Packing for a long trip - Checking in and Skincare (Part 1)

So a few days ago, Jennifer ping me on iM to ask me more tips on how to pack for her trip to Denmark. Being the one in UK, and travel a lot seems to be the right person to ask.

Last trip that i travelled for 6 months was back in 2007, when i went back to HK and around E.Asia for my fieldwork. I packed my life away and don’t own half of the makeup now. Then it was my 1.5 month trip in Hong Kong in 2009, for various travelling again, this time, I picked quite a lot with me.

So.. jennifer.. rather than writing a 1000 words message for you on IM, decide to do a post. I think Jamilla might be able to offer a few help here as she travels a lot as well.

One thing to bear in mind is that you prioritise what you bring, i think makeup/skincase is roughly 3rd most important thing to stuff inside the suitcase if that’ all you bring. Nowadays, airlines have a stricter policy and when they say 23kg, it meant it!

The way to bring more within the limit is to bring 2 bags on board (if your airport/airline allows). This includes a cabin size luggage, and another a backpack, or a supersize hangbag. If you know you are slightly overweight (27kg) and the check in counter asks you to unload, your cabin size luggage/backpack will come in handy.

HONG KONG EXPERIENCE:

if you are boarding in Hong Kong and want to maximise the luggage you bring, this is how i do it.

Check-in Luggage:
put all extremely important items in luggage and go to a travel agent and buy an airport express ticket (if it is 1-way, it is only $70 instead of $100). This will allow you to check in 24 hours before flight.

Then put less important items (the stuff you think your mommy will help you to send over to you if you are overweight) into cabin luggage

With your supersize hangbag, only put your flight essentials (passport, doc etc) and do not load anything else.

Check in at the counter with your luggage and super size hangbag at the airport express checkin first (this is to make sure you guarantee a seat) if you need to unload due to overweight at this point, you can unload items into your supersize hangbag.
(the reason why you do not show your cabin size luggage is that you’ll be told off, their instructions say to eye-scan any additional luggage that the passenger brings into the cabin. If they spot you with 2 luggage at the airport check-in counter, they will say you are not allowed to bring both)

If you do not need to unload many things, your cabin size luggage and your supersize hangbag should allow you more room to fit anything you want to bring. (P.S. that’s why you check in early, then go home and pack again)

Then board with your cabin size luggage and supersize hangbag.

If you do not board at the airport express, but directly in the airport, you risk being overweight and cannot do anything about it. At least if you check -in first, you know what you still want to bring and have time to pack a package to yourself.

generally at the security gate, they allow a supersize hangbag plus cabin luggage. The reason why is people sometimes shop as much as a supersize hangbag at duty-free. So technically they cannot say you cannot bring an extra bag. There’s no policy of how many bags you can bring except by the airlines themselves

if you bring in this way, you should be able to bring : check in- luggage 23 kg, cabin luggage 10kg, supersize hangbag 10kg (if you can carry all)

Back to the post:

Lets do it in 2 categories:

1. SKIN CARE

Venturing to the unknown place, you don’t know what it is like. Dry? super dry? cold? etc
My advice is bring what you know works with you best there then when they are not suitable, buy local products.
Also, my advice is to buy European brand (i.e. Lancome, Clarins, olay, neutrogena) if you want to buy before you travel to save cost. They are multi-national company, and usually their skin care line is available around the world. Therefore, it is safe to assume these skincare products will suit wherever you go to by guessing.

I totally recommend you bring these with you, the rest I didn’t mention (such as Toner) can be bought when you arrive there


Make Up Cleanser - yes. Hong kong has a better collection than in Europe. Bring a oil base cleanser (get the 450 ml Shu Uemura oil cleanser from Sasa, they’re the cheapest in the world)


Cotton - European drug-store cotton is the hardest thing you’ll ever tried. If you remember how Chinese (maindland chinese) cotton feels like, they are exactly the same except never improve during the time


Paper soak up mask - not those like Beuaty Diary, but those you pour the toner/essence. This is cheaper than bringing mask and you can buy the toner that suits the climate for face mask rescue


Moisturiser - bring your favourite (in J’s case, bring a winter one, I’d say a cream based moisturiser) and you know for the 1st month, at least you know something you use before


Lip balm - I always bring vaseline lip petroleum (my fav though is Rose Petal exclusively Uk only). When you are in really dry weather or just need a bit of lippy, it is great. Light and extremely useful

Eye cream - again bring your HG and think about it later

I’ll talk about what to bring with make up in the next post