Summer is here, signaling the start of long-weekend excursions. I have a few planned for Long Beach Island, as I love its quaint, old-school sea shanty beach vibes and the iconic lighthouse, Old Barney. But I digress. Along with swim trunks, sneakers and cutaway-collar polos, you will also need to pack grooming essentials. Preparing my Dopp kit (you have one of those, right?) for a weekend trip is a task I’ve done countless times. Yet I usually forget something, especially as different seasons call for slight product variations, like sunscreen in summer or hand lotion in winter. So, to prevent an unnecessary trip to your destination’s local drugstore, we have compiled a list of grooming products to pack for those long summer days.
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America’s WWII advice for citizen saboteurs included telegram tampering and giving bad directions.In general, and especially for three- or four-day trips, travel-sized items are better since regular-sized items can take up too much real estate. While I swear by an electric toothbrush, I usually bring a manual one, especially if I only go for shorter trips. I use a regular deodorant at home but prefer a travel-sized when I’m away. Although my medicine cabinet might contain various colognes, shaving creams and other products, I stick to the grooming essentials for travel. Packing a Dopp kit for a weekend is oddly satisfying, as it keeps hygiene products organized and convenient. When staying as a guest, it also keeps your items in one tidy place.
As you stock your kit, consider the grooming upgrades and essentials listed below. Pro tip: Have a spare Dopp kit packed with these essentials so you are ready for the rest of the summer and even into fall. Print this out, use it as a checklist, and take care of it now so you spend less time stressing and more time vibing.
Malin+Goetz’s deodorant stick has garnered a cult following. Free from aluminum, alcohol and parabens, it is formulated with natural eucalyptus extract and odor-neutralizing citronellyl, making it suitable for all skin types. While deodorants often occupy a lot of space, this version comes in a convenient mini size.
Oars & Alps sunscreen is also available in a travel size, making their lightweight and fast-absorbing lotion perfect for summer weekend getaways. Packed with squalane, aloe and vitamin E, it helps skin stay moisturized while calming redness and inflammation and protecting against UV rays. Plus, it’s sweat- and water-resistant for 80 minutes.
Housed in a sturdy metal case that flips open like a Zippo, these solid colognes from Fulton & Roark are built for travel. The refillable tins won’t break or spill and come in various unique scents. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but for summer, I love Perpetua, a fresh wood scent with notes of Atlas cedar and sea air. Warm it up with your fingers, apply it to your wrists and neck, and let the subtle scent linger.
A no-fuss, effective, travel-size moisturizer is essential, and this All-In-One Face Treatment from Lab Series hits all the marks. It offers multiple skincare benefits — daily moisturization, soothing irritation and redness, repair of visible lines and wrinkles — and mattifies for a less oily appearance.
Late night? Blu Atlas’s eye stick provides an under-eye boost by targeting dark circles and puffy eyes via rose water, algae extract, vitamin C and caffeine. The travel-sized metal roller ball makes application enjoyable and leaves you feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Vertra’s lip balm also offers SPF 15 sun protection and is excellent for the beach or pool. Enriched with soothing and hydrating ingredients, including beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and sunflower oil, it is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, and the clear application makes it convenient for all-day use.
We love Marvis’s toothpaste, but they also make dental accessories. Lightweight with soft bristles, this toothbrush is perfect for travel with its head cover to keep it clean while bumping around in your Dopp kit.
Linhart toothpaste features a mild mint taste with a hint of anise for a clean and refreshing feel. Suitable for regular and sensitive teeth, it naturally and gently whitens while reinforcing enamel with its patented formula. Plus, the mini travel tube is super stylish.
Nail clippers often get forgotten, but even on a short four-day trip, they can come in surprisingly handy. No one likes discovering a loose nail! Tweezerman is the crème de la crème of grooming tools, and their clippers are built to last.
Sure, a few day’s trips will likely not require a full-on shave, but you might want to touch up facial or body hair. That’s one of the many arenas where the OneBlade shines. Keep it charged for follicular touch-ups, wet and dry, as needed.
Just because you are on holiday does not mean you can skip flossing. As long as the floss is waxed (gentler on the gums and glides better) and doesn’t shred or break, it’ll do the job. I’ve used Glide Oral B for years and will likely continue to do so.
Alcohol-free mouthwash is better, and classic Listerine now offers a travel-sized bottle sans the harsh burn. It kills 99.9% of bad breath germs and has a milder taste, leaving your mouth feeling fresh, clean and minty after flossing.
While inserting these in your ears is not recommended, we do recommend having them on hand to clean around the ears, and for the multitude of other unexpected situations where they might be useful.
Trust us, these will come in handy at some point.
As will these.
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