To avoid a major one, the first thing to do is get packing, and you want to do this part early on. Panic and indecision can lead to sitting on your luggage just to zip it up. For a minimalist but versatile wardrobe, consider the ‘Sudoku packing method.’
SUDOKU packing method.
SKINCARE toiletries.
ACCA Kappa Dolce Treviso.
If you think this is an article on modern textile or, heaven forbid, an ode to youthful skin, think again.
Two weeks out of our beloved, beleaguered country gave this beauty observer a chance to recalibrate long-held beliefs on the secret to aging well. And it is not about what you eat or how high your number of steps are in a day.
It is, simply, recharging your spirit with a change of scene.
Of course, we all know traveling itself is not without some stress.
To avoid a major one, the first thing to do is get packing, and you want to do this part early on. Panic and indecision can lead to sitting on your luggage just to zip it up. For a minimalist but versatile wardrobe, consider the “Sudoku packing method.”
Lay out a top, bottom and an outerwear in a 3x3 grid of nine items (that means three tops, three bottoms and three outer layers, all in colors that work together) so you can mix and match the combinations horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Then add the matching footwear (one casual, one dressy, one strappy, perhaps) and other accessories. This method ensures stress-free wardrobe planning with a variety of combinations that can cover different activities in your destination. Voila, your luggage can breathe and you have room for shopping finds!
Next, pack travel-sized essentials like skincare (I find that most hotels provide decent soap, shampoo and conditioner, so no need to pack those), and make sure you carry sunblock all the time. It’s easy if you go to places like Japan or Korea, where you will likely shop for skincare and cosmetics anyway, but it is always a good idea to bring your own suncare product so that you can face harsh conditions without hassle. I highly recommend sun sticks (non-messy) but also recently tried the Japan-made Canmake brand, a lightweight, fragrance-free formulation which gave my skin a little pearly glow (much-needed to counter the lack-of-sleep dullness of the skin).
A tried-and-tested face wash is Cetaphil or CeraVe because it soothes stressed, sensitive skin especially in warm weather, and Kiehl’s skincare for cooler climes.
Don’t forget to edit your cosmetics case. You don’t have to bring five shades of lipsticks and full-sized bottles of your fave liquid makeup. Bring along one neutral and one bright lippie, plus a lip balm (in your bag, to counter the plane’s dry air), and choose a pancake kind of foundation that won’t accidentally spill into your clothes yet offers good coverage. A recent find is Tirtir, recommended (which I bought with full trust haha) by the beauty expert at LOOK in SM The Block.
For that healthy glow, I had the quandary of bringing the powder blush I am currently obsessed with from Kiko Milano or the bouncy aura mochimo from Vice Cosmetics’ line of soft and pillowy cheek and eye products. Because the latter’s squishy blending puff comes with its own carrying case, it won over the powder one which would have had to be applied with a brush (that did not fit my pouch).
Lastly, fragrance. The best way to spritz yourself out of the kinks is with a delicious-smelling fragrance like the ones from Acca Kappa, whose White Musk has always been a favorite. Recently, however, the brand went back to its roots in introducing the Dolce Treviso, a sweet scent reminiscent of the dessert, tiramisu.
One can have a mini vacation taking a whiff of this light eau de parfum, which takes the senses to Treviso, the birthplace of tiramisu and the historic home of Acca Kappa.
The scent’s simplicity is what draws fans of minimalist scents, which focus on one or two dominant ingredients rather than complex layers. What amazes me is that this brand has survived decades of trends and competition, remaining still “a family-owned company firmly rooted in the values of its founder.” Today, it is headed by Elisa Gera-Krull, of the fourth generation, who has expanded into new fragrances for this brand that first built a name in hair brushes.
Dolce Treviso reminds us that no matter how far you go, you will always make your way back home.
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