrow my friends' stuff. I also go through conditioner quite quickly since I need a good amount for my hair, hence the need to have two decanted tubes of conditioner. I normally only shampoo my hair once a week (I co-wash other days), so I reasoned I'll borrow my friends' shampoos on those days. Ah, the joys of having hair as high maintenance as your face :(

Skincare + other non-liquid toiletries

I just want to give a shout out to this MUJI toiletries bag, pictured above (I have it in size L). I love it so much: it's so useful! I've brought it on a few trips, and I love that I am able to hang it on a hook, instead of having it take up precious counter space (which always seems to be in short supply). Plus, it has a pouch on the back, which is perfect for all my sheet masks :D

• Banila Co. Clean It Zero Purity 
• Nexcare 3M Acne Dressing
• Dove Go Fresh Deodorant in Revive
• Panasonic Ladies Wet/Dry epilator
• Toothbrush
• Floss picks (dental hygiene, yo!)
• Tongue scraper
• Cotton buds
• Sheet masks
• Leaders Insolution Whitening Cell Mask
• Leaders Insolution Wrinkle Cell Mask
• My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask
• My Beauty Diary Royal Honey Mask
• Naruko Rose & Botanic Hydrating Mask
• Naruko Raw Job's Tears Brightening Mask
• Naruko Magnolia Brightening & Firming Mask
• Naruko A3% Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Black Spots And Lines Defying Mask
• Tiger balm (I'm Asian and I know it)

I have every intention of sheet masking during my 18 hour flight. Everyone will be sleeping (or not), and I will have my reading light on as I go through my skincare routine. Bring on that #airplanesheetmask life.

Makeup

Makeup bag purchased at Target approx. four years ago

Listed in order of use (sort of):

• The Face Shop Lovely Me:ex Design My Eyebrow in 01 Grey-Brown
• Maybelline 24-Hour Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
• Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palette
• Sigma E25 eyeshadow blending brush (travel size)
• Real Techniques domed eyeshadow brush (from their Travel Essentials set)
• ELF eyeshadow C-brush
• Urban Decay J3Y eyeshadow brush 
• Sigma E30 pencil brush
• Shiseido eyelash curler
• KATE Super Sharp Liner in BK-01 Black
• Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in 05 Soft Sand
• ELF Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder
• ELF blush brush
• Real Techniques Multi-Task face brush (from their Travel Essentials set)
• The Face Shop Lovely Me:ex You&Face Blusher in 06 Fuzzy Peach
• Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm
• Make Up For Ever lipstick
• The Face Shop Face It! Artist Touch Lipstick Moisture in OR201 (not pictured)
• Nail clippers
• Toe nail clippers (sexy, I know)
• Facial hair trimmer
• Tweezer

I honestly was going to bring slightly less items (ex. no Naked eyeshadow palette, less makeup brushes), but I didn't like the idea of my Naked palette possibly getting destroyed as it got shipped over to my final destination. Also, I still had space in my makeup pouch, so I figured might as well! I'm planning on keeping my makeup simple on most days, but I know I'll be going out a few nights so the versatility of the Naked palette will help.

Clothes

Sorry, no pictures of my clothes because it's messy and it bit too difficult to photograph :\ | Source

My clothes are all in my larger carry-on. I meant to only bring clothes for one week, but it sort of ballooned to now having enough clothes for two weeks. Thank god for Space Saver bags, or else this would have been a slightly more difficult fit!

• Non-liquid toiletries bag
• Makeup bag
• Casual dresses (4)
• Going out outfits (3)
• Bikini (1)
• Shorts (2)
• Tops (2)
• Workout clothes (2)
• Pajamas (2)
• Bras (7)
• Underwear (10+)
• White blazer
• Kindle charger
• Camera charger
• Necklaces (2)
• Belt, brown
• Shoes
• Asics running shoes
• Nude heels
• Butterfly Twists flats
• Socks (4)
• Clutch
• Daiso lingerie laundry bags (2)
• Hat

Other items

Most, but not all, items pictured.
Yes, I really need to charge that Kindle.

These are all in my smaller carry-on bag. This is more typical of what you would see others bring on flights, but I figured I'd share nonetheless!

• Panasonic RPHJE120P in-ear headphones (great for some noise-cancelling action, while providing good audio quality, all at a super affordable price! I've repurchased multiple times, because I don't treat mine too well...)[link]
• Liquids bag
• Glasses + case
• Sunglasses
• Emergency pouch
• Feminine hygiene products (you can never be too prepared for Aunt Flo/Shark Week)
• Medicine: Ibuprofen, antihistamines
• Kindle
• Sleeping eye mask
• Airplane socks
• Scarf
• (One-armed) Domo pouch (poor guy is past his prime)
• Blistex Herbal Answer Lip Protectant SPF15 
• Jolse oil blotting sheets
• Poy Sian camphor menthol nasal inhaler
• Wallet
• Passport
• Canon S120 camera
• Pens (for filling out them immigration forms!)
• iPhone 6 + charging cable
• MacBook Pro 13" + charger
• Plug adapter
• 650 mL Nalgene bottle

Phew! That is a surprisingly large number of items. I'm normally a light traveler, so I don't know what happened...

If you want more inspiration for how to pack for longer trips, I highly recommend you checking out Rebecca of Hello Pretty Bird!'s recent(ish) post! I found it informative, and personally it helped me plan out my own packing list.

I hope you found this helpful! Are you a light traveler or not? Any tips or tricks for packing?